diff --git a/.gitea/workflows/bazel.yml b/.gitea/workflows/bazel.yml
index e4dbafc..eaf62a9 100644
--- a/.gitea/workflows/bazel.yml
+++ b/.gitea/workflows/bazel.yml
@@ -60,13 +60,13 @@ jobs:
         shell: bash
         run: |
           set -o pipefail
-          bazel test //framework/... --test_output=errors --test_verbose_timeout_warnings 2>&1 | tee ci-test.log
+          bazel test -c opt --strip=always //framework/... --test_output=errors --test_verbose_timeout_warnings 2>&1 | tee ci-test.log
       - name: HTTP concurrency benchmark smoke test
         id: concurrency_benchmark
         shell: bash
         run: |
           set -o pipefail
-          bazel run //framework/tests:concurrency_benchmark -- \
+          bazel run -c opt --strip=always //framework/tests:concurrency_benchmark -- \
             --server-threads 2 --concurrency 8 --requests 80 --warmup 8 \
             2>&1 | tee ci-concurrency-benchmark.log
       - name: Publish test and benchmark summary
@@ -138,5 +138,5 @@ jobs:
         run: |
           cp .bazelrc ./example
           cd example
-          bazel build app
+          bazel build -c opt --strip=always app
           cd ..
diff --git a/.github/workflows/bazel.yml b/.github/workflows/bazel.yml
index 6578988..f4f3593 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/bazel.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/bazel.yml
@@ -64,13 +64,13 @@ jobs:
         shell: bash
         run: |
           set -o pipefail
-          bazel test //framework/... --test_output=errors --test_verbose_timeout_warnings --verbose_failures 2>&1 | tee ci-test.log
+          bazel test -c opt --strip=always //framework/... --test_output=errors --test_verbose_timeout_warnings --verbose_failures 2>&1 | tee ci-test.log
       - name: HTTP concurrency benchmark smoke test
         id: concurrency_benchmark
         shell: bash
         run: |
           set -o pipefail
-          bazel run //framework/tests:concurrency_benchmark -- \
+          bazel run -c opt --strip=always //framework/tests:concurrency_benchmark -- \
             --server-threads 2 --concurrency 8 --requests 80 --warmup 8 \
             2>&1 | tee ci-concurrency-benchmark.log
       - name: Upload failed test logs
@@ -161,7 +161,7 @@ jobs:
           set -o pipefail
           cp .bazelrc ./example
           cd example
-          bazel build app 2>&1 | tee ../ci-build.log
+          bazel build -c opt --strip=always app 2>&1 | tee ../ci-build.log
       - name: Upload failed example build logs
         if: failure()
         uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4
diff --git a/MODULE.bazel b/MODULE.bazel
index 18f21cc..c97832b 100644
--- a/MODULE.bazel
+++ b/MODULE.bazel
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 module(
     name = "khttpd",
-    version = "0.5.2",
+    version = "0.5.3",
 )
 
 bazel_dep(name = "platforms", version = "1.1.0")
diff --git a/framework/server.cpp b/framework/server.cpp
index bd1dcb6..afba162 100644
--- a/framework/server.cpp
+++ b/framework/server.cpp
@@ -107,6 +107,12 @@ void Server::run() {
 
   IoContextPool::instance().get_io_context().run();
 
+  // stop() only signals the pool so it can be called from an Asio worker
+  // without joining itself.  The run() caller is the owner of the Server
+  // lifetime, so wait for every worker before returning and allowing Server's
+  // handlers, routers, and acceptor to be destroyed.
+  IoContextPool::instance().shutdown();
+
   spdlog::info("Server workers stopped.");
 }
 
diff --git a/framework/tests/server_stability_test.cpp b/framework/tests/server_stability_test.cpp
index 3bdb57e..2f24006 100644
--- a/framework/tests/server_stability_test.cpp
+++ b/framework/tests/server_stability_test.cpp
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
 #include <vector>
 
 #include "framework/context/http_context.hpp"
+#include "framework/io_context_pool.hpp"
 #include "framework/server.hpp"
 
 namespace beast = boost::beast;
@@ -112,6 +113,10 @@ TEST(ServerStabilityTest, HandlesManyConcurrentRequests) {
     server_thread.join();
   }
 
+  // Server::run() must not return while the process-wide pool still has
+  // workers executing handlers that reference the server and its routers.
+  EXPECT_EQ(khttpd_fw::IoContextPool::instance().get_thread_count(), 0U);
+
   constexpr int total_requests = kThreadCount * kRequestsPerThread;
   EXPECT_EQ(successes.load(), total_requests);
   EXPECT_EQ(handled.load(), total_requests);