diff --git a/db/db.cpp b/db/db.cpp
index a278912b973..ba26ee550cc 100644
--- a/db/db.cpp
+++ b/db/db.cpp
@@ -601,8 +601,8 @@ namespace mongo {
         {
             dblock lk;
             log() << "now exiting" << endl;
+            exit(12);
         }
-        exit(12);
     }
 
     void setupSignals() {
diff --git a/db/db.h b/db/db.h
index cc292112537..38af71bd376 100644
--- a/db/db.h
+++ b/db/db.h
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ namespace mongo {
         }
     };
 
-    extern boost::mutex dbMutex;
+    extern boost::mutex &dbMutex;
     extern MutexInfo dbMutexInfo;
 //extern int dbLocked;
 
diff --git a/db/instance.cpp b/db/instance.cpp
index 277617bcae6..59fa0e54111 100644
--- a/db/instance.cpp
+++ b/db/instance.cpp
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ namespace mongo {
     bool master = false; // true means keep an op log
     extern int curOp;
 
-    boost::mutex dbMutex;
+    boost::mutex &dbMutex( *(new boost::mutex) );
     MutexInfo dbMutexInfo;
 //int dbLocked = 0;
 
diff --git a/db/repl.cpp b/db/repl.cpp
index 6bd9e2b84ad..6e71f7dbc66 100644
--- a/db/repl.cpp
+++ b/db/repl.cpp
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@
 namespace mongo {
 
     extern bool quiet;
-    extern boost::mutex dbMutex;
+    extern boost::mutex &dbMutex;
     extern long long oplogSize;
     int _updateObjects(const char *ns, BSONObj updateobj, BSONObj pattern, bool upsert, stringstream& ss, bool logOp=false);
     bool _runCommands(const char *ns, BSONObj& jsobj, stringstream& ss, BufBuilder &b, BSONObjBuilder& anObjBuilder, bool fromRepl);
@@ -256,7 +256,7 @@ namespace mongo {
                 result.append("ismaster", 1);
 				result.append("msg", "not paired");
             }
-
+            
             return true;
         }
     } cmdismaster;