diff --git a/main.py b/main.py
index 81f16607a..bef1753a0 100755
--- a/main.py
+++ b/main.py
@@ -27,27 +27,15 @@ CONFIG = get_conf()
 api_wrapper = get_exchange_api(CONFIG)
 
 
-@synchronized
-def get_instance(recreate=False):
-    """
-    Get the current instance of this thread. This is a singleton.
-    :param recreate: Must be True if you want to start the instance
-    :return: TradeThread instance
-    """
-    global _instance, _should_stop
-    if recreate and not _instance.is_alive():
-        logger.debug('Creating TradeThread instance')
-        _should_stop = False
-        _instance = TradeThread()
-    return _instance
-
-
-def stop_instance():
-    global _should_stop
-    _should_stop = True
-
-
 class TradeThread(threading.Thread):
+    def __init__(self):
+        super().__init__()
+        self._should_stop = False
+
+    def stop(self):
+        """ stops the trader thread """
+        self._should_stop = True
+
     def run(self):
         """
         Threaded main function
@@ -56,7 +44,7 @@ class TradeThread(threading.Thread):
         try:
             TelegramHandler.send_msg('*Status:* `trader started`')
             logger.info('Trader started')
-            while not _should_stop:
+            while not self._should_stop:
                 try:
                     self._process()
                 except (ConnectionError, JSONDecodeError, ValueError) as error:
@@ -113,7 +101,20 @@ class TradeThread(threading.Thread):
 
 # Initial stopped TradeThread instance
 _instance = TradeThread()
-_should_stop = False
+
+@synchronized
+def get_instance(recreate=False):
+    """
+    Get the current instance of this thread. This is a singleton.
+    :param recreate: Must be True if you want to start the instance
+    :return: TradeThread instance
+    """
+    global _instance
+    if recreate and not _instance.is_alive():
+        logger.debug('Creating TradeThread instance')
+        _should_stop = False
+        _instance = TradeThread()
+    return _instance
 
 
 def close_trade_if_fulfilled(trade):
diff --git a/requirements.txt b/requirements.txt
index a15c0f3f2..934380d1c 100644
--- a/requirements.txt
+++ b/requirements.txt
@@ -1,14 +1,14 @@
 -e git+https://github.com/s4w3d0ff/python-poloniex.git#egg=Poloniex
 -e git+https://github.com/ericsomdahl/python-bittrex.git#egg=python-bittrex
-SQLAlchemy==1.1.9
+SQLAlchemy==1.1.13
 python-telegram-bot==7.0.1
 arrow==0.10.0
 requests==2.18.4
 urllib3==1.22
-wrapt==1.10.10
-pandas==0.20.1
-matplotlib==2.0.0
-PYQT5==5.8
-scikit-learn==0.18.1
-scipy==0.18.1
+wrapt==1.10.11
+pandas==0.20.3
+matplotlib==2.0.2
+PYQT5==5.9
+scikit-learn==0.19.0
+scipy==0.19.1
 stockstats==0.2.0
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/rpc/telegram.py b/rpc/telegram.py
index 815ff7c37..5ae680c2e 100644
--- a/rpc/telegram.py
+++ b/rpc/telegram.py
@@ -174,10 +174,10 @@ class TelegramHandler(object):
         :param update: message update
         :return: None
         """
-        from main import get_instance, stop_instance
+        from main import get_instance
         if get_instance().is_alive():
             TelegramHandler.send_msg('`Stopping trader ...`', bot=bot)
-            stop_instance()
+            get_instance().stop()
         else:
             TelegramHandler.send_msg('*Status:* `already stopped`', bot=bot)