diff --git a/kafka/producer/base.py b/kafka/producer/base.py
index 5b41bc9d2..695f19533 100644
--- a/kafka/producer/base.py
+++ b/kafka/producer/base.py
@@ -127,6 +127,7 @@ def __init__(self, client, async=False,
         self.async = async
         self.req_acks = req_acks
         self.ack_timeout = ack_timeout
+        self.stopped = False
 
         if codec is None:
             codec = CODEC_NONE
@@ -212,3 +213,8 @@ def stop(self, timeout=1):
 
             if self.proc.is_alive():
                 self.proc.terminate()
+        self.stopped = True
+
+    def __del__(self):
+        if not self.stopped:
+            self.stop()
diff --git a/kafka/util.py b/kafka/util.py
index 14d2b2cc9..78c36074d 100644
--- a/kafka/util.py
+++ b/kafka/util.py
@@ -151,3 +151,6 @@ def stop(self):
         # noinspection PyAttributeOutsideInit
         self.timer = None
         self.fn = None
+
+    def __del__(self):
+        self.stop()