diff --git a/clientlibrary/checkpoint/checkpointer.go b/clientlibrary/checkpoint/checkpointer.go
index 1f48349..b3af0b7 100644
--- a/clientlibrary/checkpoint/checkpointer.go
+++ b/clientlibrary/checkpoint/checkpointer.go
@@ -48,11 +48,23 @@ const (
 
 // Checkpointer handles checkpointing when a record has been processed
 type Checkpointer interface {
+	// Init initialises the Checkpoint
 	Init() error
+
+	// GetLease attempts to gain a lock on the given shard
 	GetLease(*par.ShardStatus, string) error
+
+	// CheckpointSequence writes a checkpoint at the designated sequence ID
 	CheckpointSequence(*par.ShardStatus) error
+
+	// FetchCheckpoint retrieves the checkpoint for the given shard
 	FetchCheckpoint(*par.ShardStatus) error
+
+	// RemoveLeaseInfo to remove lease info for shard entry because the shard no longer exists
 	RemoveLeaseInfo(string) error
+
+	// RemoveLeaseOwner to remove lease owner for the shard entry to make the shard available for reassignment
+	RemoveLeaseOwner(string) error
 }
 
 // ErrSequenceIDNotFound is returned by FetchCheckpoint when no SequenceID is found
diff --git a/clientlibrary/checkpoint/dynamodb-checkpointer.go b/clientlibrary/checkpoint/dynamodb-checkpointer.go
index 1e4ba4f..e80c6c0 100644
--- a/clientlibrary/checkpoint/dynamodb-checkpointer.go
+++ b/clientlibrary/checkpoint/dynamodb-checkpointer.go
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ func (checkpointer *DynamoCheckpoint) Init() error {
 
 	s, err := session.NewSession(&aws.Config{
 		Region:      aws.String(checkpointer.kclConfig.RegionName),
-		Endpoint:    &checkpointer.kclConfig.DynamoDBEndpoint,
+		Endpoint:    aws.String(checkpointer.kclConfig.DynamoDBEndpoint),
 		Credentials: checkpointer.kclConfig.DynamoDBCredentials,
 		Retryer:     client.DefaultRetryer{NumMaxRetries: checkpointer.Retries},
 	})
@@ -133,43 +133,45 @@ func (checkpointer *DynamoCheckpoint) GetLease(shard *par.ShardStatus, newAssign
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
+
 		if !time.Now().UTC().After(currentLeaseTimeout) && assignedTo != newAssignTo {
 			return errors.New(ErrLeaseNotAquired)
 		}
+
 		log.Debugf("Attempting to get a lock for shard: %s, leaseTimeout: %s, assignedTo: %s", shard.ID, currentLeaseTimeout, assignedTo)
 		conditionalExpression = "ShardID = :id AND AssignedTo = :assigned_to AND LeaseTimeout = :lease_timeout"
 		expressionAttributeValues = map[string]*dynamodb.AttributeValue{
 			":id": {
-				S: &shard.ID,
+				S: aws.String(shard.ID),
 			},
 			":assigned_to": {
-				S: &assignedTo,
+				S: aws.String(assignedTo),
 			},
 			":lease_timeout": {
-				S: &leaseTimeout,
+				S: aws.String(leaseTimeout),
 			},
 		}
 	}
 
 	marshalledCheckpoint := map[string]*dynamodb.AttributeValue{
 		LEASE_KEY_KEY: {
-			S: &shard.ID,
+			S: aws.String(shard.ID),
 		},
 		LEASE_OWNER_KEY: {
-			S: &newAssignTo,
+			S: aws.String(newAssignTo),
 		},
 		LEASE_TIMEOUT_KEY: {
-			S: &newLeaseTimeoutString,
+			S: aws.String(newLeaseTimeoutString),
 		},
 	}
 
 	if len(shard.ParentShardId) > 0 {
-		marshalledCheckpoint[PARENT_SHARD_ID_KEY] = &dynamodb.AttributeValue{S: &shard.ParentShardId}
+		marshalledCheckpoint[PARENT_SHARD_ID_KEY] = &dynamodb.AttributeValue{S: aws.String(shard.ParentShardId)}
 	}
 
