diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 7f4699143..298d5c6c8 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -25,9 +25,9 @@ The snippet above will spin up a postgres database in a container. The `get_conn
 
 ## Configuration
 
-| Env Variable                              | Example                       | Description                              |
+| Env Variable                              | Default                       | Description                              |
 | ----------------------------------------- | ----------------------------- | ---------------------------------------- |
 | `TESTCONTAINERS_DOCKER_SOCKET_OVERRIDE`   | `/var/run/docker.sock`        | Path to Docker's socket used by ryuk     |
 | `TESTCONTAINERS_RYUK_PRIVILEGED`          | `false`                       | Run ryuk as a privileged container       |
-| `TESTCONTAINERS_RYUK_DISABLED`            | `false`                       | Disable ryuk                             |
+| `TESTCONTAINERS_RYUK_DISABLED`            | `true`                        | Disable ryuk                             |
 | `RYUK_CONTAINER_IMAGE`                    | `testcontainers/ryuk:0.5.1`   | Custom image for ryuk                    |
diff --git a/core/testcontainers/core/config.py b/core/testcontainers/core/config.py
index 1bf9ad4dc..8ced1742e 100644
--- a/core/testcontainers/core/config.py
+++ b/core/testcontainers/core/config.py
@@ -6,5 +6,5 @@
 
 RYUK_IMAGE: str = environ.get("RYUK_CONTAINER_IMAGE", "testcontainers/ryuk:0.5.1")
 RYUK_PRIVILEGED: bool = environ.get("TESTCONTAINERS_RYUK_PRIVILEGED", "false") == "true"
-RYUK_DISABLED: bool = environ.get("TESTCONTAINERS_RYUK_DISABLED", "false") == "true"
+RYUK_DISABLED: bool = environ.get("TESTCONTAINERS_RYUK_DISABLED", "true") == "true"
 RYUK_DOCKER_SOCKET: str = environ.get("TESTCONTAINERS_DOCKER_SOCKET_OVERRIDE", "/var/run/docker.sock")
diff --git a/core/testcontainers/core/container.py b/core/testcontainers/core/container.py
index f0da90bb4..969bf0469 100644
--- a/core/testcontainers/core/container.py
+++ b/core/testcontainers/core/container.py
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import contextlib
 from platform import system
 from socket import socket
 from typing import TYPE_CHECKING, Optional
@@ -89,12 +90,24 @@ def stop(self, force=True, delete_volume=True) -> None:
         self._container.remove(force=force, v=delete_volume)
         self.get_docker_client().client.close()
 
-    def __enter__(self):
+    def __enter__(self) -> "DockerContainer":
         return self.start()
 
     def __exit__(self, exc_type, exc_val, exc_tb) -> None:
         self.stop()
 
+    def __del__(self) -> None:
+        """
+        __del__ runs when Python attempts to garbage collect the object.
+        In case of leaky test design, we still attempt to clean up the container.
+        """
+        if not RYUK_DISABLED:
+            return
+
+        with contextlib.suppress(Exception):
+            if self._container is not None:
+                self.stop()
+
     def get_container_host_ip(self) -> str:
         # infer from docker host
         host = self.get_docker_client().host()
diff --git a/core/testcontainers/core/docker_client.py b/core/testcontainers/core/docker_client.py
index 04fdca59a..b59d1c369 100644
--- a/core/testcontainers/core/docker_client.py
+++ b/core/testcontainers/core/docker_client.py
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
 #    WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied. See the
 #    License for the specific language governing permissions and limitations
 #    under the License.
+import atexit
 import functools as ft
 import ipaddress
 import os
@@ -20,8 +21,11 @@
 from typing import Optional, Union
 
 import docker
+from docker.errors import NotFound
 from docker.models.containers import Container, ContainerCollection
+from requests.exceptions import ConnectionError
 
+from testcontainers.core.config import RYUK_DISABLED
 from testcontainers.core.labels import SESSION_ID, create_labels
 from testcontainers.core.utils import default_gateway_ip, inside_container, setup_logger
 
