diff --git a/core/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/ContextCleaner.scala b/core/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/ContextCleaner.scala
index 461af1cd11965..8f76b91753157 100644
--- a/core/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/ContextCleaner.scala
+++ b/core/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/ContextCleaner.scala
@@ -21,8 +21,6 @@ import scala.collection.mutable.{ArrayBuffer, SynchronizedBuffer}
 
 import java.util.concurrent.{LinkedBlockingQueue, TimeUnit}
 
-import org.apache.spark.rdd.RDD
-
 /** Listener class used for testing when any item has been cleaned by the Cleaner class */
 private[spark] trait CleanerListener {
   def rddCleaned(rddId: Int)
@@ -32,12 +30,12 @@ private[spark] trait CleanerListener {
 /**
  * Cleans RDDs and shuffle data.
  */
-private[spark] class ContextCleaner(env: SparkEnv) extends Logging {
+private[spark] class ContextCleaner(sc: SparkContext) extends Logging {
 
   /** Classes to represent cleaning tasks */
   private sealed trait CleaningTask
-  private case class CleanRDD(sc: SparkContext, id: Int) extends CleaningTask
-  private case class CleanShuffle(id: Int) extends CleaningTask
+  private case class CleanRDD(rddId: Int) extends CleaningTask
+  private case class CleanShuffle(shuffleId: Int) extends CleaningTask
   // TODO: add CleanBroadcast
 
   private val queue = new LinkedBlockingQueue[CleaningTask]
@@ -47,7 +45,7 @@ private[spark] class ContextCleaner(env: SparkEnv) extends Logging {
 
   private val cleaningThread = new Thread() { override def run() { keepCleaning() }}
 
-  private var stopped = false
+  @volatile private var stopped = false
 
   /** Start the cleaner */
   def start() {
@@ -57,26 +55,37 @@ private[spark] class ContextCleaner(env: SparkEnv) extends Logging {
 
   /** Stop the cleaner */
   def stop() {
-    synchronized { stopped = true }
+    stopped = true
     cleaningThread.interrupt()
   }
 
-  /** Clean (unpersist) RDD data. */
-  def cleanRDD(rdd: RDD[_]) {
-    enqueue(CleanRDD(rdd.sparkContext, rdd.id))
-    logDebug("Enqueued RDD " + rdd + " for cleaning up")
+  /**
+   * Clean (unpersist) RDD data. Do not perform any time or resource intensive
+   * computation in this function as this is called from a finalize() function.
+   */
+  def cleanRDD(rddId: Int) {
+    enqueue(CleanRDD(rddId))
+    logDebug("Enqueued RDD " + rddId + " for cleaning up")
   }
 
-  /** Clean shuffle data. */
+  /**
+   * Clean shuffle data. Do not perform any time or resource intensive
+   * computation in this function as this is called from a finalize() function.
+   */
   def cleanShuffle(shuffleId: Int) {
     enqueue(CleanShuffle(shuffleId))
     logDebug("Enqueued shuffle " + shuffleId + " for cleaning up")
   }
 
+  /** Attach a listener object to get information of when objects are cleaned. */
   def attachListener(listener: CleanerListener) {
     listeners += listener
   }
-  /** Enqueue a cleaning task */
+
+  /**
+   * Enqueue a cleaning task. Do not perform any time or resource intensive
+   * computation in this function as this is called from a finalize() function.
+   */
   private def enqueue(task: CleaningTask) {
     queue.put(task)
   }
@@ -86,16 +95,16 @@ private[spark] class ContextCleaner(env: SparkEnv) extends Logging {
     try {
       while (!isStopped) {
         val taskOpt = Option(queue.poll(100, TimeUnit.MILLISECONDS))
-        if (taskOpt.isDefined) {
+        taskOpt.foreach(task => {
           logDebug("Got cleaning task " + taskOpt.get)
-          taskOpt.get match {
-            case CleanRDD(sc, rddId) => doCleanRDD(sc, rddId)
+          task match {
+            case CleanRDD(rddId) => doCleanRDD(sc, rddId)
             case CleanShuffle(shuffleId) => doCleanShuffle(shuffleId)
           }
-        }
+        })
       }
     } catch {
-      case ie: java.lang.InterruptedException =>
+      case ie: InterruptedException =>
         if (!isStopped) logWarning("Cleaning thread interrupted")
     }
   }
@@ -103,7 +112,7 @@ private[spark] class ContextCleaner(env: SparkEnv) extends Logging {
   /** Perform RDD cleaning */
   private def doCleanRDD(sc: SparkContext, rddId: Int) {
     logDebug("Cleaning rdd " + rddId)
-    sc.env.blockManager.master.removeRdd(rddId, false)
+    blockManagerMaster.removeRdd(rddId, false)
     sc.persistentRdds.remove(rddId)
     listeners.foreach(_.rddCleaned(rddId))
     logInfo("Cleaned rdd " + rddId)
@@ -113,14 +122,14 @@ private[spark] class ContextCleaner(env: SparkEnv) extends Logging {
   private def doCleanShuffle(shuffleId: Int) {
     logDebug("Cleaning shuffle " + shuffleId)
     mapOutputTrackerMaster.unregisterShuffle(shuffleId)
-    blockManager.master.removeShuffle(shuffleId)
+    blockManagerMaster.removeShuffle(shuffleId)
     listeners.foreach(_.shuffleCleaned(shuffleId))
     logInfo("Cleaned shuffle " + shuffleId)
   }
 
