diff --git a/opentelemetry-sdk/src/metrics/error.rs b/opentelemetry-sdk/src/metrics/error.rs
index cb8afcab0e..3227a95cd7 100644
--- a/opentelemetry-sdk/src/metrics/error.rs
+++ b/opentelemetry-sdk/src/metrics/error.rs
@@ -17,6 +17,12 @@ pub enum MetricError {
     /// Invalid configuration
     #[error("Config error {0}")]
     Config(String),
+    /// Shutdown already invoked
+    #[error("Shutdown already invoked")]
+    AlreadyShutdown,
+    /// Shutdown failed due to timeout exceeding
+    #[error("Shutdown failed due to timeout exceeding")]
+    ShutdownTimeout,
     /// Fail to export metrics
     #[error("Metrics exporter {0} failed with {name}", name = .0.exporter_name())]
     ExportErr(Box<dyn ExportError>),
@@ -27,6 +33,25 @@ pub enum MetricError {
     InvalidInstrumentConfiguration(&'static str),
 }
 
+impl PartialEq for MetricError {
+    fn eq(&self, other: &Self) -> bool {
+        match (self, other) {
+            (MetricError::Other(a), MetricError::Other(b)) => a == b,
+            (MetricError::Config(a), MetricError::Config(b)) => a == b,
+            (MetricError::AlreadyShutdown, MetricError::AlreadyShutdown) => true,
+            (MetricError::ShutdownTimeout, MetricError::ShutdownTimeout) => true,
+            (MetricError::ExportErr(a), MetricError::ExportErr(b)) => {
+                a.exporter_name() == b.exporter_name()
+            }
+            (
+                MetricError::InvalidInstrumentConfiguration(a),
+                MetricError::InvalidInstrumentConfiguration(b),
+            ) => a == b,
+            _ => false,
+        }
+    }
+}
+
 impl<T: ExportError> From<T> for MetricError {
     fn from(err: T) -> Self {
         MetricError::ExportErr(Box::new(err))
diff --git a/opentelemetry-sdk/src/metrics/meter_provider.rs b/opentelemetry-sdk/src/metrics/meter_provider.rs
index 011de1f41c..02145ce5d3 100644
--- a/opentelemetry-sdk/src/metrics/meter_provider.rs
+++ b/opentelemetry-sdk/src/metrics/meter_provider.rs
@@ -123,9 +123,7 @@ impl SdkMeterProviderInner {
             .shutdown_invoked
             .load(std::sync::atomic::Ordering::Relaxed)
         {
-            Err(MetricError::Other(
-                "Cannot perform flush as MeterProvider shutdown already invoked.".into(),
-            ))
+            Err(MetricError::AlreadyShutdown)
         } else {
             self.pipes.force_flush()
         }
@@ -137,9 +135,7 @@ impl SdkMeterProviderInner {
             .swap(true, std::sync::atomic::Ordering::SeqCst)
         {
             // If the previous value was true, shutdown was already invoked.
-            Err(MetricError::Other(
-                "MeterProvider shutdown already invoked.".into(),
-            ))
+            Err(MetricError::AlreadyShutdown)
         } else {
             self.pipes.shutdown()
         }
diff --git a/opentelemetry-sdk/src/metrics/periodic_reader.rs b/opentelemetry-sdk/src/metrics/periodic_reader.rs
index 43bfd0912e..327976c0a8 100644
--- a/opentelemetry-sdk/src/metrics/periodic_reader.rs
+++ b/opentelemetry-sdk/src/metrics/periodic_reader.rs
@@ -408,14 +408,19 @@ impl PeriodicReaderInner {
             .send(Message::Shutdown(response_tx))
             .map_err(|e| MetricError::Other(e.to_string()))?;
 
-        if let Ok(response) = response_rx.recv() {
-            if response {
-                Ok(())
-            } else {
+        // TODO: accept timeout from caller.
+        match response_rx.recv_timeout(Duration::from_secs(5)) {
+            Ok(response) => {
+                if response {
+                    Ok(())
+                } else {
+                    Err(MetricError::Other("Failed to shutdown".into()))
+                }
+            }
+            Err(mpsc::RecvTimeoutError::Timeout) => Err(MetricError::ShutdownTimeout),
+            Err(mpsc::RecvTimeoutError::Disconnected) => {
                 Err(MetricError::Other("Failed to shutdown".into()))
             }
-        } else {
-            Err(MetricError::Other("Failed to shutdown".into()))
         }
     }
 }
@@ -573,10 +578,12 @@ mod tests {
         // calling shutdown again should return Err
         let result = meter_provider.shutdown();
         assert!(result.is_err());
+        assert_eq!(result.unwrap_err(), MetricError::AlreadyShutdown);
 
         // calling shutdown again should return Err
         let result = meter_provider.shutdown();
         assert!(result.is_err());
+        assert_eq!(result.unwrap_err(), MetricError::AlreadyShutdown);
     }
 
     #[test]
@@ -598,6 +605,7 @@ mod tests {
         // calling force_flush after shutdown should return Err
         let result = meter_provider.force_flush();
         assert!(result.is_err());
+        assert_eq!(result.unwrap_err(), MetricError::AlreadyShutdown);
     }
 
     #[test]