diff --git a/system_test/utils/kafka_system_test_utils.py b/system_test/utils/kafka_system_test_utils.py
index fb4a9c0..2965c75 100644
--- a/system_test/utils/kafka_system_test_utils.py
+++ b/system_test/utils/kafka_system_test_utils.py
@@ -1479,6 +1479,25 @@ def get_reelection_latency(systemTestEnv, testcaseEnv, leaderDict, leaderAttribu
 
 def stop_all_remote_running_processes(systemTestEnv, testcaseEnv):
 
+    # background producers need to be notified to stop specifically
+    testcaseEnv.lock.acquire()
+    testcaseEnv.userDefinedEnvVarDict["stopBackgroundProducer"] = True
+    time.sleep(1)
+    self.testcaseEnv.lock.release()
+    time.sleep(1)
+
+    # wait for producer thread's update of
+    # "backgroundProducerStopped" to be "True"
+    while 1:
+        self.testcaseEnv.lock.acquire()
+        self.logger.info("status of backgroundProducerStopped : [" + \
+            str(self.testcaseEnv.userDefinedEnvVarDict["backgroundProducerStopped"]) + "]", extra=self.d)
+        if self.testcaseEnv.userDefinedEnvVarDict["backgroundProducerStopped"]:
+            self.logger.info("all producer threads completed", extra=self.d)
+            break
+        self.testcaseEnv.lock.release()
+        time.sleep(2)
+
     entityConfigs = systemTestEnv.clusterEntityConfigDictList
 
     for hostname, producerPPid in testcaseEnv.producerHostParentPidDict.items():