-  private def mapOutputTrackerMaster = env.mapOutputTracker.asInstanceOf[MapOutputTrackerMaster]
+  private def mapOutputTrackerMaster = sc.env.mapOutputTracker.asInstanceOf[MapOutputTrackerMaster]
 
-  private def blockManager = env.blockManager
+  private def blockManagerMaster = sc.env.blockManager.master
 
-  private def isStopped = synchronized { stopped }
+  private def isStopped = stopped
 }
diff --git a/core/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/MapOutputTracker.scala b/core/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/MapOutputTracker.scala
index 4d0f3dd6cdb71..27f94ce0e42d0 100644
--- a/core/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/MapOutputTracker.scala
+++ b/core/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/MapOutputTracker.scala
@@ -17,22 +17,18 @@
 
 package org.apache.spark
 
-import scala.Some
-import scala.collection.mutable.{HashSet, Map}
-import scala.concurrent.Await
-
 import java.io._
 import java.util.zip.{GZIPInputStream, GZIPOutputStream}
 
-import scala.collection.mutable.HashSet
+import scala.Some
+import scala.collection.mutable.{HashSet, Map}
 import scala.concurrent.Await
 
 import akka.actor._
 import akka.pattern.ask
-
 import org.apache.spark.scheduler.MapStatus
 import org.apache.spark.storage.BlockManagerId
-import org.apache.spark.util.{AkkaUtils, TimeStampedHashMap, BoundedHashMap}
+import org.apache.spark.util._
 
 private[spark] sealed trait MapOutputTrackerMessage
 private[spark] case class GetMapOutputStatuses(shuffleId: Int)
@@ -55,7 +51,7 @@ private[spark] class MapOutputTrackerMasterActor(tracker: MapOutputTrackerMaster
 }
 
 /**
- * Class that keeps track of the location of the location of the mapt output of
+ * Class that keeps track of the location of the location of the map output of
  * a stage. This is abstract because different versions of MapOutputTracker
  * (driver and worker) use different HashMap to store its metadata.
  */
@@ -155,10 +151,6 @@ private[spark] abstract class MapOutputTracker(conf: SparkConf) extends Logging
     }
   }
 
-  protected def cleanup(cleanupTime: Long) {
-    mapStatuses.asInstanceOf[TimeStampedHashMap[_, _]].clearOldValues(cleanupTime)
-  }
-
   def stop() {
     communicate(StopMapOutputTracker)
     mapStatuses.clear()
@@ -195,10 +187,13 @@ private[spark] class MapOutputTrackerWorker(conf: SparkConf) extends MapOutputTr
   /**
    * Bounded HashMap for storing serialized statuses in the worker. This allows
    * the HashMap stay bounded in memory-usage. Things dropped from this HashMap will be
-   * automatically repopulated by fetching them again from the driver.
+   * automatically repopulated by fetching them again from the driver. Its okay to
+   * keep the cache size small as it unlikely that there will be a very large number of
+   * stages active simultaneously in the worker.
    */
-  protected val MAX_MAP_STATUSES = 100
-  protected val mapStatuses = new BoundedHashMap[Int, Array[MapStatus]](MAX_MAP_STATUSES, true)
+  protected val mapStatuses = new BoundedHashMap[Int, Array[MapStatus]](
+    conf.getInt("spark.mapOutputTracker.cacheSize", 100), true
+  )
 }
 
 /**
@@ -212,20 +207,18 @@ private[spark] class MapOutputTrackerMaster(conf: SparkConf)
   private var cacheEpoch = epoch
 
