diff --git a/core/testcontainers/core/container.py b/core/testcontainers/core/container.py
index f0da90bb4..e43d76179 100644
--- a/core/testcontainers/core/container.py
+++ b/core/testcontainers/core/container.py
@@ -1,7 +1,12 @@
+from atexit import register
+from contextlib import suppress
 from platform import system
+from signal import SIGINT, SIGTERM, signal
 from socket import socket
 from typing import TYPE_CHECKING, Optional
 
+from docker.errors import NotFound
+
 from testcontainers.core.config import RYUK_DISABLED, RYUK_DOCKER_SOCKET, RYUK_IMAGE, RYUK_PRIVILEGED
 from testcontainers.core.docker_client import DockerClient
 from testcontainers.core.exceptions import ContainerStartException
@@ -39,7 +44,7 @@ def __init__(
         self.volumes = {}
         self.image = image
         self._docker = DockerClient(**(docker_client_kw or {}))
-        self._container = None
+        self._container: Optional[Container] = None
         self._command = None
         self._name = None
         self._kwargs = kwargs
@@ -178,7 +183,9 @@ def delete_instance(cls) -> None:
             Reaper._socket = None
 
         if Reaper._container is not None:
-            Reaper._container.stop()
+            if Reaper._container._container is not None:
+                with suppress(NotFound):
+                    Reaper._container._container.stop()
             Reaper._container = None
 
         if Reaper._instance is not None:
@@ -193,9 +200,12 @@ def _create_instance(cls) -> "Reaper":
             .with_name(f"testcontainers-ryuk-{SESSION_ID}")
             .with_exposed_ports(8080)
             .with_volume_mapping(RYUK_DOCKER_SOCKET, "/var/run/docker.sock", "rw")
-            .with_kwargs(privileged=RYUK_PRIVILEGED)
+            .with_kwargs(privileged=RYUK_PRIVILEGED, auto_remove=True)
             .start()
         )
+        register(lambda: Reaper.delete_instance())
+        signal(SIGINT, lambda _, __: Reaper.delete_instance())
+        signal(SIGTERM, lambda _, __: Reaper.delete_instance())
         wait_for_logs(Reaper._container, r".* Started!")
 
         container_host = Reaper._container.get_container_host_ip()
diff --git a/core/tests/test_ryuk.py b/core/tests/test_ryuk.py
index 32370ffbc..533ce7be5 100644
--- a/core/tests/test_ryuk.py
+++ b/core/tests/test_ryuk.py
@@ -1,9 +1,14 @@
+import pytest
+
+from contextlib import contextmanager
+
 from testcontainers.core import container
 from testcontainers.core.container import Reaper
 from testcontainers.core.container import DockerContainer
 from testcontainers.core.waiting_utils import wait_for_logs
 
 
+@pytest.mark.skip("invalid test - ryuk logs 'Removed' right before exiting")
 def test_wait_for_reaper():
     container = DockerContainer("hello-world").start()
     wait_for_logs(container, "Hello from Docker!")
@@ -19,6 +24,20 @@ def test_wait_for_reaper():
 
 def test_container_without_ryuk(monkeypatch):
     monkeypatch.setattr(container, "RYUK_DISABLED", True)
-    with DockerContainer("hello-world") as cont:
-        wait_for_logs(cont, "Hello from Docker!")
-        assert Reaper._instance is None
+
+    @contextmanager
+    def reset_reaper_instance():
+        old_value = Reaper._instance
+        Reaper._instance = None
+        yield
+        Reaper._instance = old_value
+
+    with reset_reaper_instance():
+        with DockerContainer("hello-world") as cont:
+            wait_for_logs(cont, "Hello from Docker!")
+            assert Reaper._instance is None
+
+
+def test_reaper_gets_deleted():
+    """this is a manual check - run 'docker ps -a' after the test suite to 'assert'."""
+    DockerContainer("alpine").with_command("tail -f /dev/stdout").start()