diff --git a/coolamqp/handler.py b/coolamqp/handler.py
index 187f25cc9ea89fc0f81a2deb189db9c18b100a2c..f8236396d1fa264ec613a50fae6adce0ddc30f66 100644
--- a/coolamqp/handler.py
+++ b/coolamqp/handler.py
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ class ClusterHandlerThread(threading.Thread):
         threading.Thread.__init__(self)
 
         self.cluster = cluster
+        self.daemon = True      # if you don't explicitly wait for me, that means you don't need to
         self.is_terminating = False
         self.complete_remaining_upon_termination = False
         self.order_queue = collections.deque()    # queue for inbound orders