@@ -77,6 +81,8 @@ def run(
             labels=create_labels(image, labels),
             **kwargs,
         )
+        if detach and RYUK_DISABLED:
+            atexit.register(_stop_container, container)
         return container
 
     def find_host_network(self) -> Optional[str]:
@@ -193,3 +199,16 @@ def read_tc_properties() -> dict[str, str]:
 
 def get_docker_host() -> Optional[str]:
     return read_tc_properties().get("tc.host") or os.getenv("DOCKER_HOST")
+
+
+def _stop_container(container: Container) -> None:
+    try:
+        container.stop()
+    except NotFound:
+        # happens when container is already deleted
+        pass
+    except ConnectionError:
+        # happens when the container running the docker engine is already deleted
+        pass
+    except Exception as ex:
+        LOGGER.warning("failed to shut down container %s with image %s: %s", container.id, container.image, ex)
diff --git a/core/tests/test_docker_in_docker.py b/core/tests/test_docker_in_docker.py
index 6a424884b..44ec85448 100644
--- a/core/tests/test_docker_in_docker.py
+++ b/core/tests/test_docker_in_docker.py
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ def test_wait_for_logs_docker_in_docker():
         command="tcp-listen:2375,fork,reuseaddr unix-connect:/var/run/docker.sock",
         volumes={"/var/run/docker.sock": {"bind": "/var/run/docker.sock"}},
         detach=True,
+        auto_remove=True,
     )
 
     not_really_dind.start()
@@ -48,7 +49,7 @@ def test_wait_for_logs_docker_in_docker():
         assert stdout, "There should be something on stdout"
 
     not_really_dind.stop()
-    not_really_dind.remove()
+    # not_really_dind.remove()  # auto_remove = True
 
 
 def test_dind_inherits_network():
@@ -62,6 +63,7 @@ def test_dind_inherits_network():
         command="tcp-listen:2375,fork,reuseaddr unix-connect:/var/run/docker.sock",
         volumes={"/var/run/docker.sock": {"bind": "/var/run/docker.sock"}},
         detach=True,
+        auto_remove=True,
     )
 
     not_really_dind.start()
@@ -83,5 +85,5 @@ def test_dind_inherits_network():
         assert stdout, "There should be something on stdout"
 
     not_really_dind.stop()
-    not_really_dind.remove()
+    # not_really_dind.remove()  # auto_remove = True
     custom_network.remove()
diff --git a/core/tests/test_ryuk.py b/core/tests/test_ryuk.py
index 32370ffbc..5fe3887e8 100644
--- a/core/tests/test_ryuk.py
+++ b/core/tests/test_ryuk.py
@@ -1,9 +1,12 @@
+import pytest
+
 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("see #491")
 def test_wait_for_reaper():
     container = DockerContainer("hello-world").start()
     wait_for_logs(container, "Hello from Docker!")
@@ -17,6 +20,7 @@ def test_wait_for_reaper():
     Reaper.delete_instance()
 
 
+@pytest.mark.skip("see #491")
 def test_container_without_ryuk(monkeypatch):
     monkeypatch.setattr(container, "RYUK_DISABLED", True)
     with DockerContainer("hello-world") as cont:
diff --git a/index.rst b/index.rst
index 4e0cd54b9..a9bb1193a 100644
--- a/index.rst
+++ b/index.rst
@@ -97,13 +97,13 @@ Configuration
 -------------
 
 +-------------------------------------------+-------------------------------+------------------------------------------+
-| Env Variable                              | Example                       | Description                              |
+| Env Variable                              | Default                       | Description                              |
 +===========================================+===============================+==========================================+
 | ``TESTCONTAINERS_DOCKER_SOCKET_OVERRIDE`` | ``/var/run/docker.sock``      | Path to Docker's socket used by ryuk     |
 +-------------------------------------------+-------------------------------+------------------------------------------+
 | ``TESTCONTAINERS_RYUK_PRIVILEGED``        | ``false``                     | Run ryuk as a privileged container       |
 +-------------------------------------------+-------------------------------+------------------------------------------+
-| ``TESTCONTAINERS_RYUK_DISABLED``          | ``false``                     | Disable ryuk                             |
+| ``TESTCONTAINERS_RYUK_DISABLED``          | ``true``                      | Disable ryuk                             |
 +-------------------------------------------+-------------------------------+------------------------------------------+
 | ``RYUK_CONTAINER_IMAGE``                  | ``testcontainers/ryuk:0.5.1`` | Custom image for ryuk                    |
 +-------------------------------------------+-------------------------------+------------------------------------------+