diff --git a/lib/merb-core.rb b/lib/merb-core.rb
index 28317f1..f9f034a 100644
--- a/lib/merb-core.rb
+++ b/lib/merb-core.rb
@@ -36,7 +36,15 @@ module Merb
   module GlobalHelpers; end

   class << self
-    attr_accessor :exiting
+    attr_reader :exiting
+
+    def exiting=(bool)
+      Extlib.exiting = bool
+      if bool && Extlib.const_defined?("Pooling") && Extlib::Pooling.scavenger
+        Extlib::Pooling.scavenger.wakeup
+      end
+      @exiting = bool
+    end

     # Merge environment settings
     # Can allow you to have a "localdev" that runs like your "development"
diff --git a/lib/merb-core/core_ext/kernel.rb b/lib/merb-core/core_ext/kernel.rb
index 202b877..51cdb67 100644
--- a/lib/merb-core/core_ext/kernel.rb
+++ b/lib/merb-core/core_ext/kernel.rb
@@ -1,5 +1,11 @@
 require 'rubygems/dependency'

+module Gem
+  class Dependency
+    attr_accessor :require_block
+  end
+end
+
 module Kernel

   # Keep track of all required dependencies.
@@ -11,8 +17,10 @@ module Kernel
   # @return <Gem::Dependency> Dependency information
   #
   # @api private
-  def track_dependency(name, *ver)
+  def track_dependency(name, *ver, &blk)
     dep = Gem::Dependency.new(name, ver)
+    dep.require_block = blk
+
     existing = Merb::BootLoader::Dependencies.dependencies.find { |d| d.name == dep.name }
     if existing
       index = Merb::BootLoader::Dependencies.dependencies.index(existing)
@@ -41,9 +49,9 @@ module Kernel
   def dependency(name, *ver)
     immediate = ver.last.is_a?(Hash) && ver.pop[:immediate]
     if immediate || Merb::BootLoader.finished?(Merb::BootLoader::Dependencies)
-      load_dependency(name, *ver)
+      load_dependency(name, *ver, &blk)
     else
-      track_dependency(name, *ver)
+      track_dependency(name, *ver, &blk)
     end
   end

@@ -63,12 +71,16 @@ module Kernel
   #   as a library.
   #
   # @return <Gem::Dependency> The dependency information.
-  def load_dependency(name, *ver)
+  def load_dependency(name, *ver, &blk)
     dep = name.is_a?(Gem::Dependency) ? name : track_dependency(name, *ver)
     gem(dep)
   rescue Gem::LoadError
   ensure
-    require dep.name
+    if block = blk || dep.require_block
+      block.call
+    else
+      require dep.name
+    end
     Merb.logger.info!("loading gem '#{dep.name}' ...")
     return dep # ensure needs explicit return
   end
diff --git a/lib/merb-core/rack/adapter/abstract.rb b/lib/merb-core/rack/adapter/abstract.rb
index d6c5e95..cb4f36a 100644
--- a/lib/merb-core/rack/adapter/abstract.rb
+++ b/lib/merb-core/rack/adapter/abstract.rb
@@ -111,6 +111,7 @@ module Merb
         # In daemonized mode or not, support HUPing the process to
         # restart it.
         Merb.trap('HUP') do
+          Merb.exiting = true
           stop
           Merb.logger.warn! "Exiting port #{port} on #{Process.pid}\n"
           exit_process
@@ -118,6 +119,7 @@ module Merb

         # ABRTing the process will kill it, and it will not be respawned.
         Merb.trap('ABRT') do
+          Merb.exiting = true
           stopped = stop(128)
           Merb.logger.warn! "Exiting port #{port}\n" if stopped
           exit_process(128)