diff --git a/src/backend/blt.rs b/src/backend/blt.rs
index 4969ca7..7c44037 100644
--- a/src/backend/blt.rs
+++ b/src/backend/blt.rs
@@ -305,9 +305,6 @@ impl backend::Backend for Backend {
         terminal::print_xy(pos.x as i32, pos.y as i32, text);
     }
 
-    fn start_input_thread(&mut self, _event_sink: chan::Sender<Event>) {
-    }
-
     fn prepare_input(&mut self, event_sink: &chan::Sender<Event>, timeout: Duration) {
         // Wait for up to `timeout_ms`.
         let start = Instant::now();
diff --git a/src/backend/curses/n.rs b/src/backend/curses/n.rs
index da2908e..08effcf 100644
--- a/src/backend/curses/n.rs
+++ b/src/backend/curses/n.rs
@@ -15,6 +15,8 @@ use std::fs::File;
 use std::io;
 use std::io::{Write};
 use std::thread;
+use std::sync::Arc;
+use std::sync::atomic::{AtomicBool, Ordering};
 
 use libc;
 use chan;
@@ -262,13 +264,13 @@ impl backend::Backend for Backend {
         ncurses::has_colors()
     }
 
-    fn start_input_thread(&mut self, event_sink: chan::Sender<Event>) {
+    fn start_input_thread(&mut self, event_sink: chan::Sender<Event>, running: Arc<AtomicBool>) {
         let mut parser = InputParser::new(event_sink);
 
         // Start an input thread
         thread::spawn(move || {
             // TODO: use an atomic boolean to stop the thread on finish
-            loop {
+            while running.load(Ordering::Relaxed) {
                 parser.parse_next();
             }
         });
diff --git a/src/backend/curses/pan.rs b/src/backend/curses/pan.rs
index 98b2495..c4fea49 100644
--- a/src/backend/curses/pan.rs
+++ b/src/backend/curses/pan.rs
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ use vec::Vec2;
 use std::sync::Arc;
 use chan;
 use std::thread;
+use std::sync::atomic::{AtomicBool, Ordering};
 
 pub struct Backend {
     // Used
@@ -419,11 +420,11 @@ impl backend::Backend for Backend {
         self.window.mvaddstr(pos.y as i32, pos.x as i32, text);
     }
 
-    fn start_input_thread(&mut self, event_sink: chan::Sender<Event>) {
+    fn start_input_thread(&mut self, event_sink: chan::Sender<Event>, running: Arc<AtomicBool>) {
         let mut input_parser = InputParser::new(event_sink, Arc::clone(&self.window));
 
         thread::spawn(move || {
-            loop {
+            while running.load(Ordering::Relaxed) {
                 input_parser.parse_next();
             }
         });
diff --git a/src/backend/dummy.rs b/src/backend/dummy.rs
index ff45055..e22bb7f 100644
--- a/src/backend/dummy.rs
+++ b/src/backend/dummy.rs
@@ -32,9 +32,6 @@ impl backend::Backend for Backend {
         (1, 1).into()
     }
 
-    fn start_input_thread(&mut self, _event_sink: chan::Sender<event::Event>) {
-    }
-
     fn prepare_input(&mut self, event_sink: &chan::Sender<event::Event>, _timeout: Duration) {
         event_sink.send(event::Event::Exit)
     }
diff --git a/src/backend/mod.rs b/src/backend/mod.rs
index 818b885..356a9dc 100644
--- a/src/backend/mod.rs
+++ b/src/backend/mod.rs
@@ -15,6 +15,8 @@ use chan::Sender;
 use vec::Vec2;
 
 use std::time::Duration;
+use std::sync::Arc;
+use std::sync::atomic::AtomicBool;
 
 pub mod dummy;
 
@@ -32,7 +34,11 @@ pub trait Backend {
     fn finish(&mut self);
 
     /// Starts a thread to collect input and send it to the given channel.
-    fn start_input_thread(&mut self, event_sink: Sender<event::Event>);
+    fn start_input_thread(&mut self, event_sink: Sender<event::Event>, running: Arc<AtomicBool>) {
+        // Dummy implementation for some backends.
+        let _ = event_sink;
+        let _ = running;
+    }
 
     /// Prepares the backend to collect input.
     ///
diff --git a/src/backend/termion.rs b/src/backend/termion.rs
index 7a5aa7e..011c9e4 100644
--- a/src/backend/termion.rs
+++ b/src/backend/termion.rs
@@ -24,6 +24,8 @@ use std::io::{Stdout, Write};
 use std::thread;
 use theme;
 use vec::Vec2;
+use std::sync::Arc;
+use std::sync::atomic::{AtomicBool, Ordering};
 
 pub struct Backend {
     terminal: AlternateScreen<MouseTerminal<RawTerminal<Stdout>>>,
@@ -265,10 +267,10 @@ impl backend::Backend for Backend {
         );
     }
 
-    fn start_input_thread(&mut self, event_sink: chan::Sender<Event>) {
+    fn start_input_thread(&mut self, event_sink: chan::Sender<Event>, running: Arc<AtomicBool>) {
         let mut parser = InputParser::new(event_sink);
         thread::spawn(move || {
-            loop {
+            while running.load(Ordering::Relaxed) {
                 parser.parse_next();
             }
         });
diff --git a/src/cursive.rs b/src/cursive.rs
index b1a9c5f..4a3d30a 100644
--- a/src/cursive.rs
+++ b/src/cursive.rs
@@ -7,6 +7,8 @@ use std::any::Any;
 use std::collections::HashMap;
 use std::time::Duration;
 use std::path::Path;
+use std::sync::Arc;
+use std::sync::atomic::{AtomicBool, Ordering};
 use theme;
 use vec::Vec2;
 use view::{self, Finder, IntoBoxedView, Position, View};
@@ -42,6 +44,8 @@ pub struct Cursive {
 
     event_source: chan::Receiver<Event>,
     event_sink: chan::Sender<Event>,
+
+    input_running: Arc<AtomicBool>,
 }
 
 /// Describes one of the possible interruptions we should handle.
@@ -124,7 +128,9 @@ impl Cursive {
         let (cb_sink, cb_source) = chan::async();
         let (event_sink, event_source) = chan::async();
 
-        backend.start_input_thread(event_sink.clone());
+        let input_running = Arc::new(AtomicBool::new(true));
+
+        backend.start_input_thread(event_sink.clone(), input_running.clone());
 
         Cursive {
             fps: 0,
@@ -139,6 +145,7 @@ impl Cursive {
             cb_sink,
             event_source,
             event_sink,
+            input_running,
             backend: backend,
         }
     }
@@ -768,6 +775,7 @@ impl Cursive {
 
 impl Drop for Cursive {
     fn drop(&mut self) {
+        self.input_running.store(false, Ordering::Relaxed);
         self.backend.finish();
     }
 }