diff --git a/src/dc_configure.c b/src/dc_configure.c
index 2682f4bf..7bbb9c7d 100644
--- a/src/dc_configure.c
+++ b/src/dc_configure.c
@@ -381,7 +381,7 @@ void dc_job_do_DC_JOB_CONFIGURE_IMAP(dc_context_t* context, dc_job_t* job)
 	ongoing_allocated_here = 1;
 
 	#define PROGRESS(p) \
-				if( dc_shall_stop_ongoing ) { goto cleanup; } \
+				if( context->m_shall_stop_ongoing ) { goto cleanup; } \
 				context->m_cb(context, DC_EVENT_CONFIGURE_PROGRESS, (p)<1? 1 : ((p)>999? 999 : (p)), 0);
 
 	if( !dc_sqlite3_is_open(context->m_sql) ) {
@@ -739,21 +739,19 @@ int dc_is_configured(dc_context_t* context)
  * Request an ongoing process to start.
  * Returns 0=process started, 1=not started, there is running another process
  */
-static int s_ongoing_running = 0;
-int        dc_shall_stop_ongoing = 1; /* the value 1 avoids dc_stop_ongoing_process() from stopping already stopped threads */
 int dc_alloc_ongoing(dc_context_t* context)
 {
 	if( context == NULL || context->m_magic != DC_CONTEXT_MAGIC ) {
 		return 0;
 	}
 
-	if( s_ongoing_running || dc_shall_stop_ongoing == 0 ) {
+	if( context->m_ongoing_running || context->m_shall_stop_ongoing == 0 ) {
 		dc_log_warning(context, 0, "There is already another ongoing process running.");
 		return 0;
 	}
 
-	s_ongoing_running     = 1;
-	dc_shall_stop_ongoing = 0;
+	context->m_ongoing_running    = 1;
+	context->m_shall_stop_ongoing = 0;
 	return 1;
 }
 
@@ -768,8 +766,8 @@ void dc_free_ongoing(dc_context_t* context)
 		return;
 	}
 
-	s_ongoing_running     = 0;
-	dc_shall_stop_ongoing = 1; /* avoids dc_stop_ongoing_process() to stop the thread */
+	context->m_ongoing_running    = 0;
+	context->m_shall_stop_ongoing = 1; /* avoids dc_stop_ongoing_process() to stop the thread */
 }
 
 
@@ -803,10 +801,10 @@ void dc_stop_ongoing_process(dc_context_t* context)
 		return;
 	}
 
-	if( s_ongoing_running && dc_shall_stop_ongoing==0 )
+	if( context->m_ongoing_running && context->m_shall_stop_ongoing==0 )
 	{
 		dc_log_info(context, 0, "Signaling the ongoing process to stop ASAP.");
-		dc_shall_stop_ongoing = 1;
+		context->m_shall_stop_ongoing = 1;
 	}
 	else
 	{
diff --git a/src/dc_context.c b/src/dc_context.c
index 6cada69b..f58c7be7 100644
--- a/src/dc_context.c
+++ b/src/dc_context.c
@@ -116,6 +116,8 @@ dc_context_t* dc_context_new(dc_callback_t cb, void* userdata, const char* os_na
 	context->m_smtp     = dc_smtp_new(context);
 	context->m_os_name  = dc_strdup_keep_null(os_name);
 
+	context->m_shall_stop_ongoing = 1; /* the value 1 avoids dc_stop_ongoing_process() from stopping already stopped threads */
+
 	dc_pgp_init(context);
 
 	/* Random-seed.  An additional seed with more random data is done just before key generation
diff --git a/src/dc_context.h b/src/dc_context.h
index f1329410..9f2147ca 100644
--- a/src/dc_context.h
+++ b/src/dc_context.h
@@ -112,6 +112,10 @@ struct _dc_context
 	// time smearing - to keep messages in order, we may modify the time by some seconds
 	time_t          m_last_smeared_timestamp;
 	pthread_mutex_t m_smear_critical;
+
+	// handling ongoing processes initiated by the user
+	int             m_ongoing_running;
+	int             m_shall_stop_ongoing;
 };
 
 
diff --git a/src/dc_imex.c b/src/dc_imex.c
index 57f5179e..cacb9051 100644
--- a/src/dc_imex.c
+++ b/src/dc_imex.c
@@ -468,7 +468,7 @@ char* dc_initiate_key_transfer(dc_context_t* context)
 	if( !dc_alloc_ongoing(context) ) {
 		return 0; /* no cleanup as this would call dc_free_ongoing() */
 	}
-	#define CHECK_EXIT if( dc_shall_stop_ongoing ) { goto cleanup; }
+	#define CHECK_EXIT if( context->m_shall_stop_ongoing ) { goto cleanup; }
 
 	if( (setup_code=dc_create_setup_code(context)) == NULL ) { /* this may require a keypair to be created. this may take a second ... */
 		goto cleanup;
@@ -917,7 +917,7 @@ static int export_backup(dc_context_t* context, const char* dir)
 		stmt = dc_sqlite3_prepare(dest_sql, "INSERT INTO backup_blobs (file_name, file_content) VALUES (?, ?);");
 		while( (dir_entry=readdir(dir_handle))!=NULL )
 		{
-			if( dc_shall_stop_ongoing ) {
+			if( context->m_shall_stop_ongoing ) {
 				delete_dest_file = 1;
 				goto cleanup;
 			}
@@ -1051,7 +1051,7 @@ static int import_backup(dc_context_t* context, const char* backup_to_import)
 	stmt = dc_sqlite3_prepare(context->m_sql, "SELECT file_name, file_content FROM backup_blobs ORDER BY id;");
 	while( sqlite3_step(stmt) == SQLITE_ROW )
 	{
-		if( dc_shall_stop_ongoing ) {
+		if( context->m_shall_stop_ongoing ) {
 			goto cleanup;
 		}
 
diff --git a/src/dc_securejoin.c b/src/dc_securejoin.c
index c3d16cb1..9673e264 100644
--- a/src/dc_securejoin.c
+++ b/src/dc_securejoin.c
@@ -433,7 +433,7 @@ uint32_t dc_join_securejoin(dc_context_t* context, const char* qr)
 
 	int      ret_chat_id       = 0;
 	int      ongoing_allocated = 0;
-	#define  CHECK_EXIT        if( dc_shall_stop_ongoing ) { goto cleanup; }
+	#define  CHECK_EXIT        if( context->m_shall_stop_ongoing ) { goto cleanup; }
 	uint32_t contact_chat_id   = 0;
 	dc_lot_t* qr_scan           = NULL;
 	int      join_vg           = 0;