diff --git a/QCamera2/HAL/QCamera2HWI.cpp b/QCamera2/HAL/QCamera2HWI.cpp
index 97a4f40..eb8f6ab 100644
--- a/QCamera2/HAL/QCamera2HWI.cpp
+++ b/QCamera2/HAL/QCamera2HWI.cpp
@@ -1090,6 +1090,7 @@
     mDefferedWorkThread.exit();
 
     closeCamera();
+    m_stateMachine.releaseThread();
     pthread_mutex_destroy(&m_lock);
     pthread_cond_destroy(&m_cond);
     pthread_mutex_destroy(&m_evtLock);
diff --git a/QCamera2/HAL/QCameraStateMachine.cpp b/QCamera2/HAL/QCameraStateMachine.cpp
index 1936527..f803524 100644
--- a/QCamera2/HAL/QCameraStateMachine.cpp
+++ b/QCamera2/HAL/QCameraStateMachine.cpp
@@ -133,6 +133,20 @@
  *==========================================================================*/
 QCameraStateMachine::~QCameraStateMachine()
 {
+    cam_sem_destroy(&cmd_sem);
+}
+
+/*===========================================================================
+ * FUNCTION   : releaseThread
+ *
+ * DESCRIPTION: Sends an exit command and terminates the state machine thread
+ *
+ * PARAMETERS : none
+ *
+ * RETURN     : none
+ *==========================================================================*/
+void QCameraStateMachine::releaseThread()
+{
     if (cmd_pid != 0) {
         qcamera_sm_cmd_t *node =
             (qcamera_sm_cmd_t *)malloc(sizeof(qcamera_sm_cmd_t));
@@ -150,7 +164,6 @@
         }
         cmd_pid = 0;
     }
-    cam_sem_destroy(&cmd_sem);
 }
 
 /*===========================================================================
diff --git a/QCamera2/HAL/QCameraStateMachine.h b/QCamera2/HAL/QCameraStateMachine.h
index da21433..bc31be4 100644
--- a/QCamera2/HAL/QCameraStateMachine.h
+++ b/QCamera2/HAL/QCameraStateMachine.h
@@ -172,6 +172,7 @@
     bool isPreviewReady(); // check if preview is ready
     bool isCaptureRunning(); // check if image capture is running
     bool isNonZSLCaptureRunning(); // check if image capture is running in non ZSL mode
+    void releaseThread();
 
 private:
     typedef enum {