 	if shard.Checkpoint != "" {
 		marshalledCheckpoint[CHECKPOINT_SEQUENCE_NUMBER_KEY] = &dynamodb.AttributeValue{
-			S: &shard.Checkpoint,
+			S: aws.String(shard.Checkpoint),
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -196,16 +198,16 @@ func (checkpointer *DynamoCheckpoint) CheckpointSequence(shard *par.ShardStatus)
 	leaseTimeout := shard.LeaseTimeout.UTC().Format(time.RFC3339)
 	marshalledCheckpoint := map[string]*dynamodb.AttributeValue{
 		LEASE_KEY_KEY: {
-			S: &shard.ID,
+			S: aws.String(shard.ID),
 		},
 		CHECKPOINT_SEQUENCE_NUMBER_KEY: {
-			S: &shard.Checkpoint,
+			S: aws.String(shard.Checkpoint),
 		},
 		LEASE_OWNER_KEY: {
-			S: &shard.AssignedTo,
+			S: aws.String(shard.AssignedTo),
 		},
 		LEASE_TIMEOUT_KEY: {
-			S: &leaseTimeout,
+			S: aws.String(leaseTimeout),
 		},
 	}
 
@@ -230,10 +232,10 @@ func (checkpointer *DynamoCheckpoint) FetchCheckpoint(shard *par.ShardStatus) er
 	log.Debugf("Retrieved Shard Iterator %s", *sequenceID.S)
 	shard.Mux.Lock()
 	defer shard.Mux.Unlock()
-	shard.Checkpoint = *sequenceID.S
+	shard.Checkpoint = aws.StringValue(sequenceID.S)
 
 	if assignedTo, ok := checkpoint[LEASE_OWNER_KEY]; ok {
-		shard.AssignedTo = *assignedTo.S
+		shard.AssignedTo = aws.StringValue(assignedTo.S)
 	}
 	return nil
 }
@@ -251,6 +253,23 @@ func (checkpointer *DynamoCheckpoint) RemoveLeaseInfo(shardID string) error {
 	return err
 }
 
+// RemoveLeaseOwner to remove lease owner for the shard entry
+func (checkpointer *DynamoCheckpoint) RemoveLeaseOwner(shardID string) error {
+	input := &dynamodb.UpdateItemInput{
+		TableName: aws.String(checkpointer.TableName),
+		Key: map[string]*dynamodb.AttributeValue{
+			LEASE_KEY_KEY: {
+				S: aws.String(shardID),
+			},
+		},
+		UpdateExpression: aws.String("remove " + LEASE_OWNER_KEY),
+	}
+
+	_, err := checkpointer.svc.UpdateItem(input)
+
+	return err
+}
+
 func (checkpointer *DynamoCheckpoint) createTable() error {
 	input := &dynamodb.CreateTableInput{
 		AttributeDefinitions: []*dynamodb.AttributeDefinition{
diff --git a/clientlibrary/checkpoint/dynamodb-checkpointer_test.go b/clientlibrary/checkpoint/dynamodb-checkpointer_test.go
index 20cce87..1b824b7 100644
--- a/clientlibrary/checkpoint/dynamodb-checkpointer_test.go
+++ b/clientlibrary/checkpoint/dynamodb-checkpointer_test.go
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ package checkpoint
 
 import (
 	"errors"
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
 	"sync"
 	"testing"
 	"time"
@@ -43,7 +44,7 @@ import (
 )
 
