diff --git a/tools/xenstore/xenstored_domain.c b/tools/xenstore/xenstored_domain.c
index 62c30fa1fa..34278ad902 100644
--- a/tools/xenstore/xenstored_domain.c
+++ b/tools/xenstore/xenstored_domain.c
@@ -360,6 +360,9 @@ void do_release(struct connection *conn, const char *domid_str)
 	}
 
 	talloc_free(domain->conn);
+
+	fire_watches(NULL, "@releaseDomain", false);
+
 	send_ack(conn, XS_RELEASE);
 }
 
@@ -367,6 +370,7 @@ void domain_cleanup(void)
 {
 	xc_dominfo_t dominfo;
 	struct domain *domain, *tmp;
+	int released = 0;
 
 	list_for_each_entry_safe(domain, tmp, &domains, list) {
 		if (xc_domain_getinfo(*xc_handle, domain->domid, 1,
@@ -375,7 +379,11 @@ void domain_cleanup(void)
 		    !dominfo.dying && !dominfo.crashed && !dominfo.shutdown)
 			continue;
 		talloc_free(domain->conn);
+		released++;
 	}
+
+	if (released)
+		fire_watches(NULL, "@releaseDomain", false);
 }
 
 void do_get_domain_path(struct connection *conn, const char *domid_str)
diff --git a/tools/xenstore/xenstored_watch.c b/tools/xenstore/xenstored_watch.c
index 804a386868..ebd13111d5 100644
--- a/tools/xenstore/xenstored_watch.c
+++ b/tools/xenstore/xenstored_watch.c
@@ -132,7 +132,7 @@ void fire_watches(struct connection *conn, const char *node, bool recurse)
 	struct watch *watch;
 
 	/* During transactions, don't fire watches. */
-	if (conn->transaction)
+	if (conn && conn->transaction)
 		return;
 
 	/* Create an event for each watch.  Don't send to self. */