diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 9e83968b9fc..f4cc9861323 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -2,6 +2,20 @@
 
 See [RELEASE](./RELEASE.md) for workflow instructions.
 
+## UNRELEASED
+
+### Upgrade information
+
+### Highlights
+
+### Features
+
+### Improvements
+
+* [#4965](https://github.com/spacemeshos/go-spacemesh/pull/4965) Updates to PoST:
+  * Prevent errors when shutting down the node that can result in a crash
+  * `postdata_metadata.json` is now updated atomically to prevent corruption of the file.
+
 ## v1.1.4
 
 ### Upgrade information
diff --git a/activation/post_verifier.go b/activation/post_verifier.go
index 55e0b869715..765830065a7 100644
--- a/activation/post_verifier.go
+++ b/activation/post_verifier.go
@@ -22,6 +22,8 @@ type verifyPostJob struct {
 
 type OffloadingPostVerifier struct {
 	eg      errgroup.Group
+	stop    context.CancelFunc
+	stopped <-chan struct{}
 	log     log.Log
 	workers []*postVerifierWorker
 	channel chan<- *verifyPostJob
@@ -71,23 +73,30 @@ func NewOffloadingPostVerifier(verifiers []PostVerifier, logger log.Log) *Offloa
 	}
 	logger.With().Info("created post verifier", log.Int("num_workers", numWorkers))
 
-	return &OffloadingPostVerifier{
+	ctx, cancel := context.WithCancel(context.Background())
+	stopped := make(chan struct{})
+	v := &OffloadingPostVerifier{
 		log:     logger,
 		workers: workers,
 		channel: channel,
+		stopped: stopped,
+		stop: func() {
+			cancel()
+			select {
+			case <-stopped:
+			default:
+				close(stopped)
+			}
+		},
 	}
-}
 
-func (v *OffloadingPostVerifier) Start(ctx context.Context) {
 	v.log.Info("starting post verifier")
 	for _, worker := range v.workers {
 		worker := worker
 		v.eg.Go(func() error { return worker.start(ctx) })
 	}
-	<-ctx.Done()
-	v.log.Info("stopping post verifier")
-	v.eg.Wait()
-	v.log.Info("stopped post verifier")
+	v.log.Info("started post verifier")
+	return v
 }
 
 func (v *OffloadingPostVerifier) Verify(ctx context.Context, p *shared.Proof, m *shared.ProofMetadata, opts ...verifying.OptionFunc) error {
@@ -97,8 +106,11 @@ func (v *OffloadingPostVerifier) Verify(ctx context.Context, p *shared.Proof, m
 		opts:     opts,
 		result:   make(chan error, 1),
 	}
+
 	select {
 	case v.channel <- job:
+	case <-v.stopped:
+		return fmt.Errorf("verifier is closed")
 	case <-ctx.Done():
 		return fmt.Errorf("submitting verifying job: %w", ctx.Err())
 	}
@@ -106,17 +118,24 @@ func (v *OffloadingPostVerifier) Verify(ctx context.Context, p *shared.Proof, m
 	select {
 	case res := <-job.result:
 		return res
+	case <-v.stopped:
+		return fmt.Errorf("verifier is closed")
 	case <-ctx.Done():
 		return fmt.Errorf("waiting for verification result: %w", ctx.Err())
 	}
 }
 
 func (v *OffloadingPostVerifier) Close() error {
+	v.log.Info("stopping post verifier")
+	v.stop()
+	v.eg.Wait()
+
 	for _, worker := range v.workers {
 		if err := worker.verifier.Close(); err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
 	}
+	v.log.Info("stopped post verifier")
 	return nil
 }
 
diff --git a/activation/post_verifier_test.go b/activation/post_verifier_test.go
index 7fb6fed82d2..e1932cabd69 100644
--- a/activation/post_verifier_test.go
+++ b/activation/post_verifier_test.go
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import (
 	"context"
 	"errors"
 	"testing"
+	"time"
 
 	"github.com/spacemeshos/post/shared"
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
@@ -26,29 +27,19 @@ func TestOffloadingPostVerifier(t *testing.T) {
 		[]activation.PostVerifier{verifier},
 		log.NewDefault(t.Name()),
 	)
+	defer offloadingVerifier.Close()
+	verifier.EXPECT().Close().Return(nil)
 
