diff --git a/asyncio_atexit.py b/asyncio_atexit.py
index 1615b1e..e0ee13b 100644
--- a/asyncio_atexit.py
+++ b/asyncio_atexit.py
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 """
 
 import asyncio
+import atexit
 import inspect
 import sys
 import weakref
@@ -33,8 +34,15 @@ def __init__(self, loop):
             # Hold a regular reference _on the object_, in those cases
             self._close_ref = lambda: loop._atexit_orig_close
         self.callbacks = []
+        loop_ref = weakref.ref(loop)
+        self._atexit_handle = partial(_atexit_close_loop, loop_ref)
+        atexit.register(self._atexit_handle)
+
+    def _unregister(self):
+        atexit.unregister(self._atexit_handle)
 
     def close(self):
+        self._unregister()
         return self._close_ref()()
 
 
@@ -74,6 +82,10 @@ def unregister(callback, *, loop=None):
         except ValueError:
             break
 
+    if not entry.callbacks:
+        # no callbacks registered, unregister the atexit close callback as well
+        entry._unregister()
+
 
 def _get_entry(loop=None):
     """Get the registry entry for an event loop"""
@@ -120,3 +132,19 @@ def _asyncio_atexit_close(loop):
         loop.run_until_complete(_run_asyncio_atexits(loop, entry.callbacks))
     entry.callbacks[:] = []
     return entry.close()
+
+
+def _atexit_close_loop(loop_ref, *args):
+    """
+    atexit callback to call loop.close
+
+    Register loop.close with atexit,
+    so we are more confident that loop.close will actually be called.
+    """
+    loop = loop_ref()
+    if loop is None:
+        return
+    try:
+        loop.close()
+    except Exception as e:
+        print(f"Exception in asyncio event_loop.close: {e}", file=sys.stderr)
diff --git a/test_asyncio_atexit.py b/test_asyncio_atexit.py
index cb35def..a3b1544 100644
--- a/test_asyncio_atexit.py
+++ b/test_asyncio_atexit.py
@@ -92,3 +92,22 @@ async def test():
         asyncio_run(test())
 
     assert sync_called
+
+
+def test_atexit_hook(policy):
+    loop = asyncio.new_event_loop()
+    sync_called = False
+
+    def sync_cb():
+        nonlocal sync_called
+        sync_called = True
+
+    async def test():
+        asyncio_atexit.register(sync_cb)
+
+    loop.run_until_complete(test())
+    assert loop in asyncio_atexit._registry
+    # can't easily test true atexit invocations
+    entry = asyncio_atexit._get_entry(loop)
+    entry._atexit_handle(*sys.exc_info())
+    assert loop._closed