diff --git a/src/runtime2/runtime.rs b/src/runtime2/runtime.rs
index fb8df772666e3c76b344d84977f4ceeeef71cf2e..2c68998ea2f78728e3938f6aee435a313405c14c 100644
--- a/src/runtime2/runtime.rs
+++ b/src/runtime2/runtime.rs
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ use std::thread;
 use std::collections::VecDeque;
 
 use crate::protocol::*;
-use crate::runtime2::poll::{PollingThreadBuilder, PollingThreadDestroyer};
+use crate::runtime2::poll::{PollingThread, PollingThreadHandle};
 use crate::runtime2::RtError;
 
 use super::communication::Message;
@@ -162,8 +162,7 @@ impl Drop for CompHandle {
 pub struct Runtime {
     pub(crate) inner: Arc<RuntimeInner>,
     scheduler_threads: Vec<thread::JoinHandle<()>>,
-    polling_destroyer: PollingThreadDestroyer,
-    polling_thread: Option<thread::JoinHandle<()>>,
+    polling_handle: PollingThreadHandle,
 }
 
 impl Runtime {
@@ -179,8 +178,8 @@ impl Runtime {
             work_condvar: Condvar::new(),
             active_elements: AtomicU32::new(1),
         });
-        let polling_builder = rt_error_try!(
-            PollingThreadBuilder::new(runtime_inner.clone(), debug_logging),
+        let (polling_handle, polling_clients) = rt_error_try!(
+            PollingThread::new(runtime_inner.clone(), debug_logging),
             "failed to build polling thread"
         );
 
@@ -188,7 +187,7 @@ impl Runtime {
 
         for thread_index in 0..num_threads {
             let mut scheduler = Scheduler::new(
-                runtime_inner.clone(), polling_builder.client(),
+                runtime_inner.clone(), polling_clients.client(),
                 thread_index, debug_logging
             );
             let thread_handle = thread::spawn(move || {
@@ -198,16 +197,10 @@ impl Runtime {
             scheduler_threads.push(thread_handle);
         }
 
-        let (mut poller, polling_destroyer) = polling_builder.into_thread();
-        let polling_thread = thread::spawn(move || {
-            poller.run();
-        });
-
         return Ok(Runtime{
             inner: runtime_inner,
             scheduler_threads,
-            polling_destroyer,
-            polling_thread: Some(polling_thread),
+            polling_handle,
         });
     }
 
@@ -234,8 +227,7 @@ impl Drop for Runtime {
             handle.join().expect("join scheduler thread");
         }
 
-        self.polling_destroyer.initiate_destruction();
-        self.polling_thread.take().unwrap().join().expect("join polling thread");
+        self.polling_handle.shutdown().expect("shutdown polling thread");
     }
 }