-	var eg errgroup.Group
-	eg.Go(func() error {
-		offloadingVerifier.Start(ctx)
-		return nil
-	})
-
-	{
-		verifier.EXPECT().Verify(ctx, &proof, &metadata, gomock.Any()).Return(nil)
-		err := offloadingVerifier.Verify(ctx, &proof, &metadata)
-		require.NoError(t, err)
-	}
-	{
-		verifier.EXPECT().Verify(ctx, &proof, &metadata, gomock.Any()).Return(errors.New("invalid proof!"))
-		err := offloadingVerifier.Verify(ctx, &proof, &metadata)
-		require.ErrorContains(t, err, "invalid proof!")
-	}
+	verifier.EXPECT().Verify(gomock.Any(), &proof, &metadata, gomock.Any()).Return(nil)
+	err := offloadingVerifier.Verify(ctx, &proof, &metadata)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
 
-	cancel()
-	require.NoError(t, eg.Wait())
+	verifier.EXPECT().Verify(gomock.Any(), &proof, &metadata, gomock.Any()).Return(errors.New("invalid proof!"))
+	err = offloadingVerifier.Verify(ctx, &proof, &metadata)
+	require.ErrorContains(t, err, "invalid proof!")
 }
 
-func TestPostVerfierDetectsInvalidProof(t *testing.T) {
+func TestPostVerifierDetectsInvalidProof(t *testing.T) {
 	verifier, err := activation.NewPostVerifier(activation.PostConfig{}, log.NewDefault(t.Name()))
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 	defer verifier.Close()
@@ -67,26 +58,53 @@ func TestPostVerifierVerifyAfterStop(t *testing.T) {
 		[]activation.PostVerifier{verifier},
 		log.NewDefault(t.Name()),
 	)
+	defer offloadingVerifier.Close()
+	verifier.EXPECT().Close().Return(nil)
+
+	verifier.EXPECT().Verify(gomock.Any(), &proof, &metadata, gomock.Any()).Return(nil)
+	err := offloadingVerifier.Verify(ctx, &proof, &metadata)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+
+	// Stop the verifier
+	verifier.EXPECT().Close().Return(nil)
+	offloadingVerifier.Close()
+
+	err = offloadingVerifier.Verify(ctx, &proof, &metadata)
+	require.EqualError(t, err, "verifier is closed")
+}
+
+func TestPostVerifierNoRaceOnClose(t *testing.T) {
+	ctx, cancel := context.WithCancel(context.Background())
+	defer cancel()
+
+	proof := shared.Proof{}
+	metadata := shared.ProofMetadata{}
+
+	verifier := activation.NewMockPostVerifier(gomock.NewController(t))
+	offloadingVerifier := activation.NewOffloadingPostVerifier(
+		[]activation.PostVerifier{verifier},
+		log.NewDefault(t.Name()),
+	)
+	defer offloadingVerifier.Close()
+	verifier.EXPECT().Close().AnyTimes().Return(nil)
+	verifier.EXPECT().Verify(gomock.Any(), &proof, &metadata, gomock.Any()).AnyTimes().Return(nil)
 
+	// Stop the verifier
 	var eg errgroup.Group
 	eg.Go(func() error {
-		offloadingVerifier.Start(ctx)
-		return nil
+		time.Sleep(50 * time.Millisecond)
+		return offloadingVerifier.Close()
 	})
 
-	{
-		verifier.EXPECT().Verify(ctx, &proof, &metadata, gomock.Any()).Return(nil)
-		err := offloadingVerifier.Verify(ctx, &proof, &metadata)
-		require.NoError(t, err)
+	for i := 0; i < 10; i++ {
+		ms := 10 * i
+		eg.Go(func() error {
+			time.Sleep(time.Duration(ms) * time.Millisecond)
+			return offloadingVerifier.Verify(ctx, &proof, &metadata)
+		})
 	}
-	// Stop the verifier
-	cancel()
-	require.NoError(t, eg.Wait())
 
-	{
-		err := offloadingVerifier.Verify(ctx, &proof, &metadata)
-		require.ErrorIs(t, err, context.Canceled)
-	}
+	require.EqualError(t, eg.Wait(), "verifier is closed")
 }
 
 func TestPostVerifierReturnsOnCtxCanceledWhenBlockedVerifying(t *testing.T) {
@@ -98,15 +116,8 @@ func TestPostVerifierReturnsOnCtxCanceledWhenBlockedVerifying(t *testing.T) {
 			// empty list of verifiers - no one will verify the proof
 		}, log.NewDefault(t.Name()))
 
