diff --git a/opentelemetry-sdk/src/metrics/periodic_reader.rs b/opentelemetry-sdk/src/metrics/periodic_reader.rs
index 2cee6c4d0d..dbe19351f4 100644
--- a/opentelemetry-sdk/src/metrics/periodic_reader.rs
+++ b/opentelemetry-sdk/src/metrics/periodic_reader.rs
@@ -160,6 +160,7 @@ impl PeriodicReader {
                 message_sender: Arc::new(message_sender),
                 producer: Mutex::new(None),
                 exporter: exporter_arc.clone(),
+                handle: Mutex::new(None),
             }),
         };
         let cloned_reader = reader.clone();
@@ -211,20 +212,19 @@ impl PeriodicReader {
                                 remaining_interval = Duration::ZERO;
                             }
                         }
-                        Ok(Message::Shutdown(response_sender)) => {
+                        Ok(Message::Shutdown) => {
                             // Perform final export and break out of loop and exit the thread
                             otel_debug!(name: "PeriodReaderThreadExportingDueToShutdown");
                             let export_result = cloned_reader.collect_and_export(timeout);
+                            otel_debug!(
+                                name: "PeriodReaderInvokedExporterExport",
+                                export_result = format!("{:?}", export_result)
+                            );
                             let shutdown_result = exporter_arc.shutdown();
                             otel_debug!(
                                 name: "PeriodReaderInvokedExporterShutdown",
                                 shutdown_result = format!("{:?}", shutdown_result)
                             );
-                            if export_result.is_err() || shutdown_result.is_err() {
-                                response_sender.send(false).unwrap();
-                            } else {
-                                response_sender.send(true).unwrap();
-                            }
 
                             otel_debug!(
                                 name: "PeriodReaderThreadExiting",
@@ -280,12 +280,19 @@ impl PeriodicReader {
 
         // TODO: Should we fail-fast here and bubble up the error to user?
         #[allow(unused_variables)]
-        if let Err(e) = result_thread_creation {
-            otel_error!(
-                name: "PeriodReaderThreadStartError",
-                message = "Failed to start PeriodicReader thread. Metrics will not be exported.",
-                error = format!("{:?}", e)
-            );
+        match result_thread_creation {
+            Ok(handle) => {
+                // store the handle to the thread in the inner
+                // so that it can be joined on shutdown.
+                reader.inner.handle.lock().unwrap().replace(handle);
+            }
+            Err(e) => {
+                otel_error!(
+                    name: "PeriodReaderThreadStartError",
+                    message = "Failed to start PeriodicReader thread. Metrics will not be exported.",
+                    error = format!("{:?}", e)
+                );
+            }
         }
         reader
     }
@@ -305,6 +312,7 @@ struct PeriodicReaderInner {
     exporter: Arc<dyn PushMetricExporter>,
     message_sender: Arc<mpsc::Sender<Message>>,
     producer: Mutex<Option<Weak<dyn SdkProducer>>>,
+    handle: Mutex<Option<thread::JoinHandle<()>>>,
 }
 
 impl PeriodicReaderInner {
@@ -409,20 +417,35 @@ impl PeriodicReaderInner {
     }
 
     fn shutdown(&self) -> MetricResult<()> {
-        // TODO: See if this is better to be created upfront.
-        let (response_tx, response_rx) = mpsc::channel();
+        // Attempt to send a shutdown message to the background thread.
         self.message_sender
-            .send(Message::Shutdown(response_tx))
-            .map_err(|e| MetricError::Other(e.to_string()))?;
-
-        if let Ok(response) = response_rx.recv() {
-            if response {
-                Ok(())
-            } else {
-                Err(MetricError::Other("Failed to shutdown".into()))
+            .send(Message::Shutdown)
+            .map_err(|e| MetricError::Other(format!("Failed to send shutdown message: {}", e)))?;
+    
+        // Acquire the lock to access the thread handle.
+        let mut handle_guard = self.handle.lock().map_err(|_| {
+            MetricError::Other("Failed to acquire lock on thread handle".into())
+        })?;
+    
+        // If the handle exists, attempt to join the thread.
+        if let Some(thread_handle) = handle_guard.take() {
+            match thread_handle.join() {
+                Ok(_) => {
+                    otel_info!(name: "PeriodReaderThreadJoined");
+                    Ok(())
+                }
+                Err(e) => {
+                    otel_error!(
+                        name: "PeriodReaderThreadJoinError",
+                        error = format!("Thread join error: {:?}", e)
+                    );
+                    Err(MetricError::Other("Failed to join thread".into()))
+                }
             }
         } else {
-            Err(MetricError::Other("Failed to shutdown".into()))
+            // Handle the case where no thread handle is present.
+            otel_error!(name: "PeriodReaderThreadHandleMissing");
+            Err(MetricError::Other("Thread handle not found".into()))
         }
     }
 }
@@ -430,7 +453,7 @@ impl PeriodicReaderInner {
 #[derive(Debug)]
 enum Message {
     Flush(Sender<bool>),
-    Shutdown(Sender<bool>),
+    Shutdown,
 }
 
 impl MetricReader for PeriodicReader {