diff --git a/src/hashcat.c b/src/hashcat.c
index 5211522ff..e8a9b6a69 100644
--- a/src/hashcat.c
+++ b/src/hashcat.c
@@ -54,9 +54,6 @@
 #include "brain.h"
 #endif
 
-// hashcat_ctx stored globally for signal handling
-hashcat_ctx_t *hc_ctx;
-
 // inner2_loop iterates through wordlists, then calls kernel execution
 
 static int inner2_loop (hashcat_ctx_t *hashcat_ctx)
@@ -1095,8 +1092,7 @@ int hashcat_init (hashcat_ctx_t *hashcat_ctx, void (*event) (const u32, struct h
   hashcat_ctx->user_options_extra = (user_options_extra_t *)  hcmalloc (sizeof (user_options_extra_t));
   hashcat_ctx->user_options       = (user_options_t *)        hcmalloc (sizeof (user_options_t));
   hashcat_ctx->wl_data            = (wl_data_t *)             hcmalloc (sizeof (wl_data_t));
-
-  hc_ctx = hashcat_ctx;
+  
   return 0;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/main.c b/src/main.c
index 5f58c2440..99932c9fb 100644
--- a/src/main.c
+++ b/src/main.c
@@ -28,6 +28,9 @@
 int _dowildcard = -1;
 #endif
 
+// hashcat_ctx stored globally for signal handling
+hashcat_ctx_t *hc_ctx;
+
 static void main_log_clear_line (MAYBE_UNUSED const size_t prev_len, MAYBE_UNUSED FILE *fp)
 {
   if (!is_stdout_terminal ()) return;
@@ -1284,6 +1287,10 @@ int main (int argc, char **argv)
     return 0;
   }
 
+  // Initializing the hashcat ctx global pointer for the signal handler 
+  
+  hc_ctx = hashcat_ctx;
+
   // init a hashcat session; this initializes backend devices, hwmon, etc
 
   welcome_screen (hashcat_ctx, VERSION_TAG);
diff --git a/src/thread.c b/src/thread.c
index 130b3520f..2c84d4c8b 100644
--- a/src/thread.c
+++ b/src/thread.c
@@ -92,16 +92,24 @@ void hc_signal (BOOL WINAPI (callback) (DWORD))
 
 void sigHandler_default (int sig)
 {
-  myabort (hc_ctx);
+  if (hc_ctx) 
+  {
+    hc_ctx = NULL;
+    myabort (hc_ctx);
+  }
 
-  signal (sig, NULL);
+  // signal (sig, NULL);
 }
 
 void sigHandler_benchmark (int sig)
 {
-  myquit (hc_ctx);
+  if (hc_ctx) 
+  {
+    hc_ctx = NULL;
+    myquit (hc_ctx);
+  }
 
-  signal (sig, NULL);
+  // signal (sig, NULL);
 }
 
 void hc_signal (void (callback) (int))