diff --git a/python2/pyinotify.py b/python2/pyinotify.py
index 2dae002..1ea7e4b 100755
--- a/python2/pyinotify.py
+++ b/python2/pyinotify.py
@@ -69,6 +69,7 @@ def __init__(self, version):
 import re
 import asyncore
 import subprocess
+import weakref
 
 try:
     from functools import reduce
@@ -708,7 +709,7 @@ def __init__(self, wm, notifier):
         @type notifier: Notifier instance
         """
         self._watch_manager = wm  # watch manager
-        self._notifier = notifier  # notifier
+        self._notifier = weakref.ref(notifier)  # notifier
         self._mv_cookie = {}  # {cookie(int): (src_path(str), date), ...}
         self._mv = {}  # {src_path(str): (dst_path(str), date), ...}
 
@@ -766,7 +767,7 @@ def process_IN_CREATE(self, raw_event):
                                 # This path should not be taken.
                                 continue
                             rawevent = _RawEvent(created_dir_wd, flags, 0, name)
-                            self._notifier.append_event(rawevent)
+                            self._notifier().append_event(rawevent)
                     except OSError, err:
                         msg = "process_IN_CREATE, invalid directory %s: %s"
                         log.debug(msg % (created_dir, str(err)))
@@ -1191,6 +1192,9 @@ def __init__(self, watch_manager, default_proc_fun=None, read_freq=0,
         # set of str(raw_event), only used when coalesce option is True
         self._eventset = set()
 
+    def __del__(self):
+        self.stop()
+
     def append_event(self, event):
         """
         Append a raw event to the event queue.
diff --git a/python3/pyinotify.py b/python3/pyinotify.py
index df4034a..4814f6b 100755
--- a/python3/pyinotify.py
+++ b/python3/pyinotify.py
@@ -72,6 +72,7 @@ def __init__(self, version):
 import glob
 import locale
 import subprocess
+import weakref
 
 try:
     from functools import reduce
@@ -698,7 +699,7 @@ def __init__(self, wm, notifier):
         @type notifier: Notifier instance
         """
         self._watch_manager = wm  # watch manager
-        self._notifier = notifier  # notifier
+        self._notifier = weakref.ref(notifier)  # notifier
         self._mv_cookie = {}  # {cookie(int): (src_path(str), date), ...}
         self._mv = {}  # {src_path(str): (dst_path(str), date), ...}
 
@@ -756,7 +757,7 @@ def process_IN_CREATE(self, raw_event):
                                 # This path should not be taken.
                                 continue
                             rawevent = _RawEvent(created_dir_wd, flags, 0, name)
-                            self._notifier.append_event(rawevent)
+                            self._notifier().append_event(rawevent)
                     except OSError as err:
                         msg = "process_IN_CREATE, invalid directory: %s"
                         log.debug(msg % str(err))
@@ -1181,6 +1182,9 @@ def __init__(self, watch_manager, default_proc_fun=None, read_freq=0,
         # set of str(raw_event), only used when coalesce option is True
         self._eventset = set()
 
+    def __del__(self):
+        self.stop()
+
     def append_event(self, event):
         """
         Append a raw event to the event queue.