diff --git a/dlls/kernel/except.c b/dlls/kernel/except.c
index dd82550d914..9e40eb6138f 100644
--- a/dlls/kernel/except.c
+++ b/dlls/kernel/except.c
@@ -196,19 +196,15 @@ static NTSTATUS send_debug_event( EXCEPTION_RECORD *rec, int first_chance, CONTE
     SERVER_END_REQ;
     if (ret) return ret;
 
-    /* No need to wait on the handle since the process gets suspended
-     * once the event is passed to the debugger, so when we get back
-     * here the event has been continued already.
-     */
+    WaitForSingleObject( handle, INFINITE );
+
     SERVER_START_REQ( get_exception_status )
     {
         req->handle = handle;
         wine_server_set_reply( req, context, sizeof(*context) );
-        wine_server_call( req );
-        ret = reply->status;
+        ret = wine_server_call( req );
     }
     SERVER_END_REQ;
-    NtClose( handle );
     return ret;
 }
 
diff --git a/dlls/ntdll/exception.c b/dlls/ntdll/exception.c
index 20024d58b9b..8265bf3bc32 100644
--- a/dlls/ntdll/exception.c
+++ b/dlls/ntdll/exception.c
@@ -164,19 +164,15 @@ static int send_debug_event( EXCEPTION_RECORD *rec, int first_chance, CONTEXT *c
     SERVER_END_REQ;
     if (!handle) return 0;
 
-    /* No need to wait on the handle since the process gets suspended
-     * once the event is passed to the debugger, so when we get back
-     * here the event has been continued already.
-     */
+    NTDLL_wait_for_multiple_objects( 1, &handle, 0, NULL, 0 );
+
     SERVER_START_REQ( get_exception_status )
     {
         req->handle = handle;
         wine_server_set_reply( req, context, sizeof(*context) );
-        wine_server_call( req );
-        ret = reply->status;
+        ret = wine_server_call( req );
     }
     SERVER_END_REQ;
-    NtClose( handle );
     return ret;
 }
 
diff --git a/include/wine/server_protocol.h b/include/wine/server_protocol.h
index 3676e3c2a7f..b4a34c91090 100644
--- a/include/wine/server_protocol.h
+++ b/include/wine/server_protocol.h
@@ -4207,6 +4207,6 @@ union generic_reply
     struct set_mailslot_info_reply set_mailslot_info_reply;
 };
 
-#define SERVER_PROTOCOL_VERSION 195
+#define SERVER_PROTOCOL_VERSION 196
 
 #endif /* __WINE_WINE_SERVER_PROTOCOL_H */
diff --git a/server/debugger.c b/server/debugger.c
index 28781ad0761..8940c0bdb5c 100644
--- a/server/debugger.c
+++ b/server/debugger.c
@@ -661,19 +661,19 @@ DECL_HANDLER(get_exception_status)
 {
     struct debug_event *event;
 
-    reply->status = 0;
     if ((event = (struct debug_event *)get_handle_obj( current->process, req->handle,
                                                        0, &debug_event_ops )))
     {
+        close_handle( current->process, req->handle, NULL );
         if (event->state == EVENT_CONTINUED)
         {
-            reply->status = event->status;
             if (current->context == &event->context)
             {
                 size_t size = min( sizeof(CONTEXT), get_reply_max_size() );
                 set_reply_data( &event->context, size );
                 current->context = NULL;
             }
+            set_error( event->status );
         }
         else set_error( STATUS_PENDING );
         release_object( event );
diff --git a/server/protocol.def b/server/protocol.def
index f0490cbd3dc..135e2bbeff3 100644
--- a/server/protocol.def
+++ b/server/protocol.def
@@ -1162,7 +1162,6 @@ enum char_info_mode
 @REQ(get_exception_status)
     obj_handle_t     handle;   /* handle to the queued event */
 @REPLY
-    int              status;   /* event continuation status */
     VARARG(context,context);   /* modified thread context */
 @END
 
diff --git a/server/thread.c b/server/thread.c
index bddabb0833d..6b83fe099a5 100644
--- a/server/thread.c
+++ b/server/thread.c
@@ -315,6 +315,7 @@ static void set_thread_info( struct thread *thread,
 /* stop a thread (at the Unix level) */
 void stop_thread( struct thread *thread )
 {
+    if (thread->context) return;  /* already inside a debug event, no need for a signal */
     /* can't stop a thread while initialisation is in progress */
     if (is_process_init_done(thread->process)) send_thread_signal( thread, SIGUSR1 );
 }