diff --git a/ASYNC-API-TODO.txt b/ASYNC-API-TODO.txt
index 27ac18efa..c037db859 100644
--- a/ASYNC-API-TODO.txt
+++ b/ASYNC-API-TODO.txt
@@ -11,12 +11,11 @@ APIs:
     dc_configure                      # note: dc_start_jobs() is NOT allowed to run concurrently
     dc_imex NEVER goes through the job system
     dc_imex import_backup needs to ensure dc_stop_jobs()
-    dc_jobs_are_running()      # tell if we are in start/stop-jobs state
 
-    dc_context_run                 # start async scheduler
-      -> dc_start_jobs
-    dc_context_shutdown       # Stop async scheduler (after return no async-task runs)
-      -> dc_stop_jobs
+    dc_io_start                # start smtp/imap and job handling subsystems
+    dc_io_stop                 # stop smtp/imap and job handling subsystems
+    dc_io_status               # return 1 if smtp/imap/jobs susbystem is running
+
     dc_close                            # FFI only
       -> can be dropped
     dc_context_unref
diff --git a/deltachat-ffi/deltachat.h b/deltachat-ffi/deltachat.h
index 91d03dafb..22420f2f9 100644
--- a/deltachat-ffi/deltachat.h
+++ b/deltachat-ffi/deltachat.h
@@ -583,16 +583,32 @@ int             dc_is_configured   (const dc_context_t* context);
 
 
 /**
- * TODO: Document
+ * Start job and IMAP/SMTP tasks.
+ *
+ * @memberof dc_context_t
+ * @param context The context object as created by dc_context_new().
+ * @return None
  */
-void            dc_context_run     (dc_context_t* context);
-
-int             dc_is_running      (const dc_context_t* context);
+void            dc_io_start     (dc_context_t* context);
 
 /**
- * TODO: Document
+ * Check if IO (SMTP/IMAP/Jobs) has been started.
+ *
+ * @memberof dc_context_t
+ * @param context The context object as created by dc_context_new().
+ * @return 1=IO is running; 
+ *   0=IO is not running.
  */
-void            dc_context_shutdown(dc_context_t* context);
+int             dc_io_status(const dc_context_t* context);
+
+/**
+ * Stop job and IMAP/SMTP tasks and return when they are finished. 
+ *
+ * @memberof dc_context_t
+ * @param context The context object as created by dc_context_new().
+ * @return None
+ */
+void            dc_io_stop(dc_context_t* context);
 
 /**
  * This function can be called whenever there is a hint
diff --git a/deltachat-ffi/src/lib.rs b/deltachat-ffi/src/lib.rs
index d87935f7b..6cef31224 100644
--- a/deltachat-ffi/src/lib.rs
+++ b/deltachat-ffi/src/lib.rs
@@ -481,7 +481,7 @@ pub unsafe extern "C" fn dc_is_configured(context: *mut dc_context_t) -> libc::c
 }
 
 #[no_mangle]
-pub unsafe extern "C" fn dc_context_run(context: *mut dc_context_t) {
+pub unsafe extern "C" fn dc_io_start(context: *mut dc_context_t) {
     if context.is_null() {
         return;
     }
@@ -491,7 +491,7 @@ pub unsafe extern "C" fn dc_context_run(context: *mut dc_context_t) {
 }
 
 #[no_mangle]
-pub unsafe extern "C" fn dc_is_running(context: *mut dc_context_t) -> libc::c_int {
+pub unsafe extern "C" fn dc_io_status(context: *mut dc_context_t) -> libc::c_int {
     if context.is_null() {
         return 0;
     }
@@ -665,7 +665,7 @@ pub unsafe extern "C" fn dc_get_next_event(context: *mut dc_context_t) -> *mut d
 }
 
 #[no_mangle]
-pub unsafe extern "C" fn dc_context_shutdown(context: *mut dc_context_t) {
+pub unsafe extern "C" fn dc_io_stop(context: *mut dc_context_t) {
     if context.is_null() {
         eprintln!("ignoring careless call to dc_shutdown()");
         return;
diff --git a/python/fail_test.py b/python/fail_test.py
index 5d1535fdf..736471e71 100644
--- a/python/fail_test.py
+++ b/python/fail_test.py
@@ -4,4 +4,4 @@ from deltachat.capi import ffi, lib
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":
     ctx = capi.lib.dc_context_new(ffi.NULL, ffi.NULL)
-    lib.dc_context_shutdown(ctx)
+    lib.dc_io_stop(ctx)
diff --git a/python/src/deltachat/account.py b/python/src/deltachat/account.py
index 54761fada..14741bf88 100644
--- a/python/src/deltachat/account.py
+++ b/python/src/deltachat/account.py
@@ -575,7 +575,7 @@ class Account(object):
         if not self.is_configured():
             self.configure()
             self.wait_configure_finish()
-        lib.dc_context_run(self._dc_context)
+        lib.dc_io_start(self._dc_context)
 
     def configure(self):
         assert not self.is_configured()
@@ -596,7 +596,7 @@ class Account(object):
             del self._configtracker
 
     def is_started(self):
-        return self._event_thread.is_alive() and bool(lib.dc_is_running(self._dc_context))
+        return self._event_thread.is_alive() and bool(lib.dc_io_status(self._dc_context))
 
     def wait_shutdown(self):
         """ wait until shutdown of this account has completed. """
@@ -607,9 +607,9 @@ class Account(object):
         self.log("stop_ongoing")
         self.stop_ongoing()
 
-        if bool(lib.dc_is_running(self._dc_context)):
+        if bool(lib.dc_io_status(self._dc_context)):
             self.log("context_shutdown (stop core scheduler)")
-            lib.dc_context_shutdown(self._dc_context)
+            lib.dc_io_stop(self._dc_context)
         else:
             self.log("stop_scheduler called on non-running context")
 
diff --git a/python/x.py b/python/x.py
deleted file mode 100644
index 3f7a6cdb1..000000000
--- a/python/x.py
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,37 +0,0 @@
-
-import deltachat
-import os
-import shutil
-from deltachat.capi import lib
-
-try:
-    os.remove("/tmp/db")
-except:
-    pass
-try:
-    shutil.rmtree("/tmp/db-blobs")
-except:
-    pass
-
-
-acc = deltachat.Account("/tmp/db", logging=True)
-acc.set_config("addr", "tmp.hjfcq@five.chat")
-acc.set_config("mail_pw", "aihWNtLuRJgV")
-acc.start()  # lib.dc_configure + lib.dc_context_run
-assert acc.is_configured()
-acc.stop_scheduler()
-
-run = 0
-while 1:
-    print("****** starting scheduler")
-    acc.start()
-    import time ; time.sleep(0.5)
-    print("******* stopping scheduler")
-    acc.stop_scheduler()
-    print("******* waiting", run)
-    import time ; time.sleep(1.0)
-    run += 1
-
-contact = acc.create_contact("holger@deltachat.de")
-chat = acc.create_chat_by_contact(contact)
-chat.send_text("hello")