diff --git a/python/src/main/resources/grpc/python/ipython_server.py b/python/src/main/resources/grpc/python/ipython_server.py
index 4b68efdf27..36e0a13099 100644
--- a/python/src/main/resources/grpc/python/ipython_server.py
+++ b/python/src/main/resources/grpc/python/ipython_server.py
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
 from __future__ import print_function
 
 import jupyter_client
+import os
 import sys
 import threading
 import time
@@ -25,8 +26,6 @@ import grpc
 import ipython_pb2
 import ipython_pb2_grpc
 
-_ONE_DAY_IN_SECONDS = 60 * 60 * 24
-
 is_py2 = sys.version[0] == '2'
 if is_py2:
     import Queue as queue
@@ -34,8 +33,6 @@ else:
     import queue as queue
 
 
-TIMEOUT = 60*60*24*365*100  # 100 years
-
 class IPython(ipython_pb2_grpc.IPythonServicer):
 
     def __init__(self, server):
@@ -73,13 +70,16 @@ class IPython(ipython_pb2_grpc.IPythonServicer):
         def execute_worker():
             reply = self._kc.execute_interactive(request.code,
                                             output_hook=_output_hook,
-                                            timeout=TIMEOUT)
+                                            timeout=None)
             payload_reply.append(reply)
 
         t = threading.Thread(name="ConsumerThread", target=execute_worker)
         t.start()
 
-        while t.is_alive():
+        # We want to ensure that the kernel is alive because in case of OOM or other errors
+        # Execution might be stuck there:
+        # https://github.com/jupyter/jupyter_client/blob/master/jupyter_client/blocking/client.py#L32
+        while t.is_alive() and self.isKernelAlive():
             while not stdout_queue.empty():
                 output = stdout_queue.get()
                 yield ipython_pb2.ExecuteResponse(status=ipython_pb2.SUCCESS,
@@ -96,6 +96,14 @@ class IPython(ipython_pb2_grpc.IPythonServicer):
                                                   type=ipython_pb2.IMAGE,
                                                   output=output)
 
+        # if kernel is not alive (should be same as thread is still alive), means that we face
+        # an unexpected issue.
+        if not self.isKernelAlive() or t.is_alive():
+            yield ipython_pb2.ExecuteResponse(status=ipython_pb2.ERROR,
+                                                type=ipython_pb2.TEXT,
+                                                output="Ipython kernel has been stopped. Please check logs. It might be because of an out of memory issue.")
+            return
+
         while not stdout_queue.empty():
             output = stdout_queue.get()
             yield ipython_pb2.ExecuteResponse(status=ipython_pb2.SUCCESS,
@@ -127,15 +135,21 @@ class IPython(ipython_pb2_grpc.IPythonServicer):
         return ipython_pb2.CancelResponse()
 
     def complete(self, request, context):
-        reply = self._kc.complete(request.code, request.cursor, reply=True, timeout=TIMEOUT)
+        reply = self._kc.complete(request.code, request.cursor, reply=True, timeout=None)
         return ipython_pb2.CompletionResponse(matches=reply['content']['matches'])
 
     def status(self, request, context):
         return ipython_pb2.StatusResponse(status = self._status)
 
+    def isKernelAlive(self):
+        return self._km.is_alive()
+
+    def terminate(self):
+        self._km.shutdown_kernel()
+
     def stop(self, request, context):
-        self._server.stop(0)
-        sys.exit(0)
+        self.terminate()
+        return ipython_pb2.StopResponse()
 
 
 def serve(port):
@@ -146,10 +160,16 @@ def serve(port):
     server.start()
     ipython.start()
     try:
-        while True:
-            time.sleep(_ONE_DAY_IN_SECONDS)
+        while ipython.isKernelAlive():
+            time.sleep(5)
     except KeyboardInterrupt:
-        server.stop(0)
+        print("interrupted")
+    finally:
+        print("shutdown")
+        # we let 2 sc for all request to be complete
+        server.stop(2)
+        ipython.terminate()
+        os._exit(0)
 
 if __name__ == '__main__':
     serve(sys.argv[1])