diff --git a/extras/kinesis-asl/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/streaming/kinesis/KinesisReceiver.scala b/extras/kinesis-asl/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/streaming/kinesis/KinesisReceiver.scala
index 800202e9fb..7dd8bfdc2a 100644
--- a/extras/kinesis-asl/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/streaming/kinesis/KinesisReceiver.scala
+++ b/extras/kinesis-asl/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/streaming/kinesis/KinesisReceiver.scala
@@ -18,6 +18,8 @@ package org.apache.spark.streaming.kinesis
 
 import java.util.UUID
 
+import scala.util.control.NonFatal
+
 import com.amazonaws.auth.{AWSCredentials, AWSCredentialsProvider, BasicAWSCredentials, DefaultAWSCredentialsProviderChain}
 import com.amazonaws.services.kinesis.clientlibrary.interfaces.{IRecordProcessor, IRecordProcessorFactory}
 import com.amazonaws.services.kinesis.clientlibrary.lib.worker.{InitialPositionInStream, KinesisClientLibConfiguration, Worker}
@@ -98,6 +100,9 @@ private[kinesis] class KinesisReceiver(
    */
   private var worker: Worker = null
 
+  /** Thread running the worker */
+  private var workerThread: Thread = null
+
   /**
    * This is called when the KinesisReceiver starts and must be non-blocking.
    * The KCL creates and manages the receiving/processing thread pool through Worker.run().
@@ -126,8 +131,19 @@ private[kinesis] class KinesisReceiver(
     }
 
     worker = new Worker(recordProcessorFactory, kinesisClientLibConfiguration)
-    worker.run()
-
+    workerThread = new Thread() {
+      override def run(): Unit = {
+        try {
+          worker.run()
+        } catch {
+          case NonFatal(e) =>
+            restart("Error running the KCL worker in Receiver", e)
+        }
+      }
+    }
+    workerThread.setName(s"Kinesis Receiver ${streamId}")
+    workerThread.setDaemon(true)
+    workerThread.start()
     logInfo(s"Started receiver with workerId $workerId")
   }
 
@@ -137,10 +153,14 @@ private[kinesis] class KinesisReceiver(
    * The KCL will do its best to drain and checkpoint any in-flight records upon shutdown.
    */
   override def onStop() {
-    if (worker != null) {
-      worker.shutdown()
+    if (workerThread != null) {
+      if (worker != null) {
+        worker.shutdown()
+        worker = null
+      }
+      workerThread.join()
+      workerThread = null
       logInfo(s"Stopped receiver for workerId $workerId")
-      worker = null
     }
     workerId = null
   }