diff --git a/pympipool/external_interfaces/meta.py b/pympipool/external_interfaces/meta.py
index f90014da..8d294e54 100644
--- a/pympipool/external_interfaces/meta.py
+++ b/pympipool/external_interfaces/meta.py
@@ -132,9 +132,10 @@ def _executor_broker(
         except queue.Empty:
             sleep(sleep_interval)
         else:
-            if not _execute_task_dict(
-                task_dict=task_dict, meta_future_lst=meta_future_lst
-            ):
+            if _execute_task_dict(task_dict=task_dict, meta_future_lst=meta_future_lst):
+                future_queue.task_done()
+            else:
+                future_queue.task_done()
                 break
 
 
diff --git a/pympipool/shared_functions/external_interfaces.py b/pympipool/shared_functions/external_interfaces.py
index 3014ea2d..53055b1b 100644
--- a/pympipool/shared_functions/external_interfaces.py
+++ b/pympipool/shared_functions/external_interfaces.py
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ def cancel_items_in_queue(que):
             item = que.get_nowait()
             if isinstance(item, dict) and "future" in item.keys():
                 item["future"].cancel()
+                que.task_done()
         except queue.Empty:
             break
 
@@ -272,6 +273,7 @@ def _execute_parallel_tasks_loop(interface, future_queue):
         task_dict = future_queue.get()
         if "shutdown" in task_dict.keys() and task_dict["shutdown"]:
             interface.shutdown(wait=task_dict["wait"])
+            future_queue.task_done()
             break
         elif "fn" in task_dict.keys() and "future" in task_dict.keys():
             f = task_dict.pop("future")
@@ -279,10 +281,15 @@ def _execute_parallel_tasks_loop(interface, future_queue):
                 try:
                     f.set_result(interface.send_and_receive_dict(input_dict=task_dict))
                 except Exception as thread_exeception:
+                    interface.shutdown(wait=True)
+                    future_queue.task_done()
                     f.set_exception(exception=thread_exeception)
                     raise thread_exeception
+                else:
+                    future_queue.task_done()
         elif "fn" in task_dict.keys() and "init" in task_dict.keys():
             interface.send_dict(input_dict=task_dict)
+            future_queue.task_done()
 
 
 def _execute_serial_tasks_loop(
@@ -300,11 +307,13 @@ def _execute_serial_tasks_loop(
                     for k, v in done_dict.items():
                         if k in future_dict.keys() and not future_dict[k].cancelled():
                             future_dict.pop(k).set_result(v)
+                future_queue.task_done()
                 break
             elif "fn" in task_dict.keys() and "future" in task_dict.keys():
                 f = task_dict.pop("future")
                 future_hash = interface.send_and_receive_dict(input_dict=task_dict)
                 future_dict[future_hash] = f
+                future_queue.task_done()
         _update_future_dict(
             interface=interface, future_dict=future_dict, sleep_interval=sleep_interval
         )
diff --git a/tests/test_meta.py b/tests/test_meta.py
index 8f605e60..4836dc85 100644
--- a/tests/test_meta.py
+++ b/tests/test_meta.py
@@ -52,6 +52,7 @@ def test_executor_broker(self):
         _executor_broker(future_queue=q, max_workers=1)
         self.assertTrue(f.done())
         self.assertEqual(f.result(), 1)
+        q.join()
 
 
 class TestMetaExecutor(unittest.TestCase):
diff --git a/tests/test_multitask.py b/tests/test_multitask.py
index 536485a4..95b5d83b 100644
--- a/tests/test_multitask.py
+++ b/tests/test_multitask.py
@@ -53,6 +53,7 @@ def test_execute_task(self):
             enable_flux_backend=False
         )
         self.assertEqual(f.result(), np.array(4))
+        q.join()
 
     def test_pool_cancel(self):
         with PoolExecutor(max_workers=2, sleep_interval=0) as p:
@@ -85,6 +86,7 @@ def test_cancel_task(self):
         )
         self.assertTrue(fs1.done())
         self.assertTrue(fs1.cancelled())
+        q.join()
 
     def test_waiting(self):
         exe = PoolExecutor(max_workers=2)
diff --git a/tests/test_queue.py b/tests/test_queue.py
index 48af3266..bdd36acd 100644
--- a/tests/test_queue.py
+++ b/tests/test_queue.py
@@ -19,3 +19,4 @@ def test_cancel_items_in_queue(self):
         self.assertTrue(fs2.done())
         with self.assertRaises(CancelledError):
             self.assertTrue(fs2.result())
+        q.join()
diff --git a/tests/test_worker.py b/tests/test_worker.py
index b849300c..0fbe8ef5 100644
--- a/tests/test_worker.py
+++ b/tests/test_worker.py
@@ -88,7 +88,6 @@ def test_execute_task_failed_no_argument(self):
         f = Future()
         q = Queue()
         q.put({"fn": calc, 'args': (), "kwargs": {}, "future": f})
-        q.put({"shutdown": True, "wait": True})
         cloudpickle_register(ind=1)
         with self.assertRaises(TypeError):
             execute_parallel_tasks(
@@ -97,12 +96,12 @@ def test_execute_task_failed_no_argument(self):
                 oversubscribe=False,
                 enable_flux_backend=False
             )
+        q.join()
 
     def test_execute_task_failed_wrong_argument(self):
         f = Future()
         q = Queue()
         q.put({"fn": calc, 'args': (), "kwargs": {"j": 4}, "future": f})
-        q.put({"shutdown": True, "wait": True})
         cloudpickle_register(ind=1)
         with self.assertRaises(TypeError):
             execute_parallel_tasks(
@@ -111,6 +110,7 @@ def test_execute_task_failed_wrong_argument(self):
                 oversubscribe=False,
                 enable_flux_backend=False
             )
+        q.join()
 
     def test_execute_task(self):
         f = Future()
@@ -125,6 +125,7 @@ def test_execute_task(self):
             enable_flux_backend=False
         )
         self.assertEqual(f.result(), np.array(4))
+        q.join()
 
     def test_execute_task_parallel(self):
         f = Future()
@@ -139,3 +140,4 @@ def test_execute_task_parallel(self):
             enable_flux_backend=False
         )
         self.assertEqual(f.result(), [np.array(4), np.array(4)])
+        q.join()
diff --git a/tests/test_worker_memory.py b/tests/test_worker_memory.py
index 185d94e5..3780daa1 100644
--- a/tests/test_worker_memory.py
+++ b/tests/test_worker_memory.py
@@ -43,3 +43,4 @@ def test_execute_task(self):
             enable_flux_backend=False
         )
         self.assertEqual(f.result(), np.array([5]))
+        q.join()