diff --git a/homeassistant/components/recorder/__init__.py b/homeassistant/components/recorder/__init__.py
index 70a923f6f30..e786ffeccc3 100644
--- a/homeassistant/components/recorder/__init__.py
+++ b/homeassistant/components/recorder/__init__.py
@@ -98,8 +98,7 @@ def run_information(point_in_time: Optional[datetime]=None):
 
 def setup(hass: HomeAssistant, config: ConfigType) -> bool:
     """Setup the recorder."""
-    # pylint: disable=global-statement
-    global _INSTANCE
+    global _INSTANCE  # pylint: disable=global-statement
 
     if _INSTANCE is not None:
         _LOGGER.error('Only a single instance allowed.')
@@ -164,7 +163,6 @@ class Recorder(threading.Thread):
         self.hass = hass
         self.purge_days = purge_days
         self.queue = queue.Queue()  # type: Any
-        self.quit_object = object()
         self.recording_start = dt_util.utcnow()
         self.db_url = uri
         self.db_ready = threading.Event()
@@ -205,12 +203,9 @@ class Recorder(threading.Thread):
         while True:
             event = self.queue.get()
 
-            if event == self.quit_object:
+            if event is None:
                 self._close_run()
                 self._close_connection()
-                # pylint: disable=global-statement
-                global _INSTANCE
-                _INSTANCE = None
                 self.queue.task_done()
                 return
 
@@ -238,8 +233,11 @@ class Recorder(threading.Thread):
 
     def shutdown(self, event):
         """Tell the recorder to shut down."""
-        self.queue.put(self.quit_object)
-        self.queue.join()
+        global _INSTANCE  # pylint: disable=global-statement
+        _INSTANCE = None
+
+        self.queue.put(None)
+        self.join()
 
     def block_till_done(self):
         """Block till all events processed."""
@@ -251,8 +249,7 @@ class Recorder(threading.Thread):
 
     def _setup_connection(self):
         """Ensure database is ready to fly."""
-        # pylint: disable=global-statement
-        global Session
+        global Session  # pylint: disable=global-statement
 
         import homeassistant.components.recorder.models as models
         from sqlalchemy import create_engine
@@ -275,8 +272,7 @@ class Recorder(threading.Thread):
 
     def _close_connection(self):
         """Close the connection."""
-        # pylint: disable=global-statement
-        global Session
+        global Session  # pylint: disable=global-statement
         self.engine.dispose()
         self.engine = None
         Session = None
diff --git a/tests/components/recorder/test_init.py b/tests/components/recorder/test_init.py
index 657e7401562..c261e5eedbd 100644
--- a/tests/components/recorder/test_init.py
+++ b/tests/components/recorder/test_init.py
@@ -3,11 +3,10 @@
 import json
 from datetime import datetime, timedelta
 import unittest
-from unittest.mock import patch
 
 from homeassistant.const import MATCH_ALL
 from homeassistant.components import recorder
-
+from homeassistant.bootstrap import _setup_component
 from tests.common import get_test_home_assistant
 
 
@@ -17,19 +16,19 @@ class TestRecorder(unittest.TestCase):
     def setUp(self):  # pylint: disable=invalid-name
         """Setup things to be run when tests are started."""
         self.hass = get_test_home_assistant()
-        db_uri = 'sqlite://'
-        with patch('homeassistant.core.Config.path', return_value=db_uri):
-            recorder.setup(self.hass, config={
-                "recorder": {
-                    "db_url": db_uri}})
+        db_uri = 'sqlite://'  # In memory DB
+        _setup_component(self.hass, recorder.DOMAIN, {
+            recorder.DOMAIN: {recorder.CONF_DB_URL: db_uri}})
         self.hass.start()
-        recorder._INSTANCE.block_till_db_ready()
+        recorder._verify_instance()
         self.session = recorder.Session()
         recorder._INSTANCE.block_till_done()
 
     def tearDown(self):  # pylint: disable=invalid-name
         """Stop everything that was started."""
+        recorder._INSTANCE.shutdown(None)
         self.hass.stop()
+        assert recorder._INSTANCE is None
 
     def _add_test_states(self):
         """Add multiple states to the db for testing."""