diff --git a/scripts/modem/sxmo_modemcall.sh b/scripts/modem/sxmo_modemcall.sh
index 77fb2bc..42d595f 100755
--- a/scripts/modem/sxmo_modemcall.sh
+++ b/scripts/modem/sxmo_modemcall.sh
@@ -1,16 +1,17 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env sh
 LOGDIR="$XDG_DATA_HOME"/sxmo/modem
-ALSASTATEFILE="/tmp/precall.alsa.state"
+ALSASTATEFILE="$XDG_CACHE_HOME"/precall.alsa.state
+CACHEDIR="$XDG_CACHE_HOME"/sxmo
 trap "gracefulexit" INT TERM
 
 modem_n() {
 	MODEMS="$(mmcli -L)"
-	echo "$MODEMS" | grep -qoE 'Modem\/([0-9]+)' || fatalerr "Couldn't find modem - is your modem enabled?"
+	echo "$MODEMS" | grep -qoE 'Modem\/([0-9]+)' || finish "Couldn't find modem - is your modem enabled?"
 	echo "$MODEMS" | grep -oE 'Modem\/([0-9]+)' | cut -d'/' -f2
 }
 
 
-fatalerr() {
+finish() {
 	# E.g. hangup all calls, switch back to default audio, notify user, and die
 	sxmo_vibratepine 1000 &
 	mmcli -m "$(modem_n)" --voice-hangup-all
@@ -24,14 +25,18 @@ fatalerr() {
 	else
 		alsactl --file /usr/share/sxmo/alsa/default_alsa_sound.conf restore
 	fi
-	echo "$1">&2
-	notify-send "$1"
 	setsid -f sh -c 'sleep 2; sxmo_statusbarupdate.sh'
+	if [ -n "$1" ]; then
+		echo "$1">&2
+		notify-send "$1"
+	fi
 	kill -9 0
+	pkill -9 dmenu #just in case the call menu survived somehow?
+	exit 1
 }
 
 gracefulexit() {
-	fatalerr "Terminated via SIGTERM/SIGINT"
+	finish "Call ended"
 }
 
 
@@ -39,7 +44,7 @@ modem_cmd_errcheck() {
 	RES="$(mmcli "$@" 2>&1)"
 	OK="$?"
 	echo "Command: mmcli $*">&2
-	if [ "$OK" != 0 ]; then fatalerr "Problem executing mmcli command!\n$RES"; fi
+	if [ "$OK" != 0 ]; then finish "Problem executing mmcli command!\n$RES"; fi
 	echo "$RES"
 }
 
@@ -97,11 +102,13 @@ acceptcall() {
 			echo "Invoking pickup hook (async)">&2
 			"$XDG_CONFIG_HOME/sxmo/hooks/pickup" &
 		fi
+		touch "$CACHEDIR/${CALLID}.pickedupcall" #this signals that we picked this call up
+											     #to other asynchronously running processes
 		modem_cmd_errcheck -m "$(modem_n)" -o "$CALLID" --accept
 		log_event "call_pickup" "$CALLID"
 		echo "Picked up call $CALLID">&2
 	else
-		fatalerr "Couldn't initialize call with callid <$CALLID>; unknown direction <$DIRECTION>"
+		finish "Couldn't initialize call with callid <$CALLID>; unknown direction <$DIRECTION>"
 	fi
 	alsactl --file "$ALSASTATEFILE" store
 }
@@ -143,11 +150,11 @@ incallmonitor() {
 	while true; do
 		sxmo_statusbarupdate.sh
 		if mmcli -m "$(modem_n)" -K -o "$CALLID" | grep -E "^call.properties.state.+terminated"; then
-			mmcli -m "$(modem_n)" --voice-delete-call="$CALLID"
+			#note: deletion will be handled asynchronously by sxmo_modemmonitor's checkforfinishedcalls()
 			if [ "$NUMBER" = "--" ]; then
-				fatalerr "Call with unknown number terminated"
+				finish "Call with unknown number terminated"
 			else
-				fatalerr "Call with $NUMBER terminated"
+				finish "Call with $NUMBER terminated"
 			fi
 		fi
 		echo "Call still in progress">&2
@@ -214,5 +221,5 @@ pickup() {
 	incallmenuloop "$1"
 }
 
