diff --git a/IPython/kernel/kernelrestarter.py b/IPython/kernel/kernelrestarter.py
index 66c377c..4d2dca8 100644
--- a/IPython/kernel/kernelrestarter.py
+++ b/IPython/kernel/kernelrestarter.py
@@ -41,22 +41,37 @@ class KernelRestarter(LoggingConfigurable):
         help="""Kernel heartbeat interval in seconds."""
     )
 
+    _pcallback = None
+
     def __init__(self, **kwargs):
         super(KernelRestarter, self).__init__(**kwargs)
 
     def start(self):
-        self.pc = ioloop.PeriodicCallback(self.poll, self.time_to_dead, self.ioloop)
-        self.pc.start()
+        """Start the polling of the kernel."""
+        if self._pcallback is None:
+            self._pcallback = ioloop.PeriodicCallback(
+                self._poll, 1000*self.time_to_dead, self.ioloop
+            )
+        self._pcallback.start()
+
+    def stop(self):
+        """Stop the kernel polling."""
+        if self._pcallback is not None:
+            self._pcallback.stop()
 
-    def poll(self):
+    def clear(self):
+        """Clear the underlying PeriodicCallback."""
+        self.stop()
+        if self._pcallback is not None:
+            self._pcallback = None
+
+    def _poll(self):
         if not self.kernel_manager.is_alive():
             self.stop()
             # This restart event should leave the connection file in place so
             # the ports are the same. Because this takes place below the
             # MappingKernelManager, the kernel_id will also remain the same.
+            self.log('KernelRestarter: restarting kernel')
             self.kernel_manager.restart_kernel(now=True);
             self.start()
 
-    def stop(self):
-        self.pc.stop()
-        self.pc = None
diff --git a/IPython/kernel/multikernelmanager.py b/IPython/kernel/multikernelmanager.py
index f5f343c..cd76389 100644
--- a/IPython/kernel/multikernelmanager.py
+++ b/IPython/kernel/multikernelmanager.py
@@ -23,12 +23,15 @@ import uuid
 
 import zmq
 from zmq.eventloop.zmqstream import ZMQStream
+from zmq.eventloop import ioloop
 
 from IPython.config.configurable import LoggingConfigurable
 from IPython.utils.importstring import import_item
 from IPython.utils.traitlets import (
-    Instance, Dict, Unicode, Any, DottedObjectName,
+    Instance, Dict, Unicode, Any, DottedObjectName, Bool
 )
+# from IPython.kernel.kernelrestarter import KernelRestarter
+
 #-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 # Classes
 #-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -61,7 +64,7 @@ class MultiKernelManager(LoggingConfigurable):
     def _loop_default(self):
         return ioloop.IOLoop.instance()
 
-    autorestart = Bool(True, config=True,
+    autorestart = Bool(False, config=True,
         help="""Should we autorestart kernels that die."""
     )
 
@@ -83,18 +86,29 @@ class MultiKernelManager(LoggingConfigurable):
     def __contains__(self, kernel_id):
         return kernel_id in self._kernels
 
-    def start_watching(self, kernel_id):
-        km = self.get_kernel(kernel_id):
+    def start_restarter(self, kernel_id):
+        km = self.get_kernel(kernel_id)
         if self.autorestart:
-            kr = KernelRestarter(
-                kernel_manager=km, loop=self.loop,
-                config=self.config, log=self.log
-            )
+            kr = self._restarters.get(kernel_id, None)
+            if kr is None:
+                kr = KernelRestarter(
+                    kernel_manager=km, loop=self.loop,
+                    config=self.config, log=self.log
+                )
+                self._restarters[kernel_id] = kr
             kr.start()
-            self._restarters[kernel_id] = kr
 
-    def stop_watching(self, kernel_id):
+    def stop_restarter(self, kernel_id):
+        if self.autorestart:
+            kr = self._restarters.get(kernel_id, None)
+            if kr is not None:
+                kr.stop()
 
+    def clear_restarter(self, kernel_id):
+        if self.autorestart:
+            kr = self._restarters.pop(kernel_id, None)
+            if kr is not None:
+                kr.stop()
 
     def start_kernel(self, **kwargs):
         """Start a new kernel.
@@ -121,7 +135,7 @@ class MultiKernelManager(LoggingConfigurable):
         # start just the shell channel, needed for graceful restart
         km.start_channels(shell=True, iopub=False, stdin=False, hb=False)
         self._kernels[kernel_id] = km
-        self.start_watching(kernel_id)
+        self.start_restarter(kernel_id)
         return kernel_id
 
     def shutdown_kernel(self, kernel_id, now=False):
@@ -135,11 +149,11 @@ class MultiKernelManager(LoggingConfigurable):
             Should the kernel be shutdown forcibly using a signal.
         """
         k = self.get_kernel(kernel_id)
-        self.stop_watching(kernel_id)
+        self.stop_restarter(kernel_id)
         k.shutdown_kernel(now=now)
         k.shell_channel.stop()
         del self._kernels[kernel_id]
-        self.remove_watching(kernel_id)
+        self.clear_restarter(kernel_id)
 
     def shutdown_all(self, now=False):
         """Shutdown all kernels."""
@@ -178,9 +192,9 @@ class MultiKernelManager(LoggingConfigurable):
             The id of the kernel to interrupt.
         """
         km = self.get_kernel(kernel_id)
-        self.stop_watching()
+        self.stop_restarter(kernel_id)
         km.restart_kernel()
-        self.start_watching()
+        self.start_restarter(kernel_id)
 
     def is_alive(self, kernel_id):
         """Is the kernel alive.