diff --git a/kafka/cluster.py b/kafka/cluster.py
index 3f5e4ccf2..97eb5f237 100644
--- a/kafka/cluster.py
+++ b/kafka/cluster.py
@@ -522,8 +522,11 @@ def add_listener(self, listener):
         self._listeners.add(listener)
 
     def remove_listener(self, listener):
-        """Remove a previously added listener callback"""
-        self._listeners.remove(listener)
+        """Remove a previously added listener callback."""
+        try:
+            self._listeners.remove(listener)
+        except KeyError:
+            pass
 
     def add_coordinator(self, response, key_type, key):
         """Update with metadata for a group or txn coordinator
diff --git a/kafka/coordinator/base.py b/kafka/coordinator/base.py
index 1b5321c97..2b35b240f 100644
--- a/kafka/coordinator/base.py
+++ b/kafka/coordinator/base.py
@@ -907,17 +907,11 @@ def _close_heartbeat_thread(self, timeout_ms=None):
                 pass
             self._heartbeat_thread = None
 
-    def __del__(self):
-        try:
-            self._close_heartbeat_thread()
-        except (TypeError, AttributeError):
-            pass
-
     def close(self, timeout_ms=None):
         """Close the coordinator, leave the current group,
         and reset local generation / member_id"""
-        self._close_heartbeat_thread(timeout_ms=timeout_ms)
         if self.config['api_version'] >= (0, 9):
+            self._close_heartbeat_thread(timeout_ms=timeout_ms)
             self.maybe_leave_group(timeout_ms=timeout_ms)
 
     def is_dynamic_member(self):
diff --git a/kafka/coordinator/consumer.py b/kafka/coordinator/consumer.py
index 6592988c9..a7a1a6fbb 100644
--- a/kafka/coordinator/consumer.py
+++ b/kafka/coordinator/consumer.py
@@ -143,14 +143,6 @@ def __init__(self, client, subscription, **configs):
         self._cluster.request_update()
         self._cluster.add_listener(WeakMethod(self._handle_metadata_update))
 
-    def __del__(self):
-        if hasattr(self, '_cluster') and self._cluster:
-            try:
-                self._cluster.remove_listener(WeakMethod(self._handle_metadata_update))
-            except TypeError:
-                pass
-        super().__del__()
-
     def protocol_type(self):
         return ConsumerProtocolType
 
@@ -485,6 +477,7 @@ def close(self, autocommit=True, timeout_ms=None):
         try:
             if autocommit:
                 self._maybe_auto_commit_offsets_sync(timeout_ms=timeout_ms)
+            self._cluster.remove_listener(WeakMethod(self._handle_metadata_update))
         finally:
             super().close(timeout_ms=timeout_ms)