diff --git a/src/main.rs b/src/main.rs
index e33bbd3..e5eef11 100644
--- a/src/main.rs
+++ b/src/main.rs
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 use anyhow::{Context, Result, anyhow};
-use futures_util::stream::TryStreamExt;
+use futures_channel::mpsc::UnboundedSender;
+use futures_util::{StreamExt, stream::TryStreamExt};
 use ignore::gitignore::Gitignore;
 use lazy_static::lazy_static;
 use parking_lot::Mutex;
@@ -10,7 +11,7 @@ use serde_json::json;
 use structopt::StructOpt;
 use tokio::fs;
 use tokio::io::stream_reader;
-use tokio::task;
+use tokio::task::{self, JoinHandle};
 use url::Url;
 
 use std::default::Default;
@@ -35,7 +36,6 @@ async fn main() {
 	*PANIC_HOOK.lock() = panic::take_hook();
 	panic::set_hook(Box::new(|info| {
 		*TASKS_RUNNING.lock() -= 1;
-		*TASKS_QUEUED.lock() -= 1;
 		PANIC_HOOK.lock()(info);
 	}));
 
@@ -81,21 +81,21 @@ async fn main() {
 	}
 	let ilias = Arc::new(ilias);
 	let desktop = ilias.personal_desktop().await.context("Failed to load personal desktop");
+	let (tx, mut rx) = futures_channel::mpsc::unbounded::<JoinHandle<()>>();
+	*TASKS.lock() = Some(tx.clone());
 	match desktop {
 		Ok(desktop) => {
 			for item in desktop.items {
 				let mut path = ilias.opt.output.clone();
 				path.push(file_escape(item.name()));
 				let ilias = Arc::clone(&ilias);
-				task::spawn(process_gracefully(ilias, path, item));
+				let _ = tx.unbounded_send(task::spawn(process_gracefully(ilias, path, item)));
 			}
 		},
 		Err(e) => println!("{:?}", e)
 	}
-	// TODO: do this with tokio
-	// https://github.com/tokio-rs/tokio/issues/2039
-	while *TASKS_QUEUED.lock() > 0 {
-		tokio::time::delay_for(Duration::from_millis(500)).await;
+	while let Some(task) = rx.next().await {
+		let _ = task.await;
 	}
 	if ilias.opt.content_tree {
 		// restore fast page loading times
@@ -106,12 +106,18 @@ async fn main() {
 }
 
 lazy_static!{
-	static ref TASKS_QUEUED: Mutex<usize> = Mutex::default();
+	static ref TASKS: Mutex<Option<UnboundedSender<JoinHandle<()>>>> = Mutex::default();
 	static ref TASKS_RUNNING: Mutex<usize> = Mutex::default();
 
 	static ref PANIC_HOOK: Mutex<Box<dyn Fn(&panic::PanicInfo) + Sync + Send + 'static>> = Mutex::new(Box::new(|_| {}));
 }
 
+macro_rules! spawn {
+	($e:expr) => {
+		let _ = TASKS.lock().as_ref().unwrap().unbounded_send(task::spawn($e));
+	}
+}
+
 fn ask_user_pass() -> (String, String) {
 	let user = rprompt::prompt_reply_stdout("Username: ").expect("username prompt");
 	let pass = rpassword::read_password_from_tty(Some("Password: ")).expect("password prompt");
@@ -119,7 +125,6 @@ fn ask_user_pass() -> (String, String) {
 }
 
 fn process_gracefully(ilias: Arc<ILIAS>, path: PathBuf, obj: Object) -> impl Future<Output = ()> + Send { async move {
-	*TASKS_QUEUED.lock() += 1;
 	loop {
 		{ // limit scope of lock
 			let mut running = TASKS_RUNNING.lock();
@@ -135,7 +140,6 @@ fn process_gracefully(ilias: Arc<ILIAS>, path: PathBuf, obj: Object) -> impl Fut
 		println!("Syncing {}: {:?}", path_text, e);
 	}
 	*TASKS_RUNNING.lock() -= 1;
-	*TASKS_QUEUED.lock() -= 1;
 }}
 
 async fn handle_gracefully(fut: impl Future<Output = Result<()>>) {
@@ -220,7 +224,7 @@ fn process(ilias: Arc<ILIAS>, mut path: PathBuf, obj: Object) -> impl Future<Out
 				let mut path = path.clone();
 				path.push(file_escape(item.name()));
 				let ilias = Arc::clone(&ilias);
-				task::spawn(process_gracefully(ilias, path, item));
+				spawn!(process_gracefully(ilias, path, item));
 			}
 		},
 		Folder { url, .. } => {
@@ -235,7 +239,7 @@ fn process(ilias: Arc<ILIAS>, mut path: PathBuf, obj: Object) -> impl Future<Out
 				let mut path = path.clone();
 				path.push(file_escape(item.name()));
 				let ilias = Arc::clone(&ilias);
-				task::spawn(process_gracefully(ilias, path, item));
+				spawn!(process_gracefully(ilias, path, item));
 			}
 		},
 		File { url, .. } => {
@@ -307,7 +311,7 @@ fn process(ilias: Arc<ILIAS>, mut path: PathBuf, obj: Object) -> impl Future<Out
 						url: URL::raw(link.value().attr("href").ok_or(anyhow!("video link without href"))?.to_owned())
 					};
 					let ilias = Arc::clone(&ilias);
-					task::spawn(async {
+					spawn!(async {
 						process_gracefully(ilias, path, video).await;
 					});
 				}
@@ -407,7 +411,7 @@ fn process(ilias: Arc<ILIAS>, mut path: PathBuf, obj: Object) -> impl Future<Out
 				}
 				log!(0, "New posts in {:?}..", path);
 				let ilias = Arc::clone(&ilias);
-				task::spawn(process_gracefully(ilias, path, object));
+				spawn!(process_gracefully(ilias, path, object));
 			}
 			if html.select(&forum_pages).count() > 0 {
 				log!(0, "Ignoring older threads in {:?}..", path);
@@ -431,7 +435,7 @@ fn process(ilias: Arc<ILIAS>, mut path: PathBuf, obj: Object) -> impl Future<Out
 				let data = data.inner_html();
 				let mut path = path.clone();
 				path.push(file_escape(&name));
-				task::spawn(handle_gracefully(async move {
+				spawn!(handle_gracefully(async move {
 					write_file_data(&path, &mut data.as_bytes()).await
 						.context("failed to write forum post")
 				}));
@@ -446,7 +450,7 @@ fn process(ilias: Arc<ILIAS>, mut path: PathBuf, obj: Object) -> impl Future<Out
 						let next_page = Thread {
 							url: URL::from_href(last.value().attr("href").ok_or(anyhow!("page link not found"))?)?
 						};
-						task::spawn(process_gracefully(ilias, path, next_page));
+						spawn!(process_gracefully(ilias, path, next_page));
 					}
 				} else {
 					log!(0, "Warning: unable to find pagination links in {}", url.url);
@@ -478,7 +482,7 @@ fn process(ilias: Arc<ILIAS>, mut path: PathBuf, obj: Object) -> impl Future<Out
 				let mut path = path.clone();
 				path.push(file_escape(item.name()));
 				let ilias = Arc::clone(&ilias);
-				task::spawn(process_gracefully(ilias, path, item));
+				spawn!(process_gracefully(ilias, path, item));
 			}
 		},
 		Weblink { url, .. } => {