diff --git a/lib/include/srsran/common/emergency_handlers.h b/lib/include/srsran/common/emergency_handlers.h
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..818f1a211
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/include/srsran/common/emergency_handlers.h
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+/**
+ *
+ * \section COPYRIGHT
+ *
+ * Copyright 2013-2021 Software Radio Systems Limited
+ *
+ * By using this file, you agree to the terms and conditions set
+ * forth in the LICENSE file which can be found at the top level of
+ * the distribution.
+ *
+ */
+
+#ifndef SRSRAN_EMERGENCY_HANDLERS_H
+#define SRSRAN_EMERGENCY_HANDLERS_H
+
+using emergency_cleanup_callback = void (*)(void*);
+
+// Add a cleanup function to be called when a kill signal is about to be delivered to the process. The handler may
+// optionally pass a pointer to identify what instance of the handler is being called.
+void add_emergency_cleanup_handler(emergency_cleanup_callback callback, void* data);
+
+// Executes all registered emergency cleanup handlers.
+void execute_emergency_cleanup_handlers();
+
+#endif // SRSRAN_EMERGENCY_HANDLERS_H
diff --git a/lib/include/srsran/common/mac_pcap_base.h b/lib/include/srsran/common/mac_pcap_base.h
index f80167853..544df52dc 100644
--- a/lib/include/srsran/common/mac_pcap_base.h
+++ b/lib/include/srsran/common/mac_pcap_base.h
@@ -28,6 +28,10 @@ class mac_pcap_base : protected srsran::thread
 {
 public:
   mac_pcap_base();
+
+  mac_pcap_base(const mac_pcap_base& other) = delete;
+  mac_pcap_base& operator=(const mac_pcap_base& other) = delete;
+
   ~mac_pcap_base();
   void             enable(bool enable);
   virtual uint32_t close() = 0;
@@ -36,7 +40,7 @@ public:
 
   // EUTRA
   void
-       write_ul_crnti(uint8_t* pdu, uint32_t pdu_len_bytes, uint16_t crnti, uint32_t reTX, uint32_t tti, uint8_t cc_idx);
+  write_ul_crnti(uint8_t* pdu, uint32_t pdu_len_bytes, uint16_t crnti, uint32_t reTX, uint32_t tti, uint8_t cc_idx);
   void write_dl_crnti(uint8_t* pdu, uint32_t pdu_len_bytes, uint16_t crnti, bool crc_ok, uint32_t tti, uint8_t cc_idx);
   void write_dl_ranti(uint8_t* pdu, uint32_t pdu_len_bytes, uint16_t ranti, bool crc_ok, uint32_t tti, uint8_t cc_idx);
 
diff --git a/lib/include/srsran/common/s1ap_pcap.h b/lib/include/srsran/common/s1ap_pcap.h
index f2a0b1164..c62797a2e 100644
--- a/lib/include/srsran/common/s1ap_pcap.h
+++ b/lib/include/srsran/common/s1ap_pcap.h
@@ -21,7 +21,10 @@ namespace srsran {
 class s1ap_pcap
 {
 public:
-  s1ap_pcap() = default;
+  s1ap_pcap();
+  s1ap_pcap(const s1ap_pcap& other) = delete;
+  s1ap_pcap& operator=(const s1ap_pcap& other) = delete;
+
   void enable();
   void open(const char* filename_);
   void close();
diff --git a/lib/include/srsran/common/signal_handler.h b/lib/include/srsran/common/signal_handler.h
index fefb23f02..29d4307fb 100644
--- a/lib/include/srsran/common/signal_handler.h
+++ b/lib/include/srsran/common/signal_handler.h
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
 #ifndef SRSRAN_SIGNAL_HANDLER_H
 #define SRSRAN_SIGNAL_HANDLER_H
 
+#include "srsran/common/emergency_handlers.h"
 #include "srsran/srslog/sink.h"
 #include "srsran/srslog/srslog.h"
 #include <signal.h>
@@ -30,7 +31,7 @@ extern "C" {
 #define SRSRAN_TERM_TIMEOUT_S (5)
 
 // static vars required by signal handling
-static srslog::sink* log_sink = nullptr;
+static srslog::sink*     log_sink = nullptr;
 static std::atomic<bool> running  = {true};
 
