diff --git a/zuul-core/src/main/java/com/netflix/zuul/FilterFileManager.java b/zuul-core/src/main/java/com/netflix/zuul/FilterFileManager.java
index a3afec33e8..25e912ad5d 100644
--- a/zuul-core/src/main/java/com/netflix/zuul/FilterFileManager.java
+++ b/zuul-core/src/main/java/com/netflix/zuul/FilterFileManager.java
@@ -112,6 +112,7 @@ public void run() {
                 }
             }
         };
+        poller.setDaemon(true);
         poller.start();
     }
 
diff --git a/zuul-netflix/src/main/java/com/netflix/zuul/scriptManager/ZuulFilterPoller.java b/zuul-netflix/src/main/java/com/netflix/zuul/scriptManager/ZuulFilterPoller.java
index 90d89117e5..64d13aada0 100644
--- a/zuul-netflix/src/main/java/com/netflix/zuul/scriptManager/ZuulFilterPoller.java
+++ b/zuul-netflix/src/main/java/com/netflix/zuul/scriptManager/ZuulFilterPoller.java
@@ -65,6 +65,7 @@ public static void start(ZuulFilterDAO dao) {
      */
     public ZuulFilterPoller(ZuulFilterDAO dao) {
         this.dao = dao;
+        checkerThread.setDaemon(true);
         checkerThread.start();
 
     }