diff --git a/src/Orchard/Environment/DefaultOrchardHost.cs b/src/Orchard/Environment/DefaultOrchardHost.cs
index 7d5f0b5d1..59d6204cb 100644
--- a/src/Orchard/Environment/DefaultOrchardHost.cs
+++ b/src/Orchard/Environment/DefaultOrchardHost.cs
@@ -147,6 +147,8 @@ namespace Orchard.Environment {
         }
 
         private void DisposeShellContext() {
+            Logger.Information("Disposing active shell contexts");
+
             if (_current != null) {
                 foreach (var shellContext in _current) {
                     shellContext.Shell.Terminate();
@@ -160,24 +162,13 @@ namespace Orchard.Environment {
             BuildCurrent();
         }
 
-
-        // the exit gate is temporary, until better control strategy is in place
-        private readonly ManualResetEvent _exitGate = new ManualResetEvent(true);
-
         protected virtual void EndRequest() {
-            if (_processingEngine.AreTasksPending()) {
-                _exitGate.Reset();
-                ThreadPool.QueueUserWorkItem(state => {
-                    while (_processingEngine.AreTasksPending()) {
-                        _processingEngine.ExecuteNextTask();
-                        if (!_processingEngine.AreTasksPending()) {
-                            _exitGate.Set();
-                        }
-                    }
-                });
+            // Synchronously process all pending tasks. It's safe to do this at this point
+            // of the pipeline, as the request transaction has been closed, so creating a new
+            // environment and transaction for these tasks will behave as expected.
+            while (_processingEngine.AreTasksPending()) {
+                _processingEngine.ExecuteNextTask();
             }
-
-            _exitGate.WaitOne(250);
         }
 
         void IShellSettingsManagerEventHandler.Saved(ShellSettings settings) {
diff --git a/src/Orchard/Environment/State/DefaultProcessingEngine.cs b/src/Orchard/Environment/State/DefaultProcessingEngine.cs
index 003718119..b1838316c 100644
--- a/src/Orchard/Environment/State/DefaultProcessingEngine.cs
+++ b/src/Orchard/Environment/State/DefaultProcessingEngine.cs
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 using System;
 using System.Collections.Generic;
 using System.Linq;
+using Orchard.Data;
 using Orchard.Environment.Configuration;
 using Orchard.Environment.ShellBuilders;
 using Orchard.Environment.Descriptor.Models;
@@ -69,13 +70,25 @@ namespace Orchard.Environment.State {
             var shellContext = _shellContextFactory.CreateDescribedContext(entry.ShellSettings, entry.ShellDescriptor);
             using (shellContext.LifetimeScope) {
                 using (var standaloneEnvironment = shellContext.LifetimeScope.CreateWorkContextScope()) {
-                    var eventBus = standaloneEnvironment.Resolve<IEventBus>();
 
-                    Logger.Information("Executing event {0} in process {1} for shell {2}", 
-                        entry.MessageName,
-                        entry.ProcessId, 
-                        entry.ShellSettings.Name);
-                    eventBus.NotifyFailFast(entry.MessageName, entry.EventData);
+                    ITransactionManager transactionManager;
+                    if (!standaloneEnvironment.TryResolve(out transactionManager))
+                        transactionManager = null;
+
+                    try {
+                        var eventBus = standaloneEnvironment.Resolve<IEventBus>();
+                        Logger.Information("Executing event {0} in process {1} for shell {2}",
+                                           entry.MessageName,
+                                           entry.ProcessId,
+                                           entry.ShellSettings.Name);
+                        eventBus.Notify(entry.MessageName, entry.EventData);
+                    }
+                    catch {
+                        // any database changes in this using(env) scope are invalidated
+                        if (transactionManager != null)
+                            transactionManager.Cancel();
+                        throw;
+                    }
                 }
             }
         }