 func TestDoesTableExist(t *testing.T) {
-	svc := &mockDynamoDB{tableExist: true}
+	svc := &mockDynamoDB{tableExist: true, item: map[string]*dynamodb.AttributeValue{}}
 	checkpoint := &DynamoCheckpoint{
 		TableName: "TableName",
 		svc:       svc,
@@ -60,7 +61,7 @@ func TestDoesTableExist(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func TestGetLeaseNotAquired(t *testing.T) {
-	svc := &mockDynamoDB{tableExist: true}
+	svc := &mockDynamoDB{tableExist: true, item: map[string]*dynamodb.AttributeValue{}}
 	kclConfig := cfg.NewKinesisClientLibConfig("appName", "test", "us-west-2", "abc").
 		WithInitialPositionInStream(cfg.LATEST).
 		WithMaxRecords(10).
@@ -91,7 +92,7 @@ func TestGetLeaseNotAquired(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func TestGetLeaseAquired(t *testing.T) {
-	svc := &mockDynamoDB{tableExist: true}
+	svc := &mockDynamoDB{tableExist: true, item: map[string]*dynamodb.AttributeValue{}}
 	kclConfig := cfg.NewKinesisClientLibConfig("appName", "test", "us-west-2", "abc").
 		WithInitialPositionInStream(cfg.LATEST).
 		WithMaxRecords(10).
@@ -102,7 +103,6 @@ func TestGetLeaseAquired(t *testing.T) {
 		WithMetricsMaxQueueSize(20)
 	checkpoint := NewDynamoCheckpoint(kclConfig).WithDynamoDB(svc)
 	checkpoint.Init()
-	checkpoint.svc = svc
 	marshalledCheckpoint := map[string]*dynamodb.AttributeValue{
 		"ShardID": {
 			S: aws.String("0001"),
@@ -139,6 +139,23 @@ func TestGetLeaseAquired(t *testing.T) {
 	} else if *id.S != "deadbeef" {
 		t.Errorf("Expected checkpoint to be deadbeef. Got '%s'", *id.S)
 	}
+
+	// release owner info
+	err = checkpoint.RemoveLeaseOwner(shard.ID)
+	assert.Nil(t, err)
+
+	status := &par.ShardStatus{
+		ID:  shard.ID,
+		Mux: &sync.Mutex{},
+	}
+	checkpoint.FetchCheckpoint(status)
+
+	// checkpointer and parent shard id should be the same
+	assert.Equal(t, shard.Checkpoint, status.Checkpoint)
+	assert.Equal(t, shard.ParentShardId, status.ParentShardId)
+
+	// Only the lease owner has been wiped out
+	assert.Equal(t, "", status.GetLeaseOwner())
 }
 
 type mockDynamoDB struct {
@@ -155,7 +172,28 @@ func (m *mockDynamoDB) DescribeTable(*dynamodb.DescribeTableInput) (*dynamodb.De
 }
 
 func (m *mockDynamoDB) PutItem(input *dynamodb.PutItemInput) (*dynamodb.PutItemOutput, error) {
-	m.item = input.Item
+	item := input.Item
+
+	if shardID, ok := item[LEASE_KEY_KEY]; ok {
+		m.item[LEASE_KEY_KEY] = shardID
+	}
+
+	if owner, ok := item[LEASE_OWNER_KEY]; ok {
+		m.item[LEASE_OWNER_KEY] = owner
+	}
+
+	if timeout, ok := item[LEASE_TIMEOUT_KEY]; ok {
+		m.item[LEASE_TIMEOUT_KEY] = timeout
+	}
+
+	if checkpoint, ok := item[CHECKPOINT_SEQUENCE_NUMBER_KEY]; ok {
+		m.item[CHECKPOINT_SEQUENCE_NUMBER_KEY] = checkpoint
+	}
+
+	if parent, ok := item[PARENT_SHARD_ID_KEY]; ok {
+		m.item[PARENT_SHARD_ID_KEY] = parent
+	}
+
 	return nil, nil
 }
 
@@ -165,6 +203,16 @@ func (m *mockDynamoDB) GetItem(input *dynamodb.GetItemInput) (*dynamodb.GetItemO
 	}, nil
 }
 
