diff --git a/lbrynet/blob/blob_file.py b/lbrynet/blob/blob_file.py
index 255cdcc72..445a8f5da 100644
--- a/lbrynet/blob/blob_file.py
+++ b/lbrynet/blob/blob_file.py
@@ -68,7 +68,8 @@ class AbstractBlob:
         'blob_directory',
         'writers',
         'verified',
-        'writing'
+        'writing',
+        'readers'
     ]
 
     def __init__(self, loop: asyncio.BaseEventLoop, blob_hash: str, length: typing.Optional[int] = None,
@@ -82,18 +83,29 @@ class AbstractBlob:
         self.writers: typing.List[HashBlobWriter] = []
         self.verified: asyncio.Event = asyncio.Event(loop=self.loop)
         self.writing: asyncio.Event = asyncio.Event(loop=self.loop)
+        self.readers: typing.List[typing.BinaryIO] = []
+
         if not is_valid_blobhash(blob_hash):
             raise InvalidBlobHashError(blob_hash)
 
     def __del__(self):
-        if self.writers or self.is_readable():
+        if self.writers or self.readers:
             log.warning("%s not closed before being garbage collected", self.blob_hash)
             self.close()
 
     @contextlib.contextmanager
-    def reader_context(self) -> typing.ContextManager[typing.BinaryIO]:
+    def _reader_context(self) -> typing.ContextManager[typing.BinaryIO]:
         raise NotImplementedError()
 
+    @contextlib.contextmanager
+    def reader_context(self) -> typing.ContextManager[typing.BinaryIO]:
+        try:
+            with self._reader_context() as reader:
+                self.readers.append(reader)
+                yield reader
+        finally:
+            self.readers = [reader for reader in self.readers if reader is not None]
+
     def _write_blob(self, blob_bytes: bytes):
         raise NotImplementedError()
 
@@ -129,6 +141,10 @@ class AbstractBlob:
     def close(self):
         while self.writers:
             self.writers.pop().finished.cancel()
+        while self.readers:
+            reader = self.readers.pop()
+            if reader:
+                reader.close()
 
     def delete(self):
         self.close()
@@ -213,11 +229,11 @@ class BlobBuffer(AbstractBlob):
     def __init__(self, loop: asyncio.BaseEventLoop, blob_hash: str, length: typing.Optional[int] = None,
                  blob_completed_callback: typing.Optional[typing.Callable[['AbstractBlob'], typing.Awaitable]] = None,
                  blob_directory: typing.Optional[str] = None):
-        super().__init__(loop, blob_hash, length, blob_completed_callback, blob_directory)
         self._verified_bytes: typing.Optional[BytesIO] = None
+        super().__init__(loop, blob_hash, length, blob_completed_callback, blob_directory)
 
     @contextlib.contextmanager
-    def reader_context(self) -> typing.ContextManager[typing.BinaryIO]:
+    def _reader_context(self) -> typing.ContextManager[typing.BinaryIO]:
         if not self.is_readable():
             raise OSError("cannot open blob for reading")
         try:
@@ -238,6 +254,11 @@ class BlobBuffer(AbstractBlob):
             self._verified_bytes = None
         return super().delete()
 
+    def __del__(self):
+        super().__del__()
+        if self._verified_bytes:
+            self.delete()
+
 
 class BlobFile(AbstractBlob):
     """
@@ -272,7 +293,7 @@ class BlobFile(AbstractBlob):
         return super().get_blob_writer()
 
     @contextlib.contextmanager
-    def reader_context(self) -> typing.ContextManager[typing.BinaryIO]:
+    def _reader_context(self) -> typing.ContextManager[typing.BinaryIO]:
         handle = open(self.file_path, 'rb')
         try:
             yield handle
diff --git a/tests/unit/blob/test_blob_file.py b/tests/unit/blob/test_blob_file.py
index 9a39440e2..5933a906d 100644
--- a/tests/unit/blob/test_blob_file.py
+++ b/tests/unit/blob/test_blob_file.py
@@ -150,3 +150,27 @@ class TestBlob(AsyncioTestCase):
         self.assertRaises(InvalidBlobHashError, BlobBuffer, self.loop, '', len(self.blob_bytes))
         self.assertRaises(InvalidBlobHashError, BlobBuffer, self.loop, 'x' * 96, len(self.blob_bytes))
         self.assertRaises(InvalidBlobHashError, BlobBuffer, self.loop, 'a' * 97, len(self.blob_bytes))
+
+    async def _test_close_reader(self, blob_class=AbstractBlob, blob_directory=None):
+        blob = await self._test_create_blob(blob_class, blob_directory)
+        reader = blob.reader_context()
+        self.assertEqual(0, len(blob.readers))
+
+        async def read_blob_buffer():
+            with reader as read_handle:
+                self.assertEqual(1, len(blob.readers))
+                await asyncio.sleep(2, loop=self.loop)
+                self.assertEqual(0, len(blob.readers))
+                return read_handle.read()
+
+        self.loop.call_later(1, blob.close)
+        with self.assertRaises(ValueError) as err:
+            read_task = self.loop.create_task(read_blob_buffer())
+            await read_task
+            self.assertEqual(err.exception, ValueError("I/O operation on closed file"))
+
+    async def test_close_reader(self):
+        tmp_dir = tempfile.mkdtemp()
+        self.addCleanup(lambda: shutil.rmtree(tmp_dir))
+        await self._test_close_reader(BlobBuffer)
+        await self._test_close_reader(BlobFile, tmp_dir)