diff --git a/CHANGES.txt b/CHANGES.txt
index 58c62778cf..4abb2852c2 100644
--- a/CHANGES.txt
+++ b/CHANGES.txt
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
  * Upgrade NBHM lib (CASSANDRA-7128)
  * Optimize netty server (CASSANDRA-6861)
  * Fix repair hang when given CF does not exist (CASSANDRA-7189)
+ * Allow c* to be shutdown in an embedded mode (CASSANDRA-5635)
 Merged from 2.0:
  * Correctly delete scheduled range xfers (CASSANDRA-7143)
  * Make batchlog replica selection rack-aware (CASSANDRA-6551)
diff --git a/src/java/org/apache/cassandra/utils/memory/MemtableCleanerThread.java b/src/java/org/apache/cassandra/utils/memory/MemtableCleanerThread.java
index 9950e49764..5a90463530 100644
--- a/src/java/org/apache/cassandra/utils/memory/MemtableCleanerThread.java
+++ b/src/java/org/apache/cassandra/utils/memory/MemtableCleanerThread.java
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@ class MemtableCleanerThread<P extends MemtablePool> extends Thread
         super(pool.getClass().getSimpleName() + "Cleaner");
         this.pool = pool;
         this.cleaner = cleaner;
+        setDaemon(true);
     }
 
     boolean needsCleaning()