diff --git a/artiq/firmware/ksupport/lib.rs b/artiq/firmware/ksupport/lib.rs
index 2639e95d3..c8e21e5fd 100644
--- a/artiq/firmware/ksupport/lib.rs
+++ b/artiq/firmware/ksupport/lib.rs
@@ -509,6 +509,19 @@ pub unsafe fn main() {
         attribute_writeback(typeinfo as *const ());
     }
 
+    // Make sure all async RPCs are processed before exiting.
+    // Otherwise, if the comms and kernel CPU run in the following sequence:
+    //
+    //    comms                     kernel
+    //    -----------------------   -----------------------
+    //    check for async RPC
+    //                              post async RPC
+    //                              post RunFinished
+    //    check for mailbox
+    //
+    // the async RPC would be missed.
+    send(&RpcFlush);
+
     send(&RunFinished);
 
     loop {}
diff --git a/artiq/firmware/libproto/kernel_proto.rs b/artiq/firmware/libproto/kernel_proto.rs
index c59306cb8..584c1940e 100644
--- a/artiq/firmware/libproto/kernel_proto.rs
+++ b/artiq/firmware/libproto/kernel_proto.rs
@@ -74,6 +74,7 @@ pub enum Message<'a> {
     },
     RpcRecvRequest(*mut ()),
     RpcRecvReply(Result<usize, Exception<'a>>),
+    RpcFlush,
 
     CacheGetRequest { key: &'a str },
     CacheGetReply   { value: &'static [i32] },
diff --git a/artiq/firmware/runtime/session.rs b/artiq/firmware/runtime/session.rs
index 5a3e30020..f2c21c92c 100644
--- a/artiq/firmware/runtime/session.rs
+++ b/artiq/firmware/runtime/session.rs
@@ -440,7 +440,13 @@ fn process_kern_message(io: &Io, mut stream: Option<&mut TcpStream>,
                         kern_acknowledge()
                     }
                 }
-            }
+            },
+            &kern::RpcFlush => {
+                // See ksupport/lib.rs for the reason this request exists.
+                // We do not need to do anything here because of how the main loop is
+                // structured.
+                kern_acknowledge()
+            },
 
             &kern::CacheGetRequest { key } => {
                 let value = session.congress.cache.get(key);