diff --git a/lib/gnat.ex b/lib/gnat.ex
index 3b296a7..0a5147d 100644
--- a/lib/gnat.ex
+++ b/lib/gnat.ex
@@ -424,6 +424,12 @@ defmodule Gnat do
   def handle_info({:tcp_error, _, reason}, state) do
     {:stop, "tcp transport error #{inspect(reason)}", state}
   end
+  def handle_info({:DOWN, _ref, :process, pid, _reason}, state) do
+    {sid, _receiver} = Enum.find(state.receivers, fn {_sid, receiver} -> receiver.recipient == pid end)
+    state = unsub_sid(sid, [], state)
+
+    {:noreply, state}
+  end
   def handle_info(other, state) do
     Logger.error "#{__MODULE__} received unexpected message: #{inspect other}"
     {:noreply, state}
@@ -437,7 +443,8 @@ defmodule Gnat do
   def handle_call({:sub, receiver, topic, opts}, _from, %{next_sid: sid}=state) do
     sub = Command.build(:sub, topic, sid, opts)
     :ok = socket_write(state, sub)
-    next_state = add_subscription_to_state(state, sid, receiver) |> Map.put(:next_sid, sid + 1)
+    ref = Process.monitor(receiver)
+    next_state = add_subscription_to_state(state, sid, receiver, ref) |> Map.put(:next_sid, sid + 1)
     {:reply, {:ok, sid}, next_state}
   end
   def handle_call({:pub, topic, message, opts}, from, state) do
@@ -471,15 +478,9 @@ defmodule Gnat do
       {:reply, :ok, state}
     end
   end
-  def handle_call({:unsub, sid, opts}, _from, %{receivers: receivers}=state) do
-    case Map.has_key?(receivers, sid) do
-      false -> {:reply, :ok, state}
-      true ->
-        command = Command.build(:unsub, sid, opts)
-        :ok = socket_write(state, command)
-        state = cleanup_subscription_from_state(state, sid, opts)
-        {:reply, :ok, state}
-    end
+  def handle_call({:unsub, sid, opts}, _from, state) do
+    state = unsub_sid(sid, opts, state)
+    {:reply, :ok, state}
   end
   def handle_call({:ping, pinger}, _from, state) do
     :ok = socket_write(state, "PING\r\n")
@@ -493,12 +494,25 @@ defmodule Gnat do
     {:reply, state.server_info, state}
   end
 
+  defp unsub_sid(sid, opts, state) do
+    case Map.get(state.receivers, sid) do
+      nil ->
+        state
+    %{monitor_ref: ref} ->
+      command = Command.build(:unsub, sid, opts)
+      :ok = socket_write(state, command)
+      Process.demonitor(ref)
+      state = cleanup_subscription_from_state(state, sid, opts)
+      state
+    end
+  end
+
   defp create_request_subscription(%{request_inbox_prefix: request_inbox_prefix}=state) do
     # Example: "_INBOX.Jhf7AcTGP3x4dAV9.*"
     wildcard_inbox_topic = request_inbox_prefix <> "*"
     sub = Command.build(:sub, wildcard_inbox_topic, @request_sid, [])
     :ok = socket_write(state, [sub])
-    add_subscription_to_state(state, @request_sid, self())
+    add_subscription_to_state(state, @request_sid, self(), nil)
   end
 
   defp make_new_inbox(%{request_inbox_prefix: prefix}), do: prefix <> nuid()
@@ -522,8 +536,8 @@ defmodule Gnat do
   end
   defp socket_write(%{socket: socket}, iodata), do: :gen_tcp.send(socket, iodata)
 
-  defp add_subscription_to_state(%{receivers: receivers}=state, sid, pid) do
-    receivers = Map.put(receivers, sid, %{recipient: pid, unsub_after: :infinity})
+  defp add_subscription_to_state(%{receivers: receivers}=state, sid, pid, ref) do
+    receivers = Map.put(receivers, sid, %{recipient: pid, monitor_ref: ref, unsub_after: :infinity})
     %{state | receivers: receivers}
   end
 
diff --git a/test/gnat_test.exs b/test/gnat_test.exs
index 00242d2..e287d18 100644
--- a/test/gnat_test.exs
+++ b/test/gnat_test.exs
@@ -188,6 +188,33 @@ defmodule GnatTest do
     end
   end
 
+  test "subscription is cleaned up when the subscribing process dies" do
+    topic = "testcleanup"
+    test_pid = self()
+    {:ok, pid} = Gnat.start_link()
+
+    # one subscription created at boot
+    assert {:ok, 1} = Gnat.active_subscriptions(pid)
+
+    %Task{pid: task_pid}=  Task.async(fn ->
+      Gnat.sub(pid, self(), topic)
+      assert {:ok, 2} = Gnat.active_subscriptions(pid)
+      send(test_pid, "subscribed")
+
+      receive do
+        :done -> :ok
+      end
+    end)
+
+    assert_receive "subscribed", 1_000
+    Gnat.server_info(pid)
+    Process.monitor(task_pid)
+    send(task_pid, :done)
+    assert_receive {:DOWN, _ref, :process, ^task_pid, _reason}, 1_000
+
+    assert {:ok, 1} = Gnat.active_subscriptions(pid)
+  end
+
   test "request-reply convenience function" do
     topic = "req-resp"
     {:ok, pid} = Gnat.start_link()