diff --git a/Lib/multiprocessing/managers.py b/Lib/multiprocessing/managers.py
index 514152298b097c..10eb1f3f164bc2 100644
--- a/Lib/multiprocessing/managers.py
+++ b/Lib/multiprocessing/managers.py
@@ -159,6 +159,11 @@ def __init__(self, registry, address, authkey, serializer):
         self.id_to_local_proxy_obj = {}
         self.mutex = threading.Lock()
 
+    def _track_parent(self):
+        if process.parent_process() is not None:
+            process.parent_process().join()
+            self.stop_event.set()
+
     def serve_forever(self):
         '''
         Run the server forever
@@ -169,6 +174,12 @@ def serve_forever(self):
             accepter = threading.Thread(target=self.accepter)
             accepter.daemon = True
             accepter.start()
+
+            if process.parent_process() is not None:
+                watcher = threading.Thread(target=self._track_parent)
+                watcher.daemon = True
+                watcher.start()
+
             try:
                 while not self.stop_event.is_set():
                     self.stop_event.wait(1)
diff --git a/Lib/test/_test_multiprocessing.py b/Lib/test/_test_multiprocessing.py
index 071b54a713e2d8..39d220458215b7 100644
--- a/Lib/test/_test_multiprocessing.py
+++ b/Lib/test/_test_multiprocessing.py
@@ -3824,6 +3824,45 @@ def test_shared_memory_SharedMemoryServer_ignores_sigint(self):
 
         smm.shutdown()
 
+    def test_shared_memory_SharedMemoryManager_cleanup_if_parent_dies(self):
+        # If a process that spawned a SharedMemoryManager was terminated, its
+        # manager process should notice it, unlink the resources the manager
+        # delivered, and shut down.
+        cmd = '''if 1:
+            import sys, time
+
+            from multiprocessing.managers import SharedMemoryManager
+
+
+            smm = SharedMemoryManager()
+            smm.start()
+            sl = smm.ShareableList([1, 2, 3])
+
+            sys.stdout.write(f'{sl.shm.name}\\n')
+            sys.stdout.flush()
+            time.sleep(100)
+        '''
+
+        p = subprocess.Popen([sys.executable, '-E', '-c', cmd],
+                             stdout=subprocess.PIPE, stderr=subprocess.PIPE)
+        shm_name = p.stdout.readline().decode().strip()
+        p.terminate()
+        start_time = time.monotonic()
+        deadline = start_time + 60
+        t = 0.1
+        while time.monotonic() < deadline:
+            time.sleep(t)
+            # The shared_memory segment should be released by the
+            # SharedMemoryManager server process before it shuts down.
+            try:
+                sl = shared_memory.SharedMemory(shm_name, create=False)
+            except FileNotFoundError:
+                break
+        else:
+            raise AssertionError(
+                "A SharedMemoryManager prevented some resources to be cleaned "
+                "up after its parent process was terminated")
+
     @unittest.skipIf(os.name != "posix", "resource_tracker is posix only")
     def test_shared_memory_SharedMemoryManager_reuses_resource_tracker(self):
         # bpo-36867: test that a SharedMemoryManager uses the
diff --git a/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Library/2019-05-20-20-56-20.bpo-36977.0Yf6-z.rst b/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Library/2019-05-20-20-56-20.bpo-36977.0Yf6-z.rst
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000000..25c1be27ab7982
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Library/2019-05-20-20-56-20.bpo-36977.0Yf6-z.rst
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+SharedMemoryManager server processes do not block anymore the release of shared memory segments if their parent process was unexpectedly terminated.
\ No newline at end of file