diff --git a/src/python/grpcio/grpc/_channel.py b/src/python/grpcio/grpc/_channel.py
index 7c55c2fd7e8..f5c6656823a 100644
--- a/src/python/grpcio/grpc/_channel.py
+++ b/src/python/grpcio/grpc/_channel.py
@@ -1240,6 +1240,7 @@ def _spawn_delivery(state, callbacks):
                                                      state.connectivity,
                                                      callbacks,
                                                  ))
+    delivering_thread.setDaemon(True)
     delivering_thread.start()
     state.delivering = True