diff --git a/flagsmith/polling_manager.py b/flagsmith/polling_manager.py
index b152e68..7462f52 100644
--- a/flagsmith/polling_manager.py
+++ b/flagsmith/polling_manager.py
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@
 
 import logging
 import threading
-import time
 import typing
 
 if typing.TYPE_CHECKING:
@@ -26,8 +25,11 @@ def __init__(
 
     def run(self) -> None:
         while not self._stop_event.is_set():
-            self.main.update_environment()
-            time.sleep(self.refresh_interval_seconds)
+            try:
+                self.main.update_environment()
+            except Exception:
+                logger.exception("Error updating environment")
+            self._stop_event.wait(self.refresh_interval_seconds)
 
     def stop(self) -> None:
         self._stop_event.set()
diff --git a/flagsmith/streaming_manager.py b/flagsmith/streaming_manager.py
index c4f2c6c..dc402d0 100644
--- a/flagsmith/streaming_manager.py
+++ b/flagsmith/streaming_manager.py
@@ -40,8 +40,9 @@ def run(self) -> None:
                     for event in sse_client.events():
                         self.on_event(map_sse_event_to_stream_event(event))
 
-            except (requests.RequestException, ValueError, TypeError):
+            except Exception:
                 logger.exception("Error opening or reading from the event stream")
+                self._stop_event.wait(1)
 
     def stop(self) -> None:
         self._stop_event.set()
diff --git a/tests/conftest.py b/tests/conftest.py
index 4631958..1858d8c 100644
--- a/tests/conftest.py
+++ b/tests/conftest.py
@@ -41,10 +41,14 @@ def tracking_init(self: Flagsmith, *args: typing.Any, **kwargs: typing.Any) -> N
     monkeypatch.setattr(Flagsmith, "__init__", tracking_init)
     yield
     for flagsmith in instances:
-        if getattr(flagsmith, "environment_data_polling_manager_thread", None):
-            flagsmith.environment_data_polling_manager_thread.stop()
-        if getattr(flagsmith, "event_stream_thread", None):
-            flagsmith.event_stream_thread.stop()
+        if polling := getattr(
+            flagsmith, "environment_data_polling_manager_thread", None
+        ):
+            polling.stop()
+            polling.join(timeout=5)
+        if stream := getattr(flagsmith, "event_stream_thread", None):
+            stream.stop()
+            stream.join(timeout=5)
         if flagsmith._event_processor:
             flagsmith._event_processor.stop()
 
diff --git a/tests/test_flagsmith.py b/tests/test_flagsmith.py
index 95c9605..ce63dbf 100644
--- a/tests/test_flagsmith.py
+++ b/tests/test_flagsmith.py
@@ -795,8 +795,14 @@ def test_stream_not_used_by_default(
 
 
 def test_stream_used_when_enable_realtime_updates_is_true(
-    requests_session_response_ok: None, server_api_key: str
+    requests_session_response_ok: None, server_api_key: str, mocker: MockerFixture
 ) -> None:
+    # Given
+    mocker.patch(
+        "flagsmith.streaming_manager.requests.get",
+        side_effect=requests.exceptions.ReadTimeout(),
+    )
+
     # When
     flagsmith = Flagsmith(
         environment_key=server_api_key,