   /**
-   * Timestamp based HashMap for storing mapStatuses in the master, so that statuses are dropped
-   * only by explicit deregistering or by ttl-based cleaning (if set). Other than these two
+   * Timestamp based HashMap for storing mapStatuses and cached serialized statuses
+   * in the master, so that statuses are dropped only by explicit deregistering or
+   * by TTL-based cleaning (if set). Other than these two
    * scenarios, nothing should be dropped from this HashMap.
    */
+
   protected val mapStatuses = new TimeStampedHashMap[Int, Array[MapStatus]]()
+  private val cachedSerializedStatuses = new TimeStampedHashMap[Int, Array[Byte]]()
 
-  /**
-   * Bounded HashMap for storing serialized statuses in the master. This allows
-   * the HashMap stay bounded in memory-usage. Things dropped from this HashMap will be
-   * automatically repopulated by serializing the lost statuses again .
-   */
-  protected val MAX_SERIALIZED_STATUSES = 100
-  private val cachedSerializedStatuses =
-    new BoundedHashMap[Int, Array[Byte]](MAX_SERIALIZED_STATUSES, true)
+  // For cleaning up TimeStampedHashMaps
+  private val metadataCleaner =
+    new MetadataCleaner(MetadataCleanerType.MAP_OUTPUT_TRACKER, this.cleanup, conf)
 
   def registerShuffle(shuffleId: Int, numMaps: Int) {
     if (mapStatuses.put(shuffleId, new Array[MapStatus](numMaps)).isDefined) {
@@ -264,6 +257,7 @@ private[spark] class MapOutputTrackerMaster(conf: SparkConf)
 
   def unregisterShuffle(shuffleId: Int) {
     mapStatuses.remove(shuffleId)
+    cachedSerializedStatuses.remove(shuffleId)
   }
 
   def incrementEpoch() {
@@ -303,11 +297,12 @@ private[spark] class MapOutputTrackerMaster(conf: SparkConf)
   }
 
   def contains(shuffleId: Int): Boolean = {
-    mapStatuses.contains(shuffleId)
+    cachedSerializedStatuses.contains(shuffleId) || mapStatuses.contains(shuffleId)
   }
 
   override def stop() {
     super.stop()
+    metadataCleaner.cancel()
     cachedSerializedStatuses.clear()
   }
 
@@ -315,8 +310,9 @@ private[spark] class MapOutputTrackerMaster(conf: SparkConf)
     // This might be called on the MapOutputTrackerMaster if we're running in local mode.
   }
 
-  def has(shuffleId: Int): Boolean = {
-    cachedSerializedStatuses.get(shuffleId).isDefined || mapStatuses.contains(shuffleId)
+  protected def cleanup(cleanupTime: Long) {
+    mapStatuses.clearOldValues(cleanupTime)
+    cachedSerializedStatuses.clearOldValues(cleanupTime)
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/core/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/SparkContext.scala b/core/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/SparkContext.scala
index 74d10196980cf..b80c58489cb52 100644
--- a/core/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/SparkContext.scala
+++ b/core/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/SparkContext.scala
@@ -206,7 +206,7 @@ class SparkContext(
   @volatile private[spark] var dagScheduler = new DAGScheduler(taskScheduler)
   dagScheduler.start()
 
-  private[spark] val cleaner = new ContextCleaner(env)
+  private[spark] val cleaner = new ContextCleaner(this)
   cleaner.start()
 
   ui.start()
diff --git a/core/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/rdd/RDD.scala b/core/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/rdd/RDD.scala
index e1367131cf569..f2e20a108630a 100644
--- a/core/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/rdd/RDD.scala
+++ b/core/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/rdd/RDD.scala
@@ -1027,7 +1027,7 @@ abstract class RDD[T: ClassTag](
 
