diff --git a/IPython/core/magics/script.py b/IPython/core/magics/script.py
index 8631c30..31191c0 100644
--- a/IPython/core/magics/script.py
+++ b/IPython/core/magics/script.py
@@ -205,7 +205,7 @@ class ScriptMagics(Magics, Configurable):
                 self.shell.user_ns[args.out] = p.stdout
             if args.err:
                 self.shell.user_ns[args.err] = p.stderr
-            self.job_manager.new(self._run_script, p, cell)
+            self.job_manager.new(self._run_script, p, cell, daemon=True)
             if args.proc:
                 self.shell.user_ns[args.proc] = p
             return
diff --git a/IPython/lib/backgroundjobs.py b/IPython/lib/backgroundjobs.py
index 395edd3..8b57bea 100644
--- a/IPython/lib/backgroundjobs.py
+++ b/IPython/lib/backgroundjobs.py
@@ -140,6 +140,8 @@ class BackgroundJobManager(object):
         In both cases, the result is stored in the job.result field of the
         background job object.
 
+        You can set `daemon` attribute of the thread by giving the keyword
+        argument `daemon`.
 
         Notes and caveats:
 
@@ -181,7 +183,9 @@ class BackgroundJobManager(object):
             job = BackgroundJobExpr(func_or_exp, glob, loc)
         else:
             raise TypeError('invalid args for new job')
-        
+
+        if kwargs.get('daemon', False):
+            job.daemon = True
         job.num = len(self.all)+1 if self.all else 0
         self.running.append(job)
         self.all[job.num] = job