diff --git a/examples/bdev/bdevperf/bdevperf.c b/examples/bdev/bdevperf/bdevperf.c
index 0fa342f8d..7697a313c 100644
--- a/examples/bdev/bdevperf/bdevperf.c
+++ b/examples/bdev/bdevperf/bdevperf.c
@@ -370,6 +370,12 @@ bdevperf_job_free(struct bdevperf_job *job)
 	free(job);
 }
 
+static void
+job_thread_exit(void *ctx)
+{
+	spdk_thread_exit(spdk_get_thread());
+}
+
 static void
 bdevperf_test_done(void *ctx)
 {
@@ -407,6 +413,8 @@ bdevperf_test_done(void *ctx)
 
 		performance_dump_job(&g_stats, job);
 
+		spdk_thread_send_msg(job->thread, job_thread_exit, NULL);
+
 		TAILQ_FOREACH_SAFE(task, &job->task_list, link, ttmp) {
 			TAILQ_REMOVE(&job->task_list, task, link);
 			spdk_free(task->buf);