diff --git a/cpp/include/ucxx/notifier.h b/cpp/include/ucxx/notifier.h
index b1a29a25..554271be 100644
--- a/cpp/include/ucxx/notifier.h
+++ b/cpp/include/ucxx/notifier.h
@@ -97,6 +97,13 @@ class Notifier {
    * it should stop and exit.
    */
   virtual void stopRequestNotifierThread() = 0;
+
+  /**
+   * @brief Returns whether the thread is running.
+   *
+   * @returns Whether the thread is running.
+   */
+  [[nodiscard]] virtual bool isRunning() const = 0;
 };
 
 }  // namespace ucxx
diff --git a/cpp/include/ucxx/worker_progress_thread.h b/cpp/include/ucxx/worker_progress_thread.h
index 70700cb0..19ce1012 100644
--- a/cpp/include/ucxx/worker_progress_thread.h
+++ b/cpp/include/ucxx/worker_progress_thread.h
@@ -162,6 +162,11 @@ class WorkerProgressThread {
    */
   [[nodiscard]] std::thread::id getId() const;
 
+  /**
+   * @brief Returns whether the thread is running.
+   *
+   * @returns Whether the thread is running.
+   */
   [[nodiscard]] bool isRunning() const;
 
   void stop();
diff --git a/cpp/python/include/ucxx/python/notifier.h b/cpp/python/include/ucxx/python/notifier.h
index 4f2d577c..2e72ebc8 100644
--- a/cpp/python/include/ucxx/python/notifier.h
+++ b/cpp/python/include/ucxx/python/notifier.h
@@ -139,6 +139,13 @@ class Notifier : public ::ucxx::Notifier {
    * that it should stop and exit.
    */
   void stopRequestNotifierThread() override;
+
+  /**
+   * @brief Returns whether the thread is running.
+   *
+   * @returns Whether the thread is running.
+   */
+  [[nodiscard]] bool isRunning() const override;
 };
 
 }  // namespace python
diff --git a/cpp/python/src/notifier.cpp b/cpp/python/src/notifier.cpp
index 0fd2d200..16a97b8c 100644
--- a/cpp/python/src/notifier.cpp
+++ b/cpp/python/src/notifier.cpp
@@ -122,6 +122,12 @@ void Notifier::stopRequestNotifierThread()
   _notifierThreadConditionVariable.notify_all();
 }
 
+bool Notifier::isRunning() const
+{
+  return _notifierThreadFutureStatusReady ||
+         _notifierThreadFutureStatusFinished == RequestNotifierThreadState::Running;
+}
+
 }  // namespace python
 
 }  // namespace ucxx
diff --git a/cpp/src/worker.cpp b/cpp/src/worker.cpp
index 614f5521..bc80d609 100644
--- a/cpp/src/worker.cpp
+++ b/cpp/src/worker.cpp
@@ -164,8 +164,18 @@ Worker::~Worker()
              _handle,
              canceled);
 
-  stopProgressThreadNoWarn();
-  if (_notifier) _notifier->stopRequestNotifierThread();
+  if (_progressThread.isRunning()) {
+    ucxx_warn(
+      "The progress thread should be explicitly stopped with `stopProgressThread()` to prevent "
+      "unintended effects, such as destructors being called from that thread.");
+    stopProgressThreadNoWarn();
+  }
+  if (_notifier && _notifier->isRunning()) {
+    ucxx_warn(
+      "The notifier thread should be explicitly stopped with `stopNotifierThread()` to prevent "
+      "unintended effects, such as destructors being called from that thread.");
+    _notifier->stopRequestNotifierThread();
+  }
 
   drainWorkerTagRecv();
 
diff --git a/cpp/tests/request.cpp b/cpp/tests/request.cpp
index 75ca48ec..c5dbd85c 100644
--- a/cpp/tests/request.cpp
+++ b/cpp/tests/request.cpp
@@ -89,6 +89,13 @@ class RequestTest : public ::testing::TestWithParam<
     _ep = _worker->createEndpointFromWorkerAddress(_worker->getAddress());
   }
 
+  void TearDown()
+  {
+    if (_progressMode == ProgressMode::ThreadPolling ||
+        _progressMode == ProgressMode::ThreadBlocking)
+      _worker->stopProgressThread();
+  }
+
   void allocate(const size_t numBuffers = 1, const bool allocateRecvBuffer = true)
   {
     _numBuffers = numBuffers;
diff --git a/cpp/tests/worker.cpp b/cpp/tests/worker.cpp
index 96d662b8..77667045 100644
--- a/cpp/tests/worker.cpp
+++ b/cpp/tests/worker.cpp
@@ -65,6 +65,13 @@ class WorkerProgressTest : public WorkerTest,
 
     _progressWorker = getProgressFunction(_worker, _progressMode);
   }
+
+  void TearDown()
+  {
+    if (_progressMode == ProgressMode::ThreadPolling ||
+        _progressMode == ProgressMode::ThreadBlocking)
+      _worker->stopProgressThread();
+  }
 };
 
 TEST_F(WorkerTest, HandleIsValid) { ASSERT_TRUE(_worker->getHandle() != nullptr); }