 void srsran_dft_exit();
@@ -41,11 +42,12 @@ static void srsran_signal_handler(int signal)
     case SIGALRM:
       fprintf(stderr, "Couldn't stop after %ds. Forcing exit.\n", SRSRAN_TERM_TIMEOUT_S);
       srslog::flush();
-      //:TODO: refactor the sighandler, should not depend on log utilities
+      //: TODO: refactor the sighandler, should not depend on log utilities
       if (log_sink) {
         log_sink->flush();
       }
       srsran_dft_exit();
+      execute_emergency_cleanup_handlers();
       raise(SIGKILL);
     default:
       // all other registered signals try to stop the app gracefully
diff --git a/lib/src/common/CMakeLists.txt b/lib/src/common/CMakeLists.txt
index 2cb75a650..cc8d08470 100644
--- a/lib/src/common/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/lib/src/common/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ set(SOURCES arch_select.cc
             rlc_pcap.cc
             s1ap_pcap.cc
             security.cc
+            emergency_handlers.cc
             standard_streams.cc
             thread_pool.cc
             threads.c
diff --git a/lib/src/common/emergency_handlers.cc b/lib/src/common/emergency_handlers.cc
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..3377153ac
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/src/common/emergency_handlers.cc
@@ -0,0 +1,59 @@
+/**
+ *
+ * \section COPYRIGHT
+ *
+ * Copyright 2013-2021 Software Radio Systems Limited
+ *
+ * By using this file, you agree to the terms and conditions set
+ * forth in the LICENSE file which can be found at the top level of
+ * the distribution.
+ *
+ */
+
+#include "srsran/common/emergency_handlers.h"
+#include "srsran/support/srsran_assert.h"
+
+namespace {
+
+/// Holds the callback function pointer and the associated user provided data pointer.
+struct handler_instance {
+  std::atomic<void*>                      data{};
+  std::atomic<emergency_cleanup_callback> callback{};
+};
+
+} // namespace
+
+// Handlers are added in a thread safe manner without using locks to avoid possible issues if a signal is emitted while
+// modifying the callback array.
+static constexpr unsigned    max_handlers = 12;
+static handler_instance      registered_handlers[max_handlers];
+static std::atomic<unsigned> num_handlers;
+
+void add_emergency_cleanup_handler(emergency_cleanup_callback callback, void* data)
+{
+  // Reserve a slot in the array.
+  auto pos = num_handlers.fetch_add(1);
+
+  // Check if we have space in the array.
+  if (pos >= max_handlers) {
+    srsran_assert(0, "Exceeded the emergency cleanup handler registered limit");
+    return;
+  }
+
+  // Order is important here: write last the callback member as it is used to signal that the handler is valid when
+  // reading the array.
+  registered_handlers[pos].data.store(data);
+  registered_handlers[pos].callback.store(callback);
+}
+
+void execute_emergency_cleanup_handlers()
+{
+  for (unsigned i = 0, e = num_handlers; i != e; ++i) {
+    auto callback = registered_handlers[i].callback.load();
+    // Test the validity of the callback as it may have not been written yet into the array even if num_callbacks has
+    // been updated.
+    if (callback) {
+      callback(registered_handlers[i].data.load());
+    }
+  }
+}
diff --git a/lib/src/common/mac_pcap_base.cc b/lib/src/common/mac_pcap_base.cc
index c7fe8bd3c..48d825199 100644
--- a/lib/src/common/mac_pcap_base.cc
+++ b/lib/src/common/mac_pcap_base.cc
@@ -11,13 +11,23 @@
  */
 
 #include "srsran/common/mac_pcap_base.h"
+#include "srsran/common/emergency_handlers.h"
 #include "srsran/config.h"
 #include "srsran/phy/common/phy_common.h"
 #include <stdint.h>
 
 namespace srsran {
 
-mac_pcap_base::mac_pcap_base() : logger(srslog::fetch_basic_logger("MAC")), thread("PCAP_WRITER_MAC") {}
+/// Try to flush the contents of the pcap class before the application is killed.
+static void emergency_cleanup_handler(void* data)
+{
+  reinterpret_cast<mac_pcap_base*>(data)->close();
+}
+
+mac_pcap_base::mac_pcap_base() : logger(srslog::fetch_basic_logger("MAC")), thread("PCAP_WRITER_MAC")
+{
+  add_emergency_cleanup_handler(emergency_cleanup_handler, this);
+}
 
 mac_pcap_base::~mac_pcap_base() {}
 
@@ -45,7 +55,7 @@ void mac_pcap_base::run_thread()
   }
 
   // write remainder of queue
-  pcap_pdu_t                  pdu = {};
+  pcap_pdu_t pdu = {};
   while (queue.try_pop(pdu)) {
     std::lock_guard<std::mutex> lock(mutex);
     write_pdu(pdu);
diff --git a/lib/src/common/s1ap_pcap.cc b/lib/src/common/s1ap_pcap.cc
index ce06c5a6e..e87e77ad9 100644
--- a/lib/src/common/s1ap_pcap.cc
+++ b/lib/src/common/s1ap_pcap.cc
@@ -11,12 +11,24 @@
  */
 
 #include "srsran/common/s1ap_pcap.h"
+#include "srsran/common/emergency_handlers.h"
 #include "srsran/common/pcap.h"
 #include "srsran/srsran.h"
 #include <stdint.h>
 
 namespace srsran {
 
+/// Try to flush the contents of the pcap class before the application is killed.
+static void emergency_cleanup_handler(void* data)
+{
+  reinterpret_cast<s1ap_pcap*>(data)->close();
+}
+
+s1ap_pcap::s1ap_pcap()
+{
+  add_emergency_cleanup_handler(emergency_cleanup_handler, this);
+}
+
 void s1ap_pcap::enable()
 {
   enable_write = true;
@@ -29,6 +41,9 @@ void s1ap_pcap::open(const char* filename_)
 }
 void s1ap_pcap::close()
 {
+  if (!enable_write) {
+    return;
+  }
   fprintf(stdout, "Saving S1AP PCAP file (DLT=%d) to %s\n", S1AP_LTE_DLT, filename.c_str());
   DLT_PCAP_Close(pcap_file);
 }