diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index c5a9ed6..9c23d8a 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,5 +1,11 @@
 # Changelog
 
+## 0.9.28 (2026-01-15)
+
+### Changes
+
+- Mark the background thread as deamon so that it won't block the process from exiting.
+
 ## 0.9.27 (2026-01-14)
 
 ### Changes
diff --git a/python/mujinwebstackclient/controllerwebclientraw.py b/python/mujinwebstackclient/controllerwebclientraw.py
index 0c720ba..83c6169 100644
--- a/python/mujinwebstackclient/controllerwebclientraw.py
+++ b/python/mujinwebstackclient/controllerwebclientraw.py
@@ -114,6 +114,7 @@ class BackgroundThread(object):
     def __init__(self):
         self._eventLoopReadyEvent = threading.Event()
         self._thread = threading.Thread(target=self._RunEventLoop)
+        self._thread.daemon = True # daemon thread; won't block the process from exiting
         self._thread.start()
         # block and wait for the signal to make sure the event loop is created and set in the _thread
         self._eventLoopReadyEvent.wait()
diff --git a/python/mujinwebstackclient/version.py b/python/mujinwebstackclient/version.py
index b008342..f3a742f 100644
--- a/python/mujinwebstackclient/version.py
+++ b/python/mujinwebstackclient/version.py
@@ -1,3 +1,3 @@
-__version__ = '0.9.27'
+__version__ = '0.9.28'
 
 # Do not forget to update CHANGELOG.md