diff --git a/gpt4all-chat/CHANGELOG.md b/gpt4all-chat/CHANGELOG.md
index 07039076..5f542766 100644
--- a/gpt4all-chat/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/gpt4all-chat/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -6,11 +6,12 @@ The format is based on [Keep a Changelog](https://keepachangelog.com/en/1.1.0/).
 
 ## [Unreleased]
 
-## Fixed
+### Fixed
 - Fix the timeout error in code interpreter ([#3369](https://github.com/nomic-ai/gpt4all/pull/3369))
 - Fix code interpreter console.log not accepting multiple arguments ([#3371](https://github.com/nomic-ai/gpt4all/pull/3371))
 - Remove 'X is defined' checks from templates as they work incorrectly with Jinja2Cpp ([#3372](https://github.com/nomic-ai/gpt4all/pull/3372))
 - Jinja2Cpp: Add 'if' requirement for 'else' parsing to fix crash ([#3373](https://github.com/nomic-ai/gpt4all/pull/3373))
+- Save chats on quit, even if the window isn't closed first ([#3387](https://github.com/nomic-ai/gpt4all/pull/3387))
 
 ## [3.6.1] - 2024-12-20
 
diff --git a/gpt4all-chat/main.qml b/gpt4all-chat/main.qml
index 2dc4410c..5b60d36a 100644
--- a/gpt4all-chat/main.qml
+++ b/gpt4all-chat/main.qml
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ Window {
                     systemTrayIcon.shouldClose = true;
                     window.shouldClose = true;
                     savingPopup.open();
-                    ChatListModel.saveChats();
+                    ChatListModel.saveChatsForQuit();
                 }
             }
         }
@@ -231,8 +231,8 @@ Window {
 
         window.shouldClose = true;
         savingPopup.open();
-        ChatListModel.saveChats();
-        close.accepted = false
+        ChatListModel.saveChatsForQuit();
+        close.accepted = false;
     }
 
     Connections {
diff --git a/gpt4all-chat/src/chatlistmodel.cpp b/gpt4all-chat/src/chatlistmodel.cpp
index fd9d4509..85cb44d5 100644
--- a/gpt4all-chat/src/chatlistmodel.cpp
+++ b/gpt4all-chat/src/chatlistmodel.cpp
@@ -52,9 +52,11 @@ void ChatListModel::loadChats()
     connect(thread, &ChatsRestoreThread::finished, thread, &QObject::deleteLater);
     thread->start();
 
-    ChatSaver *saver = new ChatSaver;
-    connect(this, &ChatListModel::requestSaveChats, saver, &ChatSaver::saveChats, Qt::QueuedConnection);
-    connect(saver, &ChatSaver::saveChatsFinished, this, &ChatListModel::saveChatsFinished, Qt::QueuedConnection);
+    m_chatSaver = std::make_unique<ChatSaver>();
+    connect(this, &ChatListModel::requestSaveChats, m_chatSaver.get(), &ChatSaver::saveChats, Qt::QueuedConnection);
+    connect(m_chatSaver.get(), &ChatSaver::saveChatsFinished, this, &ChatListModel::saveChatsFinished, Qt::QueuedConnection);
+    // save chats on application quit
+    connect(QCoreApplication::instance(), &QCoreApplication::aboutToQuit, this, &ChatListModel::saveChatsSync);
 
     connect(MySettings::globalInstance(), &MySettings::serverChatChanged, this, &ChatListModel::handleServerEnabledChanged);
 }
@@ -78,16 +80,24 @@ ChatSaver::ChatSaver()
     m_thread.start();
 }
 
+ChatSaver::~ChatSaver()
+{
+    m_thread.quit();
+    m_thread.wait();
+}
+
+QVector<Chat *> ChatListModel::getChatsToSave() const
+{
+    QVector<Chat *> toSave;
+    for (auto *chat : m_chats)
+        if (chat != m_serverChat && !chat->isNewChat())
+            toSave << chat;
+    return toSave;
+}
+
 void ChatListModel::saveChats()
 {
-    QVector<Chat*> toSave;
-    for (Chat *chat : m_chats) {
-        if (chat == m_serverChat)
-            continue;
-        if (chat->isNewChat())
-            continue;
-        toSave.append(chat);
-    }
+    auto toSave = getChatsToSave();
     if (toSave.isEmpty()) {
         emit saveChatsFinished();
         return;
@@ -96,8 +106,24 @@ void ChatListModel::saveChats()
     emit requestSaveChats(toSave);
 }
 
+void ChatListModel::saveChatsForQuit()
+{
+    saveChats();
+    m_startedFinalSave = true;
+}
+
+void ChatListModel::saveChatsSync()
+{
+    auto toSave = getChatsToSave();
+    if (!m_startedFinalSave && !toSave.isEmpty())
+        m_chatSaver->saveChats(toSave);
+}
+
 void ChatSaver::saveChats(const QVector<Chat *> &chats)
 {
+    // we can be called from the main thread instead of a worker thread at quit time, so take a lock
+    QMutexLocker locker(&m_mutex);
+
     QElapsedTimer timer;
     timer.start();
     const QString savePath = MySettings::globalInstance()->modelPath();
diff --git a/gpt4all-chat/src/chatlistmodel.h b/gpt4all-chat/src/chatlistmodel.h
index 4fe1c374..0c405b15 100644
--- a/gpt4all-chat/src/chatlistmodel.h
+++ b/gpt4all-chat/src/chatlistmodel.h
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
 #include <QDebug>
 #include <QHash>
 #include <QList>
+#include <QMutex>
 #include <QObject>
 #include <QThread>
 #include <QVariant>
@@ -18,6 +19,9 @@
 #include <QtGlobal>
 #include <QtLogging>
 
+#include <memory>
+
+
 class ChatsRestoreThread : public QThread
 {
     Q_OBJECT
@@ -33,6 +37,7 @@ class ChatSaver : public QObject
     Q_OBJECT
 public:
     explicit ChatSaver();
+    ~ChatSaver() override;
 
 Q_SIGNALS:
     void saveChatsFinished();
@@ -42,6 +47,7 @@ public Q_SLOTS:
 
 private:
     QThread m_thread;
+    QMutex  m_mutex;
 };
 
 class ChatListModel : public QAbstractListModel
@@ -228,6 +234,7 @@ public:
 
     void removeChatFile(Chat *chat) const;
     Q_INVOKABLE void saveChats();
+    Q_INVOKABLE void saveChatsForQuit();
     void restoreChat(Chat *chat);
     void chatsRestoredFinished();
 
@@ -244,6 +251,9 @@ protected:
     bool eventFilter(QObject *obj, QEvent *ev) override;
 
 private Q_SLOTS:
+    // Used with QCoreApplication::aboutToQuit. Does not require an event loop.
+    void saveChatsSync();
+
     void newChatCountChanged()
     {
         Q_ASSERT(m_newChat && m_newChat->chatModel()->count());
@@ -274,11 +284,16 @@ private Q_SLOTS:
         }
     }
 
+private:
+    QVector<Chat *> getChatsToSave() const;
+
 private:
     Chat* m_newChat = nullptr;
     Chat* m_serverChat = nullptr;
     Chat* m_currentChat = nullptr;
     QList<Chat*> m_chats;
+    std::unique_ptr<ChatSaver> m_chatSaver;
+    bool m_startedFinalSave = false;
 
 private:
     explicit ChatListModel();