diff --git a/cmd/fluent-bit/dque.go b/cmd/fluent-bit/dque.go
index 7d2f546793558..66d2cb55ed9b5 100644
--- a/cmd/fluent-bit/dque.go
+++ b/cmd/fluent-bit/dque.go
@@ -42,9 +42,7 @@ type dqueClient struct {
 	logger log.Logger
 	queue  *dque.DQue
 	loki   client.Client
-	quit   chan struct{}
 	once   sync.Once
-	wg     sync.WaitGroup
 }
 
 // New makes a new dque loki client
@@ -53,7 +51,6 @@ func newDque(cfg *config, logger log.Logger) (client.Client, error) {
 
 	q := &dqueClient{
 		logger: log.With(logger, "component", "queue", "name", cfg.bufferConfig.dqueConfig.queueName),
-		quit:   make(chan struct{}),
 	}
 
 	err = os.MkdirAll(cfg.bufferConfig.dqueConfig.queueDir, 0644)
@@ -75,31 +72,22 @@ func newDque(cfg *config, logger log.Logger) (client.Client, error) {
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
-	q.wg.Add(1)
 	go q.dequeuer()
 	return q, nil
 }
 
 func (c *dqueClient) dequeuer() {
-	defer func() {
-		if err := c.queue.Close(); err != nil {
-			level.Error(c.logger).Log("msg", "error closing queue", "err", err)
-		}
-		c.wg.Done()
-	}()
-
 	for {
-		select {
-		case <-c.quit:
-			return
-		default:
-		}
-
 		// Dequeue the next item in the queue
 		entry, err := c.queue.DequeueBlock()
 		if err != nil {
-			level.Error(c.logger).Log("msg", "error dequeuing record", "error", err)
-			continue
+			switch err {
+			case dque.ErrQueueClosed:
+				return
+			default:
+				level.Error(c.logger).Log("msg", "error dequeuing record", "error", err)
+				continue
+			}
 		}
 
 		// Assert type of the response to an Item pointer so we can work with it
@@ -117,9 +105,8 @@ func (c *dqueClient) dequeuer() {
 
 // Stop the client
 func (c *dqueClient) Stop() {
-	c.once.Do(func() { close(c.quit) })
+	c.once.Do(func() { c.queue.Close() })
 	c.loki.Stop()
-	c.wg.Wait()
 }
 
 // Handle implement EntryHandler; adds a new line to the next batch; send is async.