diff --git a/examples/mnist/spark/mnist_dist.py b/examples/mnist/spark/mnist_dist.py
index 031b2dc1..85dd51cf 100755
--- a/examples/mnist/spark/mnist_dist.py
+++ b/examples/mnist/spark/mnist_dist.py
@@ -9,16 +9,40 @@
 from __future__ import nested_scopes
 from __future__ import print_function
 
+from datetime import datetime
+import tensorflow as tf
+from tensorflowonspark import TFNode
+
 
 def print_log(worker_num, arg):
   print("{0}: {1}".format(worker_num, arg))
 
 
+class ExportHook(tf.train.SessionRunHook):
+  def __init__(self, export_dir, input_tensor, output_tensor):
+    self.export_dir = export_dir
+    self.input_tensor = input_tensor
+    self.output_tensor = output_tensor
+
+  def end(self, session):
+    print("{} ======= Exporting to: {}".format(datetime.now().isoformat(), self.export_dir))
+    signatures = {
+      tf.saved_model.signature_constants.DEFAULT_SERVING_SIGNATURE_DEF_KEY: {
+        'inputs': {'image': self.input_tensor},
+        'outputs': {'prediction': self.output_tensor},
+        'method_name': tf.saved_model.signature_constants.PREDICT_METHOD_NAME
+      }
+    }
+    TFNode.export_saved_model(session,
+                              self.export_dir,
+                              tf.saved_model.tag_constants.SERVING,
+                              signatures)
+    print("{} ======= Done exporting".format(datetime.now().isoformat()))
+
+
 def map_fun(args, ctx):
-  from datetime import datetime
   import math
   import numpy
-  import tensorflow as tf
   import time
 
   worker_num = ctx.worker_num
@@ -105,7 +129,6 @@ def feed_dict(batch):
 
     logdir = ctx.absolute_path(args.model)
     print("tensorflow model path: {0}".format(logdir))
-    hooks = [tf.train.StopAtStepHook(last_step=100000)]
 
     if job_name == "worker" and task_index == 0:
       summary_writer = tf.summary.FileWriter(logdir, graph=tf.get_default_graph())
@@ -115,11 +138,11 @@ def feed_dict(batch):
     with tf.train.MonitoredTrainingSession(master=server.target,
                                              is_chief=(task_index == 0),
                                              checkpoint_dir=logdir,
-                                             hooks=hooks) as mon_sess:
-
+                                             hooks=[tf.train.StopAtStepHook(last_step=args.steps)],
+                                             chief_only_hooks=[ExportHook(ctx.absolute_path(args.export_dir), x, prediction)]) as mon_sess:
       step = 0
       tf_feed = ctx.get_data_feed(args.mode == "train")
-      while not mon_sess.should_stop() and not tf_feed.should_stop() and step < args.steps:
+      while not mon_sess.should_stop() and not tf_feed.should_stop():
         # Run a training step asynchronously
         # See `tf.train.SyncReplicasOptimizer` for additional details on how to
         # perform *synchronous* training.
diff --git a/examples/mnist/spark/mnist_spark.py b/examples/mnist/spark/mnist_spark.py
index 4b7e119e..9c6a4415 100755
--- a/examples/mnist/spark/mnist_spark.py
+++ b/examples/mnist/spark/mnist_spark.py
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@
 parser = argparse.ArgumentParser()
 parser.add_argument("--batch_size", help="number of records per batch", type=int, default=100)
 parser.add_argument("--epochs", help="number of epochs", type=int, default=1)
+parser.add_argument("--export_dir", help="HDFS path to export saved_model", default="mnist_export")
 parser.add_argument("--format", help="example format: (csv|pickle|tfr)", choices=["csv", "pickle", "tfr"], default="csv")
 parser.add_argument("--images", help="HDFS path to MNIST images in parallelized format")
 parser.add_argument("--labels", help="HDFS path to MNIST labels in parallelized format")
@@ -71,6 +72,7 @@ def toNumpy(bytestr):
 else:
   labelRDD = cluster.inference(dataRDD)
   labelRDD.saveAsTextFile(args.output)
-cluster.shutdown()
+
+cluster.shutdown(grace_secs=30)
 
 print("{0} ===== Stop".format(datetime.now().isoformat()))
diff --git a/tensorflowonspark/TFCluster.py b/tensorflowonspark/TFCluster.py
index f21232c9..ffd0abbd 100644
--- a/tensorflowonspark/TFCluster.py
+++ b/tensorflowonspark/TFCluster.py
@@ -109,11 +109,12 @@ def inference(self, dataRDD, qname='input'):
     assert(qname in self.queues)
     return dataRDD.mapPartitions(TFSparkNode.inference(self.cluster_info, qname))
 
-  def shutdown(self, ssc=None):
+  def shutdown(self, ssc=None, grace_secs=0):
     """Stops the distributed TensorFlow cluster.
 
     Args:
       :ssc: *For Streaming applications only*. Spark StreamingContext
+      :grace_secs: Grace period to wait before terminating the Spark application, e.g. to allow the chief worker to perform any final/cleanup duties like exporting or evaluating the model.
     """
     logging.info("Stopping TensorFlow nodes")
 
@@ -146,12 +147,13 @@ def shutdown(self, ssc=None):
             count += 1
             time.sleep(5)
 
-      # shutdown queues and managers for "worker" executors.
-      # note: in SPARK mode, this job will immediately queue up behind the "data feeding" job.
-      # in TENSORFLOW mode, this will only run after all workers have finished.
-      workers = len(worker_list)
-      workerRDD = self.sc.parallelize(range(workers), workers)
-      workerRDD.foreachPartition(TFSparkNode.shutdown(self.cluster_info, self.queues))
+    # shutdown queues and managers for "worker" executors.
+    # note: in SPARK mode, this job will immediately queue up behind the "data feeding" job.
+    # in TENSORFLOW mode, this will only run after all workers have finished.
+    workers = len(worker_list)
+    workerRDD = self.sc.parallelize(range(workers), workers)
+    workerRDD.foreachPartition(TFSparkNode.shutdown(self.cluster_info, self.queues))
+    time.sleep(grace_secs)
 
     # exit Spark application w/ err status if TF job had any errors
     if 'error' in tf_status: