diff --git a/google-cloud-bigquerystorage/src/main/java/com/google/cloud/bigquery/storage/v1/ConnectionWorker.java b/google-cloud-bigquerystorage/src/main/java/com/google/cloud/bigquery/storage/v1/ConnectionWorker.java
index 4608dc942a..67b4bc7dc5 100644
--- a/google-cloud-bigquerystorage/src/main/java/com/google/cloud/bigquery/storage/v1/ConnectionWorker.java
+++ b/google-cloud-bigquerystorage/src/main/java/com/google/cloud/bigquery/storage/v1/ConnectionWorker.java
@@ -353,7 +353,8 @@ public void run() {
           } finally {
             lock.unlock();
           }
-          cleanupInflightRequests();
+          cleanupConnectionAndRequests(
+              /* avoidBlocking= */ true); // don't perform blocking operations while on user thread
         });
     this.appendThread.start();
   }
@@ -812,7 +813,10 @@ private void appendLoop() {
         this.streamConnection.send(originalRequestBuilder.build());
       }
     }
+    cleanupConnectionAndRequests(/* avoidBlocking= */ false);
+  }
 
+  private void cleanupConnectionAndRequests(boolean avoidBlocking) {
     log.info(
         "Cleanup starts. Stream: "
             + streamName
@@ -828,7 +832,9 @@ private void appendLoop() {
     // We can close the stream connection and handle the remaining inflight requests.
     if (streamConnection != null) {
       this.streamConnection.close();
-      waitForDoneCallback(3, TimeUnit.MINUTES);
+      if (!avoidBlocking) {
+        waitForDoneCallback(3, TimeUnit.MINUTES);
+      }
     }
 
     // At this point, there cannot be more callback. It is safe to clean up all inflight requests.
diff --git a/google-cloud-bigquerystorage/src/test/java/com/google/cloud/bigquery/storage/v1/ConnectionWorkerTest.java b/google-cloud-bigquerystorage/src/test/java/com/google/cloud/bigquery/storage/v1/ConnectionWorkerTest.java
index 71e4d47673..3dab071d0d 100644
--- a/google-cloud-bigquerystorage/src/test/java/com/google/cloud/bigquery/storage/v1/ConnectionWorkerTest.java
+++ b/google-cloud-bigquerystorage/src/test/java/com/google/cloud/bigquery/storage/v1/ConnectionWorkerTest.java
@@ -650,14 +650,15 @@ public void testThrowExceptionWhileWithinAppendLoop_MaxWaitTimeExceed() throws E
             null,
             client.getSettings(),
             retrySettings);
-    testBigQueryWrite.setResponseSleep(org.threeten.bp.Duration.ofSeconds(3));
+    org.threeten.bp.Duration durationSleep = org.threeten.bp.Duration.ofSeconds(2);
+    testBigQueryWrite.setResponseSleep(durationSleep);
 
-    long appendCount = 10;
+    long appendCount = 2;
     for (int i = 0; i < appendCount; i++) {
       testBigQueryWrite.addResponse(createAppendResponse(i));
     }
 
-    // In total insert 5 requests,
+    // In total insert 'appendCount' requests,
     List<ApiFuture<AppendRowsResponse>> futures = new ArrayList<>();
     for (int i = 0; i < appendCount; i++) {
       futures.add(
@@ -691,6 +692,18 @@ public void testThrowExceptionWhileWithinAppendLoop_MaxWaitTimeExceed() throws E
                         100)
                     .get());
     assertThat(ex.getCause()).hasMessageThat().contains("Request has waited in inflight queue");
+
+    // Verify we can shutdown normally within the expected time.
+    long startCloseTime = System.currentTimeMillis();
+    connectionWorker.close();
+    long timeDiff = System.currentTimeMillis() - startCloseTime;
+    assertTrue(
+        "timeDiff: "
+            + timeDiff
+            + " is more than total durationSleep: "
+            + (appendCount * durationSleep.toMillis()),
+        timeDiff <= (appendCount * durationSleep.toMillis()));
+    assertTrue(connectionWorker.isUserClosed());
   }
 
   @Test