diff --git a/src/main.rs b/src/main.rs
index e8a9149..87613f1 100644
--- a/src/main.rs
+++ b/src/main.rs
@@ -15,6 +15,8 @@ use crate::refractr::Refractr;
 use clap::Parser;
 use std::path::PathBuf;
 use std::process;
+use std::sync::atomic::AtomicBool;
+use std::sync::Arc;
 #[cfg(target_family = "windows")]
 use username;
 #[cfg(target_family = "unix")]
@@ -84,6 +86,7 @@ fn main() -> Result<(), String> {
     strict: args.strict,
     unix: cfg!(unix),
     verbose: args.verbose,
+    run: Arc::new(AtomicBool::new(true))
   };
 
   // warn to avoid root/admin
diff --git a/src/refractr.rs b/src/refractr.rs
index 6464e08..b2157a6 100644
--- a/src/refractr.rs
+++ b/src/refractr.rs
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ pub struct Refractr {
   pub strict: bool,
   pub unix: bool,
   pub verbose: u8,
+  pub run: Arc<AtomicBool>
 }
 
 struct OpenedRepository {
@@ -334,6 +335,11 @@ impl Refractr {
   }
 
   pub fn run(&self, cfgs: Vec<ConfigFile>) -> Result<(), ReturnData> {
+    let r = self.run.clone();
+    ctrlc::set_handler(move ||
+        r.store(true, Ordering::SeqCst)
+    ).expect("failed to set ^c handler");
+
     common::verbose(self.verbose, 3, format!("Starting main refractr loop"));
     let mut loop_repos = Vec::new();
     let mut work_dirs = Vec::new();
@@ -499,6 +505,9 @@ impl Refractr {
           return Err(e);
         }
       }
+      if self.run.load(Ordering::SeqCst) {
+        common::error_quit(format!("exiting"), ExitCode::HaltError);
+      }
     }
     // end for