diff --git a/internal/client/storage.go b/internal/client/storage.go
index 3a311c78..eb7d3625 100644
--- a/internal/client/storage.go
+++ b/internal/client/storage.go
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ import (
 	"sync"
 	"time"
 
+	"github.com/AdguardTeam/AdGuardHome/internal/aghnet"
 	"github.com/AdguardTeam/AdGuardHome/internal/arpdb"
 	"github.com/AdguardTeam/AdGuardHome/internal/dhcpsvc"
 	"github.com/AdguardTeam/AdGuardHome/internal/whois"
@@ -124,6 +125,14 @@ func NewStorage(conf *Config) (s *Storage, err error) {
 		done:                   make(chan struct{}),
 	}
 
+	// TODO(s.chzhen):  Refactor it.
+	switch v := s.etcHosts.(type) {
+	case *aghnet.HostsContainer:
+		if v == nil {
+			s.etcHosts = nil
+		}
+	}
+
 	for i, p := range conf.InitialClients {
 		err = s.Add(p)
 		if err != nil {
@@ -146,7 +155,7 @@ func (s *Storage) Start(_ context.Context) (err error) {
 func (s *Storage) Shutdown(_ context.Context) (err error) {
 	close(s.done)
 
-	return nil
+	return s.closeUpstreams()
 }
 
 // periodicARPUpdate periodically reloads runtime clients from ARP.  It is
@@ -154,6 +163,9 @@ func (s *Storage) Shutdown(_ context.Context) (err error) {
 func (s *Storage) periodicARPUpdate() {
 	defer log.OnPanic("storage")
 
+	// Initial ARP refresh.
+	s.ReloadARP()
+
 	t := time.NewTicker(s.arpClientsUpdatePeriod)
 
 	for {
@@ -216,7 +228,11 @@ func (s *Storage) handleHostsUpdates() {
 
 	for {
 		select {
-		case upd := <-s.etcHosts.Upd():
+		case upd, ok := <-s.etcHosts.Upd():
+			if !ok {
+				return
+			}
+
 			s.addFromHostsFile(upd)
 		case <-s.done:
 			return
@@ -490,8 +506,8 @@ func (s *Storage) Size() (n int) {
 	return s.index.size()
 }
 
-// CloseUpstreams closes upstream configurations of persistent clients.
-func (s *Storage) CloseUpstreams() (err error) {
+// closeUpstreams closes upstream configurations of persistent clients.
+func (s *Storage) closeUpstreams() (err error) {
 	s.mu.Lock()
 	defer s.mu.Unlock()
 
diff --git a/internal/home/clients.go b/internal/home/clients.go
index 9a4dc630..3a729a5b 100644
--- a/internal/home/clients.go
+++ b/internal/home/clients.go
@@ -401,6 +401,6 @@ func (clients *clientsContainer) UpdateAddress(ip netip.Addr, host string, info
 
 // close gracefully closes all the client-specific upstream configurations of
 // the persistent clients.
-func (clients *clientsContainer) close() (err error) {
-	return clients.storage.CloseUpstreams()
+func (clients *clientsContainer) close(ctx context.Context) (err error) {
+	return clients.storage.Shutdown(ctx)
 }
diff --git a/internal/home/dns.go b/internal/home/dns.go
index 72eb3a88..a5dc7cad 100644
--- a/internal/home/dns.go
+++ b/internal/home/dns.go
@@ -502,7 +502,7 @@ func stopDNSServer() (err error) {
 		return fmt.Errorf("stopping forwarding dns server: %w", err)
 	}
 
-	err = Context.clients.close()
+	err = Context.clients.close(context.TODO())
 	if err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("closing clients container: %w", err)
 	}