diff --git a/frontend/device/generic/device.lua b/frontend/device/generic/device.lua
index 1b37f2ec1..6736eeb8f 100644
--- a/frontend/device/generic/device.lua
+++ b/frontend/device/generic/device.lua
@@ -545,8 +545,13 @@ function Device:exit()
     -- Restore initial HW inversion state
     self.screen:setHWNightmode(self.orig_hw_nightmode)
 
-    -- I/O teardown
+    -- Tear down the fb backend
     self.screen:close()
+
+    -- Flush settings to disk
+    G_reader_settings:close()
+
+    -- I/O teardown
     require("ffi/input"):closeAll()
 end
 
diff --git a/reader.lua b/reader.lua
index ad369f428..47b7ed969 100755
--- a/reader.lua
+++ b/reader.lua
@@ -292,12 +292,9 @@ end
 
 -- Exit
 local function exitReader()
-    -- Shutdown hardware abstraction
+    -- Shutdown hardware abstraction (it'll also flush G_reader_settings to disk)
     Device:exit()
 
-    -- Flush settings to disk
-    G_reader_settings:close()
-
     if Profiler then Profiler.stop() end
 
     if type(exit_code) == "number" then