diff --git a/ofagent/grpc_client.py b/ofagent/grpc_client.py
index efbc038..5b6b0a8 100644
--- a/ofagent/grpc_client.py
+++ b/ofagent/grpc_client.py
@@ -17,8 +17,10 @@
 """
 The gRPC client layer for the OpenFlow agent
 """
-from Queue import Queue
+from Queue import Queue, Empty
 
+from grpc import StatusCode
+from grpc._channel import _Rendezvous
 from structlog import get_logger
 from twisted.internet import reactor
 from twisted.internet import threads
@@ -39,18 +41,35 @@
         self.channel = channel
         self.logical_stub = VolthaLogicalLayerStub(channel)
 
+        self.stopped = False
+
         self.packet_out_queue = Queue()  # queue to send out PacketOut msgs
         self.packet_in_queue = DeferredQueue()  # queue to receive PacketIn
+
+    def start(self):
+        log.debug('starting')
         self.start_packet_out_stream()
         self.start_packet_in_stream()
         reactor.callLater(0, self.packet_in_forwarder_loop)
+        log.info('started')
+        return self
+
+    def stop(self):
+        log.debug('stopping')
+        self.stopped = True
+        log.info('stopped')
 
     def start_packet_out_stream(self):
 
         def packet_generator():
             while 1:
-                packet = self.packet_out_queue.get(block=True)
-                yield packet
+                try:
+                    packet = self.packet_out_queue.get(block=True, timeout=1.0)
+                except Empty:
+                    if self.stopped:
+                        return
+                else:
+                    yield packet
 
         def stream_packets_out():
             generator = packet_generator()
@@ -61,8 +80,11 @@
     def start_packet_in_stream(self):
 
         def receive_packet_in_stream():
-            for packet_in in self.logical_stub.ReceivePacketsIn(NullMessage()):
-                reactor.callFromThread(self.packet_in_queue.put, packet_in)
+            streaming_rpc_method = self.logical_stub.ReceivePacketsIn
+            iterator = streaming_rpc_method(NullMessage())
+            for packet_in in iterator:
+                reactor.callFromThread(self.packet_in_queue.put,
+                                       packet_in)
                 log.debug('enqued-packet-in',
                           packet_in=packet_in,
                           queue_len=len(self.packet_in_queue.pending))
@@ -76,6 +98,8 @@
             device_id = packet_in.id
             ofp_packet_in = packet_in.packet_in
             self.connection_manager.forward_packet_in(device_id, ofp_packet_in)
+            if self.stopped:
+                break
 
     def send_packet_out(self, device_id, packet_out):
         packet_out = PacketOut(id=device_id, packet_out=packet_out)