diff --git a/src/wine-host/plugin-bridge.cpp b/src/wine-host/plugin-bridge.cpp
index e7941d49..015e5761 100644
--- a/src/wine-host/plugin-bridge.cpp
+++ b/src/wine-host/plugin-bridge.cpp
@@ -118,19 +118,6 @@ PluginBridge::PluginBridge(std::string plugin_dll_path,
     current_bridge_isntance = nullptr;
     plugin->ptr1 = this;
 
-    // For our communication we use simple threads and blocking operations
-    // instead of asynchronous IO since communication has to be handled in
-    // lockstep anyway
-    dispatch_handler = std::thread([&]() {
-        using namespace std::placeholders;
-
-        while (true) {
-            passthrough_event(host_vst_dispatch, std::nullopt, plugin,
-                              std::bind(&PluginBridge::dispatch_wrapper, this,
-                                        _1, _2, _3, _4, _5, _6));
-        }
-    });
-
     parameters_handler = std::thread([&]() {
         while (true) {
             // Both `getParameter` and `setParameter` functions are passed
@@ -189,6 +176,26 @@ PluginBridge::PluginBridge(std::string plugin_dll_path,
               << std::endl;
 }
 
+void PluginBridge::handle_dispatch() {
+    using namespace std::placeholders;
+
+    // For our communication we use simple threads and blocking operations
+    // instead of asynchronous IO since communication has to be handled in
+    // lockstep anyway
+    try {
+        while (true) {
+            passthrough_event(host_vst_dispatch, std::nullopt, plugin,
+                              std::bind(&PluginBridge::dispatch_wrapper, this,
+                                        _1, _2, _3, _4, _5, _6));
+        }
+    } catch (const boost::system::system_error&) {
+        // This happens when the sockets got closed because the plugin is being
+        // shut down. In that case we can just let the whole host terminate.
+        parameters_handler.detach();
+        process_replacing_handler.detach();
+    }
+}
+
 intptr_t PluginBridge::dispatch_wrapper(AEffect* plugin,
                                         int opcode,
                                         int index,
@@ -199,9 +206,9 @@ intptr_t PluginBridge::dispatch_wrapper(AEffect* plugin,
     // the X11 window handle passed by the host
     switch (opcode) {
         case effEditIdle:
-            // Because of the way the Win32 APi works we have to process events
+            // Because of the way the Win32 API works we have to process events
             // on the same thread the window was created, and that thread is the
-            // `dispatch_handler` thread
+            // thread that's handling dispatcher calls
             editor.handle_events();
 
             return plugin->dispatcher(plugin, opcode, index, value, data,
@@ -261,12 +268,6 @@ intptr_t PluginBridge::dispatch_wrapper(AEffect* plugin,
     }
 }
 
-void PluginBridge::wait() {
-    dispatch_handler.join();
-    parameters_handler.join();
-    process_replacing_handler.join();
-}
-
 class HostCallbackDataConverter : DefaultDataConverter {
    public:
     HostCallbackDataConverter(AEffect* plugin,
diff --git a/src/wine-host/plugin-bridge.h b/src/wine-host/plugin-bridge.h
index 3400cbfb..bd1d598a 100644
--- a/src/wine-host/plugin-bridge.h
+++ b/src/wine-host/plugin-bridge.h
@@ -55,9 +55,13 @@ class PluginBridge {
     PluginBridge(std::string plugin_dll_path, std::string socket_endpoint_path);
 
     /**
-     * Block the main thread until the plugin shuts down.
+     * Handle events on the main thread until the plugin quits. This can't be
+     * done on another thread since some plugins (e.g. Melda) expect certain
+     * (but for some reason not all) events to be passed from the same thread it
+     * was initiated from. This is then also the same thread that should handle
+     * Win32 GUI events.
      */
-    void wait();
+    void handle_dispatch();
 
     intptr_t host_callback(AEffect*, int, int, intptr_t, void*, float);
 
@@ -115,10 +119,6 @@ class PluginBridge {
      */
     boost::asio::local::stream_protocol::socket vst_host_aeffect;
 
-    /**
-     * The thread that handles dispatch events from the host.
-     */
-    std::thread dispatch_handler;
     /**
      * The thread that responds to `getParameter` and `setParameter` requests.
      */
diff --git a/src/wine-host/vst-host.cpp b/src/wine-host/vst-host.cpp
index 83f2649e..f782fa6d 100644
--- a/src/wine-host/vst-host.cpp
+++ b/src/wine-host/vst-host.cpp
@@ -35,8 +35,8 @@ int main(int argc, char* argv[]) {
     try {
         PluginBridge bridge(plugin_dll_path, socket_endpoint_path);
 
-        // Block the main thread until the plugin shuts down
-        bridge.wait();
+        // Blocks the main thread until the plugin shuts down
+        bridge.handle_dispatch();
     } catch (const std::runtime_error& error) {
         std::cerr << "Error while initializing Wine VST host:" << std::endl;
         std::cerr << error.what() << std::endl;