diff --git a/backtracepython/client.py b/backtracepython/client.py
index 7d1b587..e034946 100644
--- a/backtracepython/client.py
+++ b/backtracepython/client.py
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import atexit
 import sys
 
 from backtracepython.attributes.attribute_manager import attribute_manager
@@ -89,6 +90,7 @@ def initialize(
     context_line_count=200,
     collect_source_code=True,
     disable_global_handler=False,
+    exit_timeout=4,
 ):
     globs.endpoint = construct_submission_url(endpoint, token)
     globs.debug_backtrace = debug_backtrace
@@ -102,6 +104,7 @@ def initialize(
             ignore_ssl_certificate,
             globs.debug_backtrace,
         ),
+        exit_timeout,
         (
             SourceCodeHandler(tab_width, context_line_count)
             if collect_source_code
@@ -113,6 +116,9 @@ def initialize(
         globs.next_except_hook = sys.excepthook
         sys.excepthook = bt_except_hook
 
+    if exit_timeout > 0:
+        atexit.register(finalize)
+
 
 def construct_submission_url(endpoint, token):
     if "submit.backtrace.io" in endpoint or token is None:
@@ -132,7 +138,8 @@ def construct_submission_url(endpoint, token):
 def finalize():
     if globs.handler is None:
         return
-    globs.handler.dispose()
+    globs.handler.finish()
+    globs.handler = None
 
 
 def send_last_exception(**kwargs):
diff --git a/backtracepython/report_queue.py b/backtracepython/report_queue.py
index a42048d..a29201a 100644
--- a/backtracepython/report_queue.py
+++ b/backtracepython/report_queue.py
@@ -8,9 +8,10 @@
 
 
 class ReportQueue:
-    def __init__(self, request_handler, source_code_handler=None):
+    def __init__(self, request_handler, exit_timeout, source_code_handler=None):
         self.request_handler = request_handler
         self.source_code_handler = source_code_handler
+        self.exit_timeout = exit_timeout
 
         # report submission tasks queue
         self.report_queue = queue.Queue()
@@ -41,12 +42,8 @@ def process(self, report, attachments):
             self.source_code_handler.collect(report)
         self.request_handler.send(report, attachments)
 
-    def __del__(self):
-        self.dispose()
-
-    def dispose(self):
+    def finish(self):
         # Put a sentinel value to stop the worker thread
-        self.active = False
         self.report_queue.put_nowait(None)
-        self.report_queue.join()
-        self.worker_thread.join()
+        self.worker_thread.join(timeout=self.exit_timeout)
+        self.active = False