diff --git a/solara/server/kernel_context.py b/solara/server/kernel_context.py
index eeff9b8ce..384115876 100644
--- a/solara/server/kernel_context.py
+++ b/solara/server/kernel_context.py
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import asyncio
+import concurrent.futures
 import contextlib
 import dataclasses
 import enum
@@ -63,6 +64,7 @@ class VirtualKernelContext:
     page_status: Dict[str, PageStatus] = dataclasses.field(default_factory=dict)
     # only used for testing
     _last_kernel_cull_task: "Optional[asyncio.Future[None]]" = None
+    _last_kernel_cull_future: "Optional[concurrent.futures.Future[None]]" = None
     closed_event: threading.Event = dataclasses.field(default_factory=threading.Event)
     lock: threading.RLock = dataclasses.field(default_factory=threading.RLock)
 
@@ -86,6 +88,11 @@ def close(self):
         with self.lock:
             for key in self.page_status:
                 self.page_status[key] = PageStatus.CLOSED
+            if self._last_kernel_cull_task:
+                self._last_kernel_cull_task.cancel()
+            if self._last_kernel_cull_future:
+                self._last_kernel_cull_future.cancel()
+
             with self:
                 if self.app_object is not None:
                     if isinstance(self.app_object, reacton.core._RenderContext):
@@ -129,6 +136,8 @@ def state_save(self, state_directory: os.PathLike):
                 pickle.dump(state, f)
 
     def page_connect(self, page_id: str):
+        if self.closed_event.is_set():
+            raise RuntimeError("Cannot connect a page to a closed kernel")
         logger.info("Connect page %s for kernel %s", page_id, self.id)
         with self.lock:
             if page_id in self.page_status and self.page_status.get(page_id) == PageStatus.CLOSED:
@@ -182,20 +191,21 @@ async def kernel_cull():
 
         has_connected_pages = PageStatus.CONNECTED in self.page_status.values()
         if not has_connected_pages:
-            # when we have no connected pages, we will schedule a kernel cull
-            if self._last_kernel_cull_task:
-                self._last_kernel_cull_task.cancel()
+            with self.lock:
+                # when we have no connected pages, we will schedule a kernel cull
+                if self._last_kernel_cull_task:
+                    self._last_kernel_cull_task.cancel()
 
-            async def create_task():
-                task = asyncio.create_task(kernel_cull())
-                # create a reference to the task so we can cancel it later
-                self._last_kernel_cull_task = task
-                try:
-                    await task
-                except RuntimeError:
-                    pass  # event loop already closed, happens during testing
+                async def create_task():
+                    task = asyncio.create_task(kernel_cull())
+                    # create a reference to the task so we can cancel it later
+                    self._last_kernel_cull_task = task
+                    try:
+                        await task
+                    except RuntimeError:
+                        pass  # event loop already closed, happens during testing
 
-            asyncio.run_coroutine_threadsafe(create_task(), keep_alive_event_loop)
+                self._last_kernel_cull_future = asyncio.run_coroutine_threadsafe(create_task(), keep_alive_event_loop)
         else:
             future.set_result(None)
         return future
@@ -207,7 +217,8 @@ def page_close(self, page_id: str):
         different from a websocket/page disconnect, which we might want to recover from.
 
         """
-
+        if self.closed_event.is_set():
+            raise RuntimeError("Cannot connect a page to a closed kernel")
         logger.info("page status: %s", self.page_status)
         with self.lock:
             if self.page_status[page_id] == PageStatus.CLOSED: