diff --git a/src/calibre/library/caches.py b/src/calibre/library/caches.py
index 0b5a922209..714579ec77 100644
--- a/src/calibre/library/caches.py
+++ b/src/calibre/library/caches.py
@@ -36,14 +36,14 @@ class MetadataBackup(Thread): # {{{
     def run(self):
         while self.keep_running:
             try:
-                id_ = self.db.dirtied_queue.get(True, 5)
+                id_ = self.db.dirtied_queue.get()
             except Empty:
                 continue
             except:
                 # Happens during interpreter shutdown
                 break
             if self.dump_func([id_]) is None:
-                # An exception occured in dump_func, retry once
+                # An exception occurred in dump_func, retry once
                 prints('Failed to backup metadata for id:', id_, 'once')
                 time.sleep(2)
                 if not self.dump_func([id_]):
@@ -84,9 +84,12 @@ class CoverCache(Thread): # {{{
     def run(self):
         while self.keep_running:
             try:
-                id_ = self.load_queue.get(True, 1)
+                id_ = self.load_queue.get()
             except Empty:
                 continue
+            except:
+                #Happens during interpreter shutdown
+                break
             try:
                 img = self._image_for_id(id_)
             except:
diff --git a/src/calibre/library/cli.py b/src/calibre/library/cli.py
index cd4e472807..6ff17b0781 100644
--- a/src/calibre/library/cli.py
+++ b/src/calibre/library/cli.py
@@ -32,8 +32,9 @@ def send_message(msg=''):
         t.conn.send('refreshdb:'+msg)
         t.conn.close()
 
-
-
+def write_dirtied(db):
+    prints('Backing up metadata')
+    db.dump_metadata()
 
 def get_parser(usage):
     parser = OptionParser(usage)
@@ -259,6 +260,7 @@ def do_add(db, paths, one_book_per_directory, recurse, add_duplicates):
                     print >>sys.stderr, '\t', title+':'
                     print >>sys.stderr, '\t\t ', path
 
+        write_dirtied(db)
         send_message()
     finally:
         sys.stdout = orig
@@ -299,6 +301,7 @@ def do_add_empty(db, title, authors, isbn):
     if isbn:
         mi.isbn = isbn
     db.import_book(mi, [])
+    write_dirtied()
     send_message()
 
 def command_add(args, dbpath):
@@ -452,6 +455,7 @@ def do_set_metadata(db, id, stream):
     db.set_metadata(id, mi)
     db.clean()
     do_show_metadata(db, id, False)
+    write_dirtied()
     send_message()
 
 def set_metadata_option_parser():
diff --git a/src/calibre/library/database2.py b/src/calibre/library/database2.py
index dc320eb011..bdaa643d83 100644
--- a/src/calibre/library/database2.py
+++ b/src/calibre/library/database2.py
@@ -557,7 +557,11 @@ class LibraryDatabase2(LibraryDatabase, SchemaUpgrade, CustomColumns):
     def metadata_for_field(self, key):
         return self.field_metadata[key]
 
-    def dump_metadata(self, book_ids, remove_from_dirtied=True, commit=True):
+    def dump_metadata(self, book_ids=None, remove_from_dirtied=True, commit=True):
+        'Write metadata for each record to an individual OPF file'
+        if book_ids is None:
+            book_ids = [x[0] for x in self.conn.get(
+                'SELECT book FROM metadata_dirtied', all=True)]
         for book_id in book_ids:
             if not self.data.has_id(book_id):
                 continue