diff --git a/include/empio.h b/include/empio.h
index a1675e62..cd51458e 100644
--- a/include/empio.h
+++ b/include/empio.h
@@ -57,6 +57,7 @@ extern int io_puts(struct iop *, char *);
 extern int io_shutdown(struct iop *, int);
 extern int io_error(struct iop *);
 extern int io_eof(struct iop *);
+extern void io_set_eof(struct iop *);
 extern int io_fileno(struct iop *);
 
 #endif
diff --git a/include/player.h b/include/player.h
index afe0ec9c..e6ae8d2a 100644
--- a/include/player.h
+++ b/include/player.h
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@
  *  Known contributors to this file:
  *     Dave Pare, 1994
  *     Doug Hay, 1998
- *     Markus Armbruster, 2005-2010
+ *     Markus Armbruster, 2005-2012
  */
 
 #ifndef PLAYER_H
@@ -81,8 +81,8 @@ struct player {
     double dolcost;
     time_t curup;		/* when last input was received */
     enum player_sleep may_sleep; /* when may thread sleep? */
-    int aborted;		/* interrupt cookie or EOF received? */
-    int eof;			/* EOF (cookie or real) received? */
+    int aborted;		/* command aborted? */
+    int got_ctld;		/* EOF cookie received? */
     int recvfail;		/* #recvclient() failures */
     int curid;			/* for pr, cur. line's id, -1 none */
     char *map;			/* pointer to in-mem map */
diff --git a/src/lib/empthread/io.c b/src/lib/empthread/io.c
index 93e2b02b..ef285a74 100644
--- a/src/lib/empthread/io.c
+++ b/src/lib/empthread/io.c
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@
  *  Known contributors to this file:
  *     Doug Hay, 1998
  *     Steve McClure, 1998
- *     Markus Armbruster, 2004-2010
+ *     Markus Armbruster, 2004-2012
  *     Ron Koenderink, 2009
  */
 
@@ -131,16 +131,17 @@ io_input(struct iop *iop, int waitforinput)
     int cc;
     int res;
 
-    /* Not a read IOP */
     if ((iop->flags & IO_READ) == 0) {
 	errno = EBADF;
 	return -1;
     }
-    /* IOP is markes as in error. */
     if (iop->flags & IO_ERROR) {
 	errno = EBADF;
 	return -1;
     }
+    if (iop->flags & IO_EOF)
+	return 0;
+
     /* Wait for the file to have input. */
     if (waitforinput) {
 	res = empth_select(iop->fd, EMPTH_FD_READ, &iop->input_timeout);
@@ -257,7 +258,6 @@ io_output_if_queue_long(struct iop *iop, int wait)
     return io_output(iop, wait);
 }
 
-
 int
 io_peek(struct iop *iop, char *buf, int nbytes)
 {
@@ -334,6 +334,17 @@ io_eof(struct iop *iop)
     return iop->flags & IO_EOF;
 }
 
+/*
+ * Discard IOP's buffered input and set its EOF flag.
+ * No more input can be read from IOP.
+ */
+void
+io_set_eof(struct iop *iop)
+{
+    ioq_drain(iop->input);
+    iop->flags |= IO_EOF;
+}
+
 int
 io_fileno(struct iop *iop)
 {
diff --git a/src/lib/player/player.c b/src/lib/player/player.c
index 6e568882..647cb515 100644
--- a/src/lib/player/player.c
+++ b/src/lib/player/player.c
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@
  *
  *  Known contributors to this file:
  *     Steve McClure, 2000
- *     Markus Armbruster, 2004-2011
+ *     Markus Armbruster, 2004-2012
  *     Ron Koenderink, 2004-2009
  */
 
@@ -99,7 +99,9 @@ player_main(struct player *p)
     }
 
     while (status() && command()) {
-	player->aborted = player->eof;
+	if (player->got_ctld)
+	    io_set_eof(player->iop);
+	player->aborted = 0;
 	empth_yield();
     }
     /* #*# I put the following line in to prevent server crash -KHS */
@@ -171,7 +173,8 @@ status(void)
 
     time(&player->curup);
     update_timeused(player->curup);
-    if (player->eof || player->state == PS_SHUTDOWN
+    if (io_error(player->iop) || io_eof(player->iop)
+	|| player->state == PS_SHUTDOWN
 	|| !may_play_now(natp, player->curup))
 	return 0;
 
@@ -243,7 +246,7 @@ execute(void)
 	return RET_SYN;
     prexec(p);
 
-    while (!failed && status()) {
+    while (!failed && status() && !player->got_ctld) {
 	player->nstat &= ~EXEC;
 	if (getcommand(player->combuf) < 0)
 	    break;
@@ -267,7 +270,7 @@ execute(void)
     }
 
     pr("Execute : %s\n", failed ? "aborted" : "terminated");
-    player->eof = 0;
+    player->got_ctld = 0;
     return RET_OK;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/lib/player/recvclient.c b/src/lib/player/recvclient.c
index 6ec052a4..ed26acfa 100644
--- a/src/lib/player/recvclient.c
+++ b/src/lib/player/recvclient.c
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@
  *
  *  Known contributors to this file:
  *     Dave Pare, 1986
- *     Markus Armbruster, 2006-2009
+ *     Markus Armbruster, 2006-2012
  *     Ron Koenderink, 2009
  */
 
@@ -47,10 +47,12 @@
  * This may block for input, yielding the processor.  Flush buffered
  * output when blocking, to make sure player sees the prompt.
  * If the player's connection has the I/O error or EOF indicator set,
- * or we block and time out, or the line is "ctld", set the player's
- * eof and aborted flag and return -1.
- * If the line is "aborted", set the player's aborted flag and return
+ * or the line is "aborted", set the player's aborted flag and return
  * -1.
+ * If we block and time out, set the EOF indicator on the player's
+ * connection, set the player's aborted flag, and return -1.
+ * If the line is "ctld", set the player's eof and aborted flag and
+ * return -1.
  * Else return the length of the line.
  * Design bug: there is no way to indicate truncation of a long line.
  */
@@ -66,7 +68,7 @@ recvclient(char *cmd, int size)
 	if (count >= 0) {
 	    /* got it */
 	    if (strcmp(cmd, "ctld") == 0)
-		player->aborted = player->eof = 1;
+		player->aborted = player->got_ctld = 1;
 	    if (strcmp(cmd, "aborted") == 0)
 		player->aborted = 1;
 	    journal_input(cmd);
@@ -92,12 +94,13 @@ recvclient(char *cmd, int size)
 	if (res > 0)
 	    ;
 	else if (res < 0)
-	    player->aborted = player->eof = 1;
+	    player->aborted = 1;
 	else if (io_eof(player->iop))
-	    player->aborted = player->eof = 1;
+	    player->aborted = 1;
 	else if (!player->aborted) {
 	    pr_flash(player, "idle connection terminated\n");
-	    player->aborted = player->eof = 1;
+	    io_set_eof(player->iop);
+	    player->aborted = 1;
 	}
     }