diff --git a/docs/api.rst b/docs/api.rst
index 5f91cd83..9c09b0ec 100644
--- a/docs/api.rst
+++ b/docs/api.rst
@@ -351,7 +351,7 @@ Router Class
 
 .. currentmodule:: mitogen.master
 
-.. class:: Router
+.. class:: Router (broker=None)
 
     Extend :py:class:`mitogen.core.Router` with functionality useful to
     masters, and child contexts who later become masters. Currently when this
@@ -365,6 +365,10 @@ Router Class
         domains, for example, manipulating infrastructure belonging to separate
         customers or projects.
 
+    :param mitogen.master.Broker broker:
+        :py:class:`Broker` instance to use. If not specified, a private
+        :py:class:`Broker` is created.
+
     .. data:: profiling
 
         When enabled, causes the broker thread and any subsequent broker and
@@ -828,7 +832,7 @@ Broker Class
 
 
 .. currentmodule:: mitogen.master
-.. class:: Broker
+.. class:: Broker (install_watcher=True)
 
     .. note::
 
@@ -838,6 +842,16 @@ Broker Class
         differing lifetimes. For example, a subscription service where
         non-payment results in termination for one customer.
 
+    :param bool install_watcher:
+        If ``True``, an additional thread is started to monitor the lifetime of
+        the main thread, triggering :py:meth:`shutdown` automatically in case
+        the user forgets to call it, or their code crashed.
+
+        You should not rely on this functionality in your program, it is only
+        intended as a fail-safe and to simplify the API for new users. In
+        particular, alternative Python implementations may not be able to
+        support watching the main thread.
+
     .. attribute:: shutdown_timeout = 5.0
 
         Seconds grace to allow :py:class:`streams <Stream>` to shutdown
diff --git a/mitogen/master.py b/mitogen/master.py
index ca676299..d74b9179 100644
--- a/mitogen/master.py
+++ b/mitogen/master.py
@@ -246,6 +246,18 @@ def scan_code_imports(co, LOAD_CONST=dis.opname.index('LOAD_CONST'),
                        co.co_consts[arg2] or ())
 
 
+def join_thread_async(target_thread, on_join):
+    """Start a thread that waits for another thread to shutdown, before
+    invoking `on_join()`. In CPython it seems possible to use this method to
+    ensure a non-main thread is signalled when the main thread has exitted,
+    using yet another thread as a proxy."""
+    def _watch():
+        target_thread.join()
+        on_join()
+    thread = threading.Thread(target=_watch)
+    thread.start()
+
+
 class SelectError(mitogen.core.Error):
     pass
 
@@ -791,6 +803,11 @@ class Stream(mitogen.core.Stream):
 class Broker(mitogen.core.Broker):
     shutdown_timeout = 5.0
 
+    def __init__(self, install_watcher=True):
+        if install_watcher:
+            join_thread_async(threading.currentThread(), self.shutdown)
+        super(Broker, self).__init__()
+
 
 class Context(mitogen.core.Context):
     via = None
@@ -914,12 +931,15 @@ class ChildIdAllocator(object):
 
 
 class Router(mitogen.core.Router):
+    broker_class = Broker
     debug = False
 
     profiling = False
 
-    def __init__(self, *args, **kwargs):
-        super(Router, self).__init__(*args, **kwargs)
+    def __init__(self, broker=None):
+        if broker is None:
+            broker = self.broker_class()
+        super(Router, self).__init__(broker)
         self.id_allocator = IdAllocator(self)
         self.responder = ModuleResponder(self)
         self.log_forwarder = LogForwarder(self)