-modem_n || fatalerr "Couldn't determine modem number - is modem online?"
+modem_n || finish "Couldn't determine modem number - is modem online?"
 "$@"
diff --git a/scripts/modem/sxmo_modemmonitor.sh b/scripts/modem/sxmo_modemmonitor.sh
index 4e758cc..946e221 100755
--- a/scripts/modem/sxmo_modemmonitor.sh
+++ b/scripts/modem/sxmo_modemmonitor.sh
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env sh
 LOGDIR="$XDG_DATA_HOME"/sxmo/modem
 NOTIFDIR="$XDG_DATA_HOME"/sxmo/notifications
+CACHEDIR="$XDG_CACHE_HOME"/sxmo
 trap "gracefulexit" INT TERM
 
 err() {
@@ -48,35 +49,41 @@ lookupcontactname() {
 	fi
 }
 
-checkformissedcalls() {
-	if pgrep -vf sxmo_modemcall.sh; then
-		# Add a notification for every missed call
-		# Note sxmo_modemcall.sh cleanups/delete the callid from the modem; so
-		# effectivly any incoming call thats terminated here is a missed call!
-		for MISSEDCALLID in $(
-			mmcli -m "$(modem_n)" --voice-list-calls |
-			grep incoming |
-			grep terminated |
-			grep -oE "Call\/[0-9]+" |
-			cut -d'/' -f2
-		); do
-			MISSEDNUMBER="$(lookupnumberfromcallid "$MISSEDCALLID")"
-			mmcli -m "$(modem_n)" --voice-delete-call "$MISSEDCALLID"
-			rm -f "$NOTIFDIR/incomingcall_${MISSEDCALLID}_notification"
-
-
-			TIME="$(date --iso-8601=seconds)"
-			mkdir -p "$LOGDIR"
-			printf %b "$TIME\tcall_missed\t$MISSEDNUMBER\n" >> "$LOGDIR/modemlog.tsv"
-
-			CONTACT="$(lookupcontactname "$MISSEDNUMBER")"
+checkforfinishedcalls() {
+	#find all finished calls
+	for FINISHEDCALLID in $(
+		mmcli -m "$(modem_n)" --voice-list-calls |
+		grep incoming |
+		grep terminated |
+		grep -oE "Call\/[0-9]+" |
+		cut -d'/' -f2
+	); do
+		FINISHEDNUMBER="$(lookupnumberfromcallid "$FINISHEDCALLID")"
+		mmcli -m "$(modem_n)" --voice-delete-call "$FINISHEDCALLID"
+		rm -f "$NOTIFDIR/incomingcall_${FINISHEDCALLID}_notification"
+
+		TIME="$(date --iso-8601=seconds)"
+		mkdir -p "$LOGDIR"
+		if [ -f "$CACHEDIR/${FINISHEDCALLID}.pickedupcall" ]; then
+			#this call was picked up
+			pkill -f sxmo_modemcall.sh #kill call (softly) in case it is still in progress (remote party hung up)
+			echo "Finished call from $FINISHEDNUMBER">&2
+			rm -f "$CACHEDIR/${FINISHEDCALLID}.pickedupcall"
+			printf %b "$TIME\tcall_finished\t$FINISHEDNUMBER\n" >> "$LOGDIR/modemlog.tsv"
+		else
+			#this is a missed call
+			# Add a notification for every missed call
+			echo "Missed call from $FINISHEDNUMBER">&2
+			printf %b "$TIME\tcall_missed\t$FINISHEDNUMBER\n" >> "$LOGDIR/modemlog.tsv"
+
+			CONTACT="$(lookupcontactname "$FINISHEDNUMBER")"
 			sxmo_notificationwrite.sh \
 				random \
 				"st -f Terminus-20 -e sh -c \"echo 'Missed call from $CONTACT at $(date)' && read\"" \
 				none \
 				"Missed call - $CONTACT"
-		done
-	fi
+		fi
+	done
 }
 
 checkforincomingcalls() {
@@ -151,26 +158,26 @@ checkfornewtexts() {
 }
 
 mainloop() {
-	checkformissedcalls
+	checkforfinishedcalls
 	checkforincomingcalls
 	checkfornewtexts
 
 	# Monitor for incoming calls
 	dbus-monitor --system "interface='org.freedesktop.ModemManager1.Modem.Voice',type='signal',member='CallAdded'" | \
-		while read -r; do
+		while read -r line; do
 			checkforincomingcalls
 		done &
 
 	# Monitor for incoming texts
 	dbus-monitor --system "interface='org.freedesktop.ModemManager1.Modem.Messaging',type='signal',member='Added'" | \
-		while read -r; do
+		while read -r line; do
 			checkfornewtexts
 		done &
 
-	# Monitor for missed calls
+	# Monitor for finished calls
 	dbus-monitor --system "interface='org.freedesktop.DBus.Properties',member='PropertiesChanged',arg0='org.freedesktop.ModemManager1.Call'" | \
-		while read -r; do
-			checkformissedcalls
+		while read -r line; do
+			checkforfinishedcalls
 		done &
 
 	wait
@@ -178,4 +185,5 @@ mainloop() {
 	wait
 }
 
+rm -f "$CACHEDIR"/*.pickedupcall 2>/dev/null #new session, forget all calls we picked up previously
 mainloop