diff --git a/echo_server.py b/echo_server.py
index 136c933..2ea4c2b 100644
--- a/echo_server.py
+++ b/echo_server.py
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ if __name__ == "__main__":
     pipe_io = EchoPipeIOServer('in', 'out')
     signal(SIGTERM, lambda a, b: pipe_io.stop())
     signal(SIGINT, lambda a, b: pipe_io.stop())
+    pipe_io.start()
     print('Running pipe IO server with named pipes:')
     print(f'Input:  {pipe_io.in_pipe}')
     print(f'Output: {pipe_io.out_pipe}')
-    pipe_io.run()
diff --git a/pipe_io_server/pipe_io_server.py b/pipe_io_server/pipe_io_server.py
index 1563484..de8d088 100644
--- a/pipe_io_server/pipe_io_server.py
+++ b/pipe_io_server/pipe_io_server.py
@@ -1,13 +1,15 @@
 from abc import ABC, abstractmethod
-from threading import Event
+from threading import Thread, Event
 
 from .pipe_reader_thread import PipeReaderThread
 from .pipe_writer_thread import PipeWriterThread
 from .pipe import Pipe
+from .terminate_process_on_failure import terminate_process_on_failure
 
 
-class PipeIOServer(ABC):
+class PipeIOServer(ABC, Thread):
     def __init__(self, in_pipe=None, out_pipe=None):
+        super().__init__()
         self._in_pipe, self._out_pipe = in_pipe, out_pipe
         self._create_pipes()
         self._stop_event = Event()
@@ -38,6 +40,7 @@ class PipeIOServer(ABC):
     def send(self, message):
         self._writer_thread.write(message)
 
+    @terminate_process_on_failure
     def run(self):
         for thread in self._io_threads:
             thread.start()
@@ -46,6 +49,8 @@ class PipeIOServer(ABC):
 
     def stop(self):
         self._stop_event.set()
+        if self.is_alive():
+            self.join()
 
     def _stop(self):
         for thread in self._io_threads:
diff --git a/tests.py b/tests.py
index 518adcf..16bd122 100644
--- a/tests.py
+++ b/tests.py
@@ -13,10 +13,6 @@ import pytest
 from echo_server import EchoPipeIOServer
 
 
-BLOCK_TIMEOUT = 1
-SHUTDOWN_FAILURE_MSG = 'PipeIOServer failed to shut down!'
-
-
 @pytest.fixture
 def io_pipes():
     with pipe_io_server() as pipe_io:
@@ -27,22 +23,18 @@ def io_pipes():
 @contextmanager
 def pipe_io_server(pipe_io_server_type=EchoPipeIOServer):
     pipe_io_server = build_pipe_io_server(pipe_io_server_type)
-    thread = Thread(target=pipe_io_server.run)
-    thread.start()
+    pipe_io_server.start()
     yield pipe_io_server
     pipe_io_server.stop()
-    thread.join(timeout=BLOCK_TIMEOUT)
-    if thread.is_alive():
-        raise RuntimeError(SHUTDOWN_FAILURE_MSG)
 
 
-def raise_if_thread_blocks(thread_target_function, unblock_function, timeout=BLOCK_TIMEOUT):
+def raise_if_thread_blocks(thread_target_function, unblock_function):
     thread = Thread(target=thread_target_function)
     thread.start()
     unblock_function()
-    thread.join(timeout=timeout)
+    thread.join(timeout=1)
     if thread.is_alive():
-        raise RuntimeError(SHUTDOWN_FAILURE_MSG)
+        raise RuntimeError('PipeIOServer failed to shut down!')
 
 
 def build_pipe_io_server(pipe_io_server_type=EchoPipeIOServer):