diff --git a/synchronicity/synchronizer.py b/synchronicity/synchronizer.py
index 8ea3aa1..133f5d5 100644
--- a/synchronicity/synchronizer.py
+++ b/synchronicity/synchronizer.py
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 import contextlib
 import functools
 import inspect
+import logging
 import platform
 import threading
 import typing
@@ -20,6 +21,9 @@
 from .exceptions import UserCodeException, unwrap_coro_exception, wrap_coro_exception
 from .interface import Interface
 
+logger = logging.getLogger("synchronicity")
+
+
 _BUILTIN_ASYNC_METHODS = {
     "__aiter__": "__iter__",
     "__aenter__": "__enter__",
@@ -136,13 +140,19 @@ def __init__(
 
         self.create_blocking(typing.Generic, "WrappedGeneric", __name__)
 
-        atexit.register(self._close_loop)
+        atexit.register(self._close_loop)  # shut down at container exit if we haven't already
 
     _PICKLE_ATTRS = [
         "_multiwrap_warning",
         "_async_leakage_warning",
     ]
 
+    def __enter__(self):
+        self._start_loop()
+
+    def __exit__(self, *args, **kwargs):
+        self._close_loop()
+
     def __getstate__(self):
         return dict([(attr, getattr(self, attr)) for attr in self._PICKLE_ATTRS])
 
@@ -155,6 +165,7 @@ def _start_loop(self):
             if self._loop and self._loop.is_running():
                 return self._loop
 
+            logger.debug("starting up synchronicity event loop")
             is_ready = threading.Event()
 
             def thread_inner():
@@ -182,9 +193,11 @@ def _close_loop(self):
         if self._thread is not None:
             if not self._loop.is_closed():
                 # This also serves the purpose of waking up an idle loop
+                logger.debug("start shutting down synchronicity event loop")
                 self._loop.call_soon_threadsafe(self._stopping.set)
             self._thread.join()
             self._thread = None
+            logger.debug("finished shutting down synchronicity event loop")
 
     def __del__(self):
         self._close_loop()
diff --git a/test/_shutdown.py b/test/_shutdown.py
index aaae0a6..fa7a879 100644
--- a/test/_shutdown.py
+++ b/test/_shutdown.py
@@ -1,6 +1,12 @@
 import asyncio
+import logging
+import sys
 
 from synchronicity import Synchronizer
+from synchronicity.synchronizer import logger
+
+logger.addHandler(logging.StreamHandler(sys.stdout))
+logger.setLevel(logging.DEBUG)
 
 
 async def run():
@@ -19,7 +25,9 @@ async def run():
 
 s = Synchronizer()
 
+print("calling wrapped func")
 try:
     s.create_blocking(run)()
 except KeyboardInterrupt:
     pass
+print("eof")
diff --git a/test/_shutdown_ctxmgr.py b/test/_shutdown_ctxmgr.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..fc1ae1f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/_shutdown_ctxmgr.py
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+import asyncio
+import logging
+import sys
+
+from synchronicity import Synchronizer
+from synchronicity.synchronizer import logger
+
+logger.addHandler(logging.StreamHandler(sys.stdout))
+logger.setLevel(logging.DEBUG)
+
+
+async def run():
+    try:
+        while True:
+            print("running")
+            await asyncio.sleep(0.3)
+    except asyncio.CancelledError:
+        print("cancelled")
+        raise
+    finally:
+        print("stopping")
+        await asyncio.sleep(0.1)
+        print("exiting")
+
+
+s = Synchronizer()
+wrapped_func = s.create_blocking(run)
+
+try:
+    with s:
+        print("calling wrapped func")
+        wrapped_func()
+except KeyboardInterrupt:
+    pass
+
+print("eof")
diff --git a/test/shutdown_test.py b/test/shutdown_test.py
index fadff2c..3b37dfd 100644
--- a/test/shutdown_test.py
+++ b/test/shutdown_test.py
@@ -4,6 +4,16 @@
 import sys
 
 
+def assert_prints(p: subprocess.Popen, *messages: str):
+    for msg in messages:
+        line = p.stdout.readline()
+        if not line:
+            print("STDERR")
+            print(p.stderr.read())
+            raise Exception("Unexpected empty line in output, see stderr:")
+        assert line == msg + "\n"
+
+
 def test_shutdown():
     # We run it in a separate process so we can simulate interrupting it
     fn = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(__file__), "_shutdown.py")
@@ -12,12 +22,58 @@ def test_shutdown():
         stdout=subprocess.PIPE,
         stderr=subprocess.PIPE,
         env={"PYTHONUNBUFFERED": "1"},
+        encoding="utf8",
+    )
+    assert_prints(
+        p,
+        "calling wrapped func",
+        "starting up synchronicity event loop",
+        *(["running"] * 3),  # wait for 3 "running" messages before siginting the process
     )
-    for i in range(3):  # this number doesn't matter, it's a while loop
-        assert p.stdout.readline() == b"running\n"
     p.send_signal(signal.SIGINT)
-    assert p.stdout.readline() == b"cancelled\n"
-    assert p.stdout.readline() == b"stopping\n"
-    assert p.stdout.readline() == b"exiting\n"
-    stderr_content = p.stderr.read()
-    assert b"Traceback" not in stderr_content
+    assert_prints(
+        p,
+        "eof",
+        "start shutting down synchronicity event loop",
+        "cancelled",
+        "stopping",
+        "exiting",
+        "finished shutting down synchronicity event loop",
+    )
+    out, err = p.communicate()
+    assert out == ""
+    assert err == ""
+    assert p.returncode == 0
+
+
+def test_shutdown_ctx_mgr():
+    # We run it in a separate process so we can simulate interrupting it
+    fn = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(__file__), "_shutdown_ctxmgr.py")
+    p = subprocess.Popen(
+        [sys.executable, fn],
+        stdout=subprocess.PIPE,
+        stderr=subprocess.PIPE,
+        env={"PYTHONUNBUFFERED": "1"},
+        encoding="utf8",
+    )
+    assert_prints(
+        p,
+        "starting up synchronicity event loop",  # start up loop explicitly
+        "calling wrapped func",
+        *(["running"] * 3),
+    )
+    p.send_signal(signal.SIGINT)
+
+    assert_prints(
+        p,
+        "start shutting down synchronicity event loop",
+        "cancelled",
+        "stopping",
+        "exiting",
+        "finished shutting down synchronicity event loop",  # shut down loop explicitly,
+        "eof",
+    )
+    out, err = p.communicate()
+    assert out == ""
+    assert err == ""
+    assert p.returncode == 0