-	var eg errgroup.Group
-	eg.Go(func() error {
-		v.Start(ctx)
-		return nil
-	})
+	require.NoError(t, v.Close())
 
-	cancel()
 	err := v.Verify(ctx, &shared.Proof{}, &shared.ProofMetadata{})
-	require.ErrorIs(t, err, context.Canceled)
-
-	require.NoError(t, eg.Wait())
+	require.EqualError(t, err, "verifier is closed")
 }
diff --git a/go.mod b/go.mod
index d4e8ea7b77a..1fb4b33e637 100644
--- a/go.mod
+++ b/go.mod
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ require (
 	github.com/spacemeshos/go-scale v1.1.10
 	github.com/spacemeshos/merkle-tree v0.2.3
 	github.com/spacemeshos/poet v0.9.1
-	github.com/spacemeshos/post v0.9.3
+	github.com/spacemeshos/post v0.9.4
 	github.com/spf13/afero v1.9.5
 	github.com/spf13/cobra v1.7.0
 	github.com/spf13/pflag v1.0.5
diff --git a/go.sum b/go.sum
index a5dc994df44..a516d2b8e0a 100644
--- a/go.sum
+++ b/go.sum
@@ -622,8 +622,8 @@ github.com/spacemeshos/merkle-tree v0.2.3 h1:zGEgOR9nxAzJr0EWjD39QFngwFEOxfxMloE
 github.com/spacemeshos/merkle-tree v0.2.3/go.mod h1:VomOcQ5pCBXz7goiWMP5hReyqOfDXGSKbrH2GB9Htww=
 github.com/spacemeshos/poet v0.9.1 h1:10wiGjuuGCZq9mAuQjRvNCpE5Uv0KU6yW5eynUCIECU=
 github.com/spacemeshos/poet v0.9.1/go.mod h1:ccxzHl5IRSenCSqonPI8M+5vPNwN+o3QU2X41bhbcao=
-github.com/spacemeshos/post v0.9.3 h1:3khU8uSxjicOYrfg3tFP26YyTkbsmbJt1uLJN93ScH4=
-github.com/spacemeshos/post v0.9.3/go.mod h1:sWxWEfxH4wc4D2KCY0kBMu4ezz/v52Km/N023SaCcNE=
+github.com/spacemeshos/post v0.9.4 h1:l/KGneUnLH5imy2Uml7G9kBnJuzl4ag0ku3U0OWaTxc=
+github.com/spacemeshos/post v0.9.4/go.mod h1:YjYLMcFFSpxrI86TW2rhyWCWRRFG+8LPiONgARNuaP4=
 github.com/spacemeshos/sha256-simd v0.1.0 h1:G7Mfu5RYdQiuE+wu4ZyJ7I0TI74uqLhFnKblEnSpjYI=
 github.com/spacemeshos/sha256-simd v0.1.0/go.mod h1:O8CClVIilId7RtuCMV2+YzMj6qjVn75JsxOxaE8vcfM=
 github.com/spaolacci/murmur3 v1.1.0 h1:7c1g84S4BPRrfL5Xrdp6fOJ206sU9y293DDHaoy0bLI=
diff --git a/node/node.go b/node/node.go
index 18d890a1ee6..b1e210c7973 100644
--- a/node/node.go
+++ b/node/node.go
@@ -1031,13 +1031,6 @@ func (app *App) startServices(ctx context.Context) error {
 	if err := app.fetcher.Start(); err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("failed to start fetcher: %w", err)
 	}
-	app.eg.Go(func() error {
-		app.postVerifier.Start(ctx)
-		// Start only returns when the context expires (which means the system
-		// is shutting down). We do the closing of the post verifier here so
-		// it's ensured that start has returned before we call Close.
-		return app.postVerifier.Close()
-	})
 	app.syncer.Start()
 	app.beaconProtocol.Start(ctx)
 
@@ -1210,6 +1203,10 @@ func (app *App) stopServices(ctx context.Context) {
 		_ = app.atxBuilder.StopSmeshing(false)
 	}
 
+	if app.postVerifier != nil {
+		app.postVerifier.Close()
+	}
+
 	if app.hare != nil {
 		app.hare.Close()
 	}