diff --git a/mopidy/frontends/mpd/dispatcher.py b/mopidy/frontends/mpd/dispatcher.py
index f5c30b23..a72789f1 100644
--- a/mopidy/frontends/mpd/dispatcher.py
+++ b/mopidy/frontends/mpd/dispatcher.py
@@ -1,10 +1,12 @@
+import logging
 import re
 
+from pykka import ActorDeadError
 from pykka.registry import ActorRegistry
 
 from mopidy.backends.base import Backend
 from mopidy.frontends.mpd.exceptions import (MpdAckError, MpdArgError,
-    MpdUnknownCommand)
+    MpdUnknownCommand, MpdSystemError)
 from mopidy.frontends.mpd.protocol import mpd_commands, request_handlers
 # Do not remove the following import. The protocol modules must be imported to
 # get them registered as request handlers.
@@ -16,6 +18,8 @@ from mopidy.frontends.mpd.protocol import (audio_output, command_list,
 from mopidy.mixers.base import BaseMixer
 from mopidy.utils import flatten
 
+logger = logging.getLogger('mopidy.frontends.mpd.dispatcher')
+
 class MpdDispatcher(object):
     """
     The MPD session feeds the MPD dispatcher with requests. The dispatcher
@@ -49,6 +53,10 @@ class MpdDispatcher(object):
             if command_list_index is not None:
                 e.index = command_list_index
             return self.handle_response(e.get_mpd_ack(), add_ok=False)
+        except ActorDeadError as e:
+            logger.warning(u'Tried to communicate with dead actor.')
+            mpd_error = MpdSystemError(e.message)
+            return self.handle_response(mpd_error.get_mpd_ack(), add_ok=False)
         if request in (u'command_list_begin', u'command_list_ok_begin'):
             return None
         if command_list_index is not None:
diff --git a/mopidy/frontends/mpd/exceptions.py b/mopidy/frontends/mpd/exceptions.py
index faf4ce2f..df90aed7 100644
--- a/mopidy/frontends/mpd/exceptions.py
+++ b/mopidy/frontends/mpd/exceptions.py
@@ -54,6 +54,11 @@ class MpdNoExistError(MpdAckError):
         super(MpdNoExistError, self).__init__(*args, **kwargs)
         self.error_code = MpdAckError.ACK_ERROR_NO_EXIST
 
+class MpdSystemError(MpdAckError):
+    def __init__(self, *args, **kwargs):
+        super(MpdSystemError, self).__init__(*args, **kwargs)
+        self.error_code = MpdAckError.ACK_ERROR_SYSTEM
+
 class MpdNotImplemented(MpdAckError):
     def __init__(self, *args, **kwargs):
         super(MpdNotImplemented, self).__init__(*args, **kwargs)
diff --git a/mopidy/utils/process.py b/mopidy/utils/process.py
index dbc6cada..7f6cf664 100644
--- a/mopidy/utils/process.py
+++ b/mopidy/utils/process.py
@@ -4,6 +4,8 @@ import threading
 import gobject
 gobject.threads_init()
 
+from pykka import ActorDeadError
+
 from mopidy import SettingsError
 
 logger = logging.getLogger('mopidy.utils.process')
@@ -21,26 +23,19 @@ class BaseThread(threading.Thread):
             self.run_inside_try()
         except KeyboardInterrupt:
             logger.info(u'Interrupted by user')
-            self.exit(0, u'Interrupted by user')
         except SettingsError as e:
             logger.error(e.message)
-            self.exit(1, u'Settings error')
         except ImportError as e:
             logger.error(e)
-            self.exit(2, u'Import error')
+        except ActorDeadError as e:
+            logger.warning(e)
         except Exception as e:
             logger.exception(e)
-            self.exit(3, u'Unknown error')
+        logger.debug(u'%s: Exiting thread', self.name)
 
     def run_inside_try(self):
         raise NotImplementedError
 
-    def destroy(self):
-        pass
-
-    def exit(self, status=0, reason=None):
-        self.destroy()
-
 
 class GObjectEventThread(BaseThread):
     """
diff --git a/tests/frontends/mpd/exception_test.py b/tests/frontends/mpd/exception_test.py
index ef222d46..9b1b47a2 100644
--- a/tests/frontends/mpd/exception_test.py
+++ b/tests/frontends/mpd/exception_test.py
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import unittest
 
 from mopidy.frontends.mpd.exceptions import (MpdAckError, MpdUnknownCommand,
-    MpdNotImplemented)
+    MpdSystemError, MpdNotImplemented)
 
 class MpdExceptionsTest(unittest.TestCase):
     def test_key_error_wrapped_in_mpd_ack_error(self):
@@ -36,3 +36,10 @@ class MpdExceptionsTest(unittest.TestCase):
         except MpdAckError as e:
             self.assertEqual(e.get_mpd_ack(),
                 u'ACK [5@0] {} unknown command "play"')
+
+    def test_mpd_system_error(self):
+        try:
+            raise MpdSystemError('foo')
+        except MpdSystemError as e:
+            self.assertEqual(e.get_mpd_ack(),
+                u'ACK [52@0] {} foo')