diff --git a/stub/src/main/java/io/grpc/stub/ClientCalls.java b/stub/src/main/java/io/grpc/stub/ClientCalls.java
index 0266cb7d9af..e8e29eddcc6 100644
--- a/stub/src/main/java/io/grpc/stub/ClientCalls.java
+++ b/stub/src/main/java/io/grpc/stub/ClientCalls.java
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@
 import java.util.concurrent.ExecutionException;
 import java.util.concurrent.Executor;
 import java.util.concurrent.Future;
+import java.util.concurrent.RejectedExecutionException;
 import java.util.concurrent.locks.LockSupport;
 import java.util.logging.Level;
 import java.util.logging.Logger;
@@ -161,6 +162,7 @@ public static <ReqT, RespT> RespT blockingUnaryCall(
       // Something very bad happened. All bets are off; it may be dangerous to wait for onClose().
       throw cancelThrow(call, e);
     } finally {
+      executor.shutdown();
       if (interrupt) {
         Thread.currentThread().interrupt();
       }
@@ -626,6 +628,9 @@ private Object waitForNext() {
               // Now wait for onClose() to be called, so interceptors can clean up
             }
           }
+          if (next == this || next instanceof StatusRuntimeException) {
+            threadless.shutdown();
+          }
           return next;
         }
       } finally {
@@ -712,7 +717,10 @@ private static final class ThreadlessExecutor extends ConcurrentLinkedQueue<Runn
       implements Executor {
     private static final Logger log = Logger.getLogger(ThreadlessExecutor.class.getName());
 
-    private volatile Thread waiter;
+    private static final Object SHUTDOWN = new Object(); // sentinel
+
+    // Set to the calling thread while it's parked, SHUTDOWN on RPC completion
+    private volatile Object waiter;
 
     // Non private to avoid synthetic class
     ThreadlessExecutor() {}
@@ -736,14 +744,29 @@ public void waitAndDrain() throws InterruptedException {
         }
       }
       do {
-        try {
-          runnable.run();
-        } catch (Throwable t) {
-          log.log(Level.WARNING, "Runnable threw exception", t);
-        }
+        runQuietly(runnable);
       } while ((runnable = poll()) != null);
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Called after final call to {@link #waitAndDrain()}, from same thread.
+     */
+    public void shutdown() {
+      waiter = SHUTDOWN;
+      Runnable runnable;
+      while ((runnable = poll()) != null) {
+        runQuietly(runnable);
+      }
+    }
+
+    private static void runQuietly(Runnable runnable) {
+      try {
+        runnable.run();
+      } catch (Throwable t) {
+        log.log(Level.WARNING, "Runnable threw exception", t);
+      }
+    }
+
     private static void throwIfInterrupted() throws InterruptedException {
       if (Thread.interrupted()) {
         throw new InterruptedException();
@@ -753,7 +776,12 @@ private static void throwIfInterrupted() throws InterruptedException {
     @Override
     public void execute(Runnable runnable) {
       add(runnable);
-      LockSupport.unpark(waiter); // no-op if null
+      Object waiter = this.waiter;
+      if (waiter != SHUTDOWN) {
+        LockSupport.unpark((Thread) waiter); // no-op if null
+      } else if (remove(runnable)) {
+        throw new RejectedExecutionException();
+      }
     }
   }