diff --git a/opentelemetry-sdk/src/trace/span_processor.rs b/opentelemetry-sdk/src/trace/span_processor.rs
index 1723b263e9..edf6de73c3 100644
--- a/opentelemetry-sdk/src/trace/span_processor.rs
+++ b/opentelemetry-sdk/src/trace/span_processor.rs
@@ -92,45 +92,64 @@ pub trait SpanProcessor: Send + Sync + std::fmt::Debug {
     fn shutdown(&mut self) -> TraceResult<()>;
 }
 
-/// A [`SpanProcessor`] that exports synchronously when spans are finished.
-///
-/// # Examples
-///
-/// Note that the simple processor exports synchronously every time a span is
-/// ended. If you find this limiting, consider the batch processor instead.
+/// A [`SpanProcessor`] that exports when spans are finished.
 #[derive(Debug)]
 pub struct SimpleSpanProcessor {
-    sender: crossbeam_channel::Sender<Option<SpanData>>,
-    shutdown: crossbeam_channel::Receiver<()>,
+    message_sender: crossbeam_channel::Sender<Message>,
 }
 
 impl SimpleSpanProcessor {
     pub(crate) fn new(mut exporter: Box<dyn SpanExporter>) -> Self {
-        let (span_tx, span_rx) = crossbeam_channel::unbounded();
-        let (shutdown_tx, shutdown_rx) = crossbeam_channel::bounded(0);
+        let (message_sender, rx) = crossbeam_channel::unbounded();
 
         let _ = thread::Builder::new()
             .name("opentelemetry-exporter".to_string())
             .spawn(move || {
-                while let Ok(Some(span)) = span_rx.recv() {
-                    if let Err(err) = futures_executor::block_on(exporter.export(vec![span])) {
-                        global::handle_error(err);
+                while let Ok(msg) = rx.recv() {
+                    match msg {
+                        Message::ExportSpan(span) => {
+                            if let Err(err) =
+                                futures_executor::block_on(exporter.export(vec![span]))
+                            {
+                                global::handle_error(err);
+                            }
+                        }
+                        Message::Flush(sender) => {
+                            Self::respond(&sender, "sync");
+                        }
+                        Message::Shutdown(sender) => {
+                            exporter.shutdown();
+
+                            Self::respond(&sender, "shutdown");
+
+                            return;
+                        }
                     }
                 }
 
                 exporter.shutdown();
-
-                if let Err(err) = shutdown_tx.send(()) {
-                    global::handle_error(TraceError::from(format!(
-                        "could not send shutdown: {:?}",
-                        err
-                    )));
-                }
             });
 
-        SimpleSpanProcessor {
-            sender: span_tx,
-            shutdown: shutdown_rx,
+        Self { message_sender }
+    }
+
+    fn signal(&self, msg: fn(crossbeam_channel::Sender<()>) -> Message, description: &str) {
+        let (tx, rx) = crossbeam_channel::bounded(0);
+
+        if self.message_sender.send(msg(tx)).is_ok() {
+            if let Err(err) = rx.recv() {
+                global::handle_error(TraceError::from(format!(
+                    "error {description} span processor: {err:?}"
+                )));
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    fn respond(sender: &crossbeam_channel::Sender<()>, description: &str) {
+        if let Err(err) = sender.send(()) {
+            global::handle_error(TraceError::from(format!(
+                "could not send {description}: {err:?}"
+            )));
         }
     }
 }
@@ -145,30 +164,31 @@ impl SpanProcessor for SimpleSpanProcessor {
             return;
         }
 
-        if let Err(err) = self.sender.send(Some(span)) {
+        if let Err(err) = self.message_sender.send(Message::ExportSpan(span)) {
             global::handle_error(TraceError::from(format!("error processing span {:?}", err)));
         }
     }
 
     fn force_flush(&self) -> TraceResult<()> {
-        // Ignored since all spans in Simple Processor will be exported as they ended.
+        self.signal(Message::Flush, "flushing");
+
         Ok(())
     }
 
     fn shutdown(&mut self) -> TraceResult<()> {
-        if self.sender.send(None).is_ok() {
-            if let Err(err) = self.shutdown.recv() {
-                global::handle_error(TraceError::from(format!(
-                    "error shutting down span processor: {:?}",
-                    err
-                )))
-            }
-        }
+        self.signal(Message::Shutdown, "shutting down");
 
         Ok(())
     }
 }
 
+#[derive(Debug)]
+enum Message {
+    ExportSpan(SpanData),
+    Flush(crossbeam_channel::Sender<()>),
+    Shutdown(crossbeam_channel::Sender<()>),
+}
+
 /// A [`SpanProcessor`] that asynchronously buffers finished spans and reports
 /// them at a preconfigured interval.
 ///