   def cleanup() {
     logInfo("Cleanup called on RDD " + id)
-    sc.cleaner.cleanRDD(this)
+    sc.cleaner.cleanRDD(id)
     dependencies.filter(_.isInstanceOf[ShuffleDependency[_, _]])
                 .map(_.asInstanceOf[ShuffleDependency[_, _]].shuffleId)
                 .foreach(sc.cleaner.cleanShuffle)
diff --git a/core/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/scheduler/DAGScheduler.scala b/core/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/scheduler/DAGScheduler.scala
index 38628e949a4a6..1a5cd82571a08 100644
--- a/core/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/scheduler/DAGScheduler.scala
+++ b/core/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/scheduler/DAGScheduler.scala
@@ -266,7 +266,7 @@ class DAGScheduler(
     : Stage =
   {
     val stage = newStage(rdd, numTasks, Some(shuffleDep), jobId, callSite)
-    if (mapOutputTracker.has(shuffleDep.shuffleId)) {
+    if (mapOutputTracker.contains(shuffleDep.shuffleId)) {
       val serLocs = mapOutputTracker.getSerializedMapOutputStatuses(shuffleDep.shuffleId)
       val locs = MapOutputTracker.deserializeMapStatuses(serLocs)
       for (i <- 0 until locs.size) {
diff --git a/core/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/storage/ShuffleBlockManager.scala b/core/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/storage/ShuffleBlockManager.scala
index ed03f189fb4ac..cf83a60ffb9e8 100644
--- a/core/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/storage/ShuffleBlockManager.scala
+++ b/core/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/storage/ShuffleBlockManager.scala
@@ -169,8 +169,14 @@ class ShuffleBlockManager(blockManager: BlockManager) extends Logging {
     throw new IllegalStateException("Failed to find shuffle block: " + id)
   }
 
-  /** Remove all the blocks / files related to a particular shuffle */
+  /** Remove all the blocks / files and metadata related to a particular shuffle */
   def removeShuffle(shuffleId: ShuffleId) {
+    removeShuffleBlocks(shuffleId)
+    shuffleStates.remove(shuffleId)
+  }
+
+  /** Remove all the blocks / files related to a particular shuffle */
+  private def removeShuffleBlocks(shuffleId: ShuffleId) {
     shuffleStates.get(shuffleId) match {
       case Some(state) =>
         if (consolidateShuffleFiles) {
@@ -194,7 +200,7 @@ class ShuffleBlockManager(blockManager: BlockManager) extends Logging {
   }
 
   private def cleanup(cleanupTime: Long) {
-    shuffleStates.clearOldValues(cleanupTime, (shuffleId, state) => removeShuffle(shuffleId))
+    shuffleStates.clearOldValues(cleanupTime, (shuffleId, state) => removeShuffleBlocks(shuffleId))
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/core/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/util/MetadataCleaner.scala b/core/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/util/MetadataCleaner.scala
index 2553db4ad589e..2ef853710a554 100644
--- a/core/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/util/MetadataCleaner.scala
+++ b/core/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/util/MetadataCleaner.scala
@@ -62,8 +62,8 @@ private[spark] class MetadataCleaner(
 
 private[spark] object MetadataCleanerType extends Enumeration {
 
-  val MAP_OUTPUT_TRACKER, SPARK_CONTEXT, HTTP_BROADCAST, DAG_SCHEDULER, BLOCK_MANAGER,
-  SHUFFLE_BLOCK_MANAGER, BROADCAST_VARS, CLEANER = Value
+  val MAP_OUTPUT_TRACKER, SPARK_CONTEXT, HTTP_BROADCAST, BLOCK_MANAGER,
+  SHUFFLE_BLOCK_MANAGER, BROADCAST_VARS = Value
 
   type MetadataCleanerType = Value
 
diff --git a/core/src/test/scala/org/apache/spark/ContextCleanerSuite.scala b/core/src/test/scala/org/apache/spark/ContextCleanerSuite.scala
index 2ec314aa632f3..cb827b9e955a9 100644
--- a/core/src/test/scala/org/apache/spark/ContextCleanerSuite.scala
+++ b/core/src/test/scala/org/apache/spark/ContextCleanerSuite.scala
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ class ContextCleanerSuite extends FunSuite with BeforeAndAfter with LocalSparkCo
     val rdd = newRDD.persist()
     rdd.count()
     val tester = new CleanerTester(sc, rddIds = Seq(rdd.id))
-    cleaner.cleanRDD(rdd)
+    cleaner.cleanRDD(rdd.id)
     tester.assertCleanup
   }
 
diff --git a/core/src/test/scala/org/apache/spark/util/WrappedJavaHashMapSuite.scala b/core/src/test/scala/org/apache/spark/util/WrappedJavaHashMapSuite.scala
index 7ad65c9681812..f0a84064ab9fb 100644
--- a/core/src/test/scala/org/apache/spark/util/WrappedJavaHashMapSuite.scala
+++ b/core/src/test/scala/org/apache/spark/util/WrappedJavaHashMapSuite.scala
@@ -206,4 +206,4 @@ class TestMap[A, B] extends WrappedJavaHashMap[A, B, A, B] {
   protected[util] def newInstance[K1, V1](): WrappedJavaHashMap[K1, V1, _, _] = {
     new TestMap[K1, V1]
   }
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}