diff --git a/src/main/java/dev/openfeature/sdk/EventSupport.java b/src/main/java/dev/openfeature/sdk/EventSupport.java
index 3a55f298d..7620c3f83 100644
--- a/src/main/java/dev/openfeature/sdk/EventSupport.java
+++ b/src/main/java/dev/openfeature/sdk/EventSupport.java
@@ -145,7 +145,11 @@ public void runHandler(Consumer<EventDetails> handler, EventDetails eventDetails
      * Stop the event handler task executor.
      */
     public void shutdown() {
-        taskExecutor.shutdown();
+        try {
+            taskExecutor.shutdown();
+        } catch (Exception e) {
+            log.warn("Exception while attempting to shutdown task executor", e);
+        }
     }
 
     // Handler store maintains a set of handlers for each event type.
diff --git a/src/main/java/dev/openfeature/sdk/OpenFeatureAPI.java b/src/main/java/dev/openfeature/sdk/OpenFeatureAPI.java
index 42ff4708c..c65b30fae 100644
--- a/src/main/java/dev/openfeature/sdk/OpenFeatureAPI.java
+++ b/src/main/java/dev/openfeature/sdk/OpenFeatureAPI.java
@@ -21,13 +21,15 @@
 public class OpenFeatureAPI implements EventBus<OpenFeatureAPI> {
     // package-private multi-read/single-write lock
     static AutoCloseableReentrantReadWriteLock lock = new AutoCloseableReentrantReadWriteLock();
-    private EvaluationContext evaluationContext;
     private final List<Hook> apiHooks;
-    private ProviderRepository providerRepository = new ProviderRepository();
-    private EventSupport eventSupport = new EventSupport();
+    private ProviderRepository providerRepository;
+    private EventSupport eventSupport;
+    private EvaluationContext evaluationContext;
 
     protected OpenFeatureAPI() {
         apiHooks = new ArrayList<>();
+        providerRepository = new ProviderRepository();
+        eventSupport = new EventSupport();
     }
 
     private static class SingletonHolder {
@@ -190,9 +192,19 @@ public void clearHooks() {
         }
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Shutdown and reset the current status of OpenFeature API.
+     * This call cleans up all active providers and attempt to shut down internal event handling mechanisms.
+     * Once shutdown is complete, API is reset and ready to use again.
+     * */
     public void shutdown() {
-        providerRepository.shutdown();
-        eventSupport.shutdown();
+        try (AutoCloseableLock __ = lock.writeLockAutoCloseable()) {
+            providerRepository.shutdown();
+            eventSupport.shutdown();
+
+            providerRepository = new ProviderRepository();
+            eventSupport = new EventSupport();
+        }
     }
 
     /**
@@ -264,15 +276,6 @@ void addHandler(String clientName, ProviderEvent event, Consumer<EventDetails> h
         }
     }
 
-    /**
-     * This method is only here for testing as otherwise all tests after the API
-     * shutdown test would fail.
-     */
-    final void reset() {
-        providerRepository = new ProviderRepository();
-        eventSupport = new EventSupport();
-    }
-
     /**
      * Runs the handlers associated with a particular provider.
      * 
diff --git a/src/test/java/dev/openfeature/sdk/ShutdownBehaviorSpecTest.java b/src/test/java/dev/openfeature/sdk/ShutdownBehaviorSpecTest.java
index e470819f7..8659ce783 100644
--- a/src/test/java/dev/openfeature/sdk/ShutdownBehaviorSpecTest.java
+++ b/src/test/java/dev/openfeature/sdk/ShutdownBehaviorSpecTest.java
@@ -109,9 +109,22 @@ void mustShutdownAllProvidersOnShuttingDownApi() {
                             verify(defaultProvider).shutdown();
                             verify(namedProvider).shutdown();
                         });
-
-                api.reset();
             }
         }
+
+
+        @Test
+        @DisplayName("once shutdown is complete, api must be ready to use again")
+        void apiIsReadyToUseAfterShutdown() {
+            final OpenFeatureAPI openFeatureAPI = OpenFeatureAPI.getInstance();
+
+            NoOpProvider p1 = new NoOpProvider();
+            openFeatureAPI.setProvider(p1);
+
+            openFeatureAPI.shutdown();
+
+            NoOpProvider p2 = new NoOpProvider();
+            openFeatureAPI.setProvider(p2);
+        }
     }
 }