diff --git a/pykafka/simpleconsumer.py b/pykafka/simpleconsumer.py
index 4443e342b..3993997d0 100644
--- a/pykafka/simpleconsumer.py
+++ b/pykafka/simpleconsumer.py
@@ -307,6 +307,8 @@ def consume(self, block=True):
             if self._messages_arrived.acquire(blocking=block, timeout=timeout):
                 # by passing through this semaphore, we know that at
                 # least one message is waiting in some queue.
+                if not self._running:
+                    raise ConsumerStoppedException()
                 message = None
                 while not message:
                     owned_partition = next(self.partition_cycle)