diff --git a/pykern/pkasyncio.py b/pykern/pkasyncio.py
index 07b67061..d50c6016 100644
--- a/pykern/pkasyncio.py
+++ b/pykern/pkasyncio.py
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ class ActionLoop:
 
     def __init__(self):
         # All these attributes must exist even after destroy()
-        self.destroyed = False
+        self.__destroyed = False
         self.__lock = threading.Lock()
         self.__actions = queue.Queue()
         # You can join the thread to block another (e.g. main) thread from exiting
@@ -68,9 +68,7 @@ def action(self, method, arg):
         """Queue ``method`` to be called in loop thread.
 
         Actions are methods that (by convention) begin with
-        ``action_`` and are called sequentially inside `_start`. A
-        lock is used to prevent `destroy` being called during the
-        action and serializing activities within a single action.
+        ``action_`` and are called sequentially inside `_start`.
 
         Actions return ``None`` to continue on to the next
         action. `_LOOP_END` should be returned to terminate `_start`
@@ -106,21 +104,21 @@ def action(self, method, arg):
         )
 
     def destroy(self):
-        """Stops thread and calls subclass `_destroy`
+        """Stops the thread.
 
-        THREADING: subclasses should not call destroy directly. They should
-        return `_LOOP_END` instead. External callbacks may call destroy, because
-        _ActionLoop does not hold lock during external callbacks.
+        `_start` always calls the `_handle_destroy` callback at the end of the
+        loop.
+
+        Subclasses should not reimplement. To handle behavior on destroy,
+        call `_handle_destroy`.
+
+        THREADING: subclasses and external callbacks may call destroy directly.
         """
-        try:
-            with self.__lock:
-                if self.destroyed:
-                    return
-                self.destroyed = True
-                self.__actions.put_nowait((None, None))
-                self._destroy()
-        except Exception as e:
-            pkdlog("error={} {} stack={}", e, self, pkdexc(simplify=True))
+        with self.__lock:
+            if self.__destroyed:
+                return
+            self.__destroyed = True
+        self.__actions.put_nowait((None, None))
 
     def _dispatch_action(self, method, arg):
         """Calls method with arg.
@@ -128,8 +126,6 @@ def _dispatch_action(self, method, arg):
         Subclasses may re-implement. This function will remain a
         very simple wrapper for ``return method(arg)``.
 
-        This function is called inside the lock.
-
         Args:
             method (callable): to be called
             arg (object): to be passed
@@ -144,13 +140,33 @@ def _dispatch_callback(self, callback):
         Subclasses may re-implement. This method will remain a very
         simple wrapper for ``callback()``.
 
-        This function is called outside the lock.
-
         Args:
             callback (callable): to be called
         """
         callback()
 
+    def _handle_destroy(self):
+        """Callback on destroy and loop end.
+
+        Subclasses may re-implement.
+
+        THREADING: subclasses should not call directly. This callback is
+        handled by the thread. Instead, call `destroy`.
+        """
+        pass
+
+    def _handle_exception(self, exc):
+        """Exception handler for `_start`.
+
+        `_handle_exception` is called when there's an exception in `_start`.
+
+        Subclasses may reimplement.
+
+        Args:
+            exc (Exception): Captured Exception.
+        """
+        pass
+
     def _on_loop_timeout(self):
         """Called when a loop timeout occurs.
 
@@ -159,12 +175,6 @@ def _on_loop_timeout(self):
         # `__init__` prevents this from happening, but good to document.
         raise NotImplementedError("ActionLoop._on_loop_timeout")
 
-    def __repr__(self):
-        def _destroyed():
-            return " DESTROYED" if self.destroyed else ""
-
-        return f"<{self.__class__.__name__}{_destroyed()} self._repr()>"
-
     def _start(self):
         """Loops over actions and exits on `_LOOP_END` or on unhandled exception.
 
@@ -174,25 +184,34 @@ def _start(self):
         """
         while True:
             with self.__lock:
-                if self.destroyed:
-                    return
+                if self.__destroyed:
+                    break
             try:
                 m, a = self.__actions.get(**self.__get_args)
                 self.__actions.task_done()
             except queue.Empty:
                 m, a = self._on_loop_timeout(), None
             with self.__lock:
-                if self.destroyed:
-                    return
+                if self.__destroyed:
+                    break
                 # Do not need to check m, because only invalid when destroyed is True
-                if (m := self._dispatch_action(m, a)) is self._LOOP_END:
-                    return
+            if (m := self._dispatch_action(m, a)) is self._LOOP_END:
+                break
                 # Will be true if destroy called inside action (m)
-                if self.destroyed:
-                    return
-            # Action returned an external callback, which must occur outside lock
+            with self.__lock:
+                if self.__destroyed:
+                    break
+            # Action returned an external callback
             if m:
                 self._dispatch_callback(m)
+        # Callback on destroy and loop end.
+        self._handle_destroy()
+
+    def __repr__(self):
+        def _destroyed():
+            return " DESTROYED" if self.__destroyed else ""
+
+        return f"<{self.__class__.__name__}{_destroyed()} self._repr()>"
 
     def __target(self):
         """Thread's target function"""
@@ -212,18 +231,6 @@ def __target(self):
         finally:
             self.destroy()
 
-    def _handle_exception(self, exc):
-        """Exception handler for `_start`.
-
-        `_handle_exception` is called when there's an exception in `_start`.
-
-        Subclasses may reimplement.
-
-        Args:
-            exc (Exception): Captured Exception.
-        """
-        pass
-
 
 class Loop:
     """HTTP Server loop"""