+func (m *mockDynamoDB) UpdateItem(input *dynamodb.UpdateItemInput) (*dynamodb.UpdateItemOutput, error) {
+	exp := input.UpdateExpression
+
+	if aws.StringValue(exp) == "remove "+LEASE_OWNER_KEY {
+		delete(m.item, LEASE_OWNER_KEY)
+	}
+
+	return nil, nil
+}
+
 func (m *mockDynamoDB) CreateTable(input *dynamodb.CreateTableInput) (*dynamodb.CreateTableOutput, error) {
 	return &dynamodb.CreateTableOutput{}, nil
 }
diff --git a/clientlibrary/worker/shard-consumer.go b/clientlibrary/worker/shard-consumer.go
index 7899a67..139c27d 100644
--- a/clientlibrary/worker/shard-consumer.go
+++ b/clientlibrary/worker/shard-consumer.go
@@ -285,6 +285,13 @@ func (sc *ShardConsumer) waitOnParentShard(shard *par.ShardStatus) error {
 func (sc *ShardConsumer) releaseLease(shard *par.ShardStatus) {
 	log.Infof("Release lease for shard %s", shard.ID)
 	shard.SetLeaseOwner("")
+
+	// Release the lease by wiping out the lease owner for the shard
+	// Note: we don't need to do anything in case of error here and shard lease will eventuall be expired.
+	if err := sc.checkpointer.RemoveLeaseOwner(shard.ID); err != nil {
+		log.Errorf("Failed to release shard lease or shard: %s Error: %+v", shard.ID, err)
+	}
+
 	// reporting lease lose metrics
 	sc.mService.LeaseLost(shard.ID)
 }
diff --git a/support/scripts/test.sh b/support/scripts/test.sh
index 78c0986..ee8226e 100755
--- a/support/scripts/test.sh
+++ b/support/scripts/test.sh
@@ -2,4 +2,4 @@
 . support/scripts/functions.sh
 
 # Run only the unit tests and not integration tests
-go test -race $(local_go_pkgs)
+go test -cover -race $(local_go_pkgs)
diff --git a/test/worker_custom_test.go b/test/worker_custom_test.go
index 6b3beb2..2ac300f 100644
--- a/test/worker_custom_test.go
+++ b/test/worker_custom_test.go
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ package test
 
 import (
 	"os"
+	"sync"
 	"testing"
 	"time"
 
@@ -32,6 +33,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
 	chk "github.com/vmware/vmware-go-kcl/clientlibrary/checkpoint"
 	cfg "github.com/vmware/vmware-go-kcl/clientlibrary/config"
+	par "github.com/vmware/vmware-go-kcl/clientlibrary/partition"
 	"github.com/vmware/vmware-go-kcl/clientlibrary/utils"
 	wk "github.com/vmware/vmware-go-kcl/clientlibrary/worker"
 )
@@ -77,6 +79,20 @@ func TestWorkerInjectCheckpointer(t *testing.T) {
 	// wait a few seconds before shutdown processing
 	time.Sleep(10 * time.Second)
 	worker.Shutdown()
+
+	// verify the checkpointer after graceful shutdown
+	status := &par.ShardStatus{
+		ID:  shardID,
+		Mux: &sync.Mutex{},
+	}
+	checkpointer.FetchCheckpoint(status)
+
+	// checkpointer should be the same
+	assert.NotEmpty(t, status.Checkpoint)
+
+	// Only the lease owner has been wiped out
+	assert.Equal(t, "", status.GetLeaseOwner())
+
 }
 
 func TestWorkerInjectKinesis(t *testing.T) {
diff --git a/test/worker_test.go b/test/worker_test.go
index 343f158..d950058 100644
--- a/test/worker_test.go
+++ b/test/worker_test.go
@@ -50,6 +50,8 @@ const (
 const specstr = `{"name":"kube-qQyhk","networking":{"containerNetworkCidr":"10.2.0.0/16"},"orgName":"BVT-Org-cLQch","projectName":"project-tDSJd","serviceLevel":"DEVELOPER","size":{"count":1},"version":"1.8.1-4"}`
 const metricsSystem = "cloudwatch"
 
+var shardID string
+
 func TestWorker(t *testing.T) {
 	kclConfig := cfg.NewKinesisClientLibConfig("appName", streamName, regionName, workerID).
 		WithInitialPositionInStream(cfg.LATEST).
@@ -235,6 +237,7 @@ type dumpRecordProcessor struct {
 
 func (dd *dumpRecordProcessor) Initialize(input *kc.InitializationInput) {
 	dd.t.Logf("Processing SharId: %v at checkpoint: %v", input.ShardId, aws.StringValue(input.ExtendedSequenceNumber.SequenceNumber))
+	shardID = input.ShardId
 }
 
 func (dd *dumpRecordProcessor) ProcessRecords(input *kc.ProcessRecordsInput) {