diff --git a/appenders/async/src/append.rs b/appenders/async/src/append.rs
index 9022327..6c9eb47 100644
--- a/appenders/async/src/append.rs
+++ b/appenders/async/src/append.rs
@@ -56,11 +56,19 @@ impl Append for Async {
     }
 
     fn flush(&self) -> Result<(), Error> {
-        let overflow = self.overflow;
+        let (completion, done) = crossbeam_channel::bounded(0);
         let task = Task::Flush {
             appends: self.appends.clone(),
+            completion,
         };
-        self.state.send_task(task, overflow)
+        self.state.send_task(task, Overflow::Block)?;
+        match done.recv() {
+            Ok(Ok(())) => Ok(()),
+            Ok(Err(err)) => Err(err),
+            Err(_) => Err(Error::new(
+                "async appender worker exited before completing flush",
+            )),
+        }
     }
 
     fn exit(&self) -> Result<(), Error> {
@@ -174,3 +182,92 @@ impl<'a> Visitor for DiagnosticCollector<'a> {
         Ok(())
     }
 }
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod tests {
+    use super::*;
+    use logforth_core::Trap;
+    use logforth_core::record::Record;
+    use std::sync::atomic::{AtomicBool, Ordering};
+    use std::sync::{Arc, Barrier};
+
+    #[derive(Debug)]
+    struct BarrierAppend {
+        started: Arc<AtomicBool>,
+        barrier: Arc<Barrier>,
+    }
+
+    impl Append for BarrierAppend {
+        fn append(&self, _: &Record, _: &[Box<dyn Diagnostic>]) -> Result<(), Error> {
+            Ok(())
+        }
+
+        fn flush(&self) -> Result<(), Error> {
+            self.started.store(true, Ordering::SeqCst);
+            self.barrier.wait();
+            Ok(())
+        }
+    }
+
+    #[derive(Debug)]
+    struct FailingFlush;
+
+    impl Append for FailingFlush {
+        fn append(&self, _: &Record, _: &[Box<dyn Diagnostic>]) -> Result<(), Error> {
+            Ok(())
+        }
+
+        fn flush(&self) -> Result<(), Error> {
+            Err(Error::new("flush failed"))
+        }
+    }
+
+    #[derive(Debug)]
+    struct NoopTrap;
+
+    impl Trap for NoopTrap {
+        fn trap(&self, _: &Error) {}
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn flush_waits_for_worker_completion() {
+        let started = Arc::new(AtomicBool::new(false));
+        let barrier = Arc::new(Barrier::new(2));
+
+        let append = BarrierAppend {
+            started: started.clone(),
+            barrier: barrier.clone(),
+        };
+
+        let async_append = AsyncBuilder::new("async-flush-wait").append(append).build();
+
+        let barrier_for_main = barrier.clone();
+        let flush_handle = std::thread::spawn(move || async_append.flush());
+
+        while !started.load(Ordering::SeqCst) {
+            std::thread::yield_now();
+        }
+
+        assert!(!flush_handle.is_finished());
+
+        barrier_for_main.wait();
+
+        flush_handle
+            .join()
+            .expect("flush thread panicked")
+            .expect("flush should succeed");
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn flush_propagates_errors() {
+        let async_append = AsyncBuilder::new("async-flush-error")
+            .trap(NoopTrap)
+            .append(FailingFlush)
+            .build();
+
+        let err = async_append.flush().expect_err("flush should fail");
+        let err_text = err.to_string();
+        assert!(err_text.contains("failed to flush"));
+        assert!(err_text.contains("flush failed"));
+    }
+}
diff --git a/appenders/async/src/lib.rs b/appenders/async/src/lib.rs
index bbe46f8..bf039eb 100644
--- a/appenders/async/src/lib.rs
+++ b/appenders/async/src/lib.rs
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@
 use std::sync::Arc;
 
 use logforth_core::Append;
+use logforth_core::Error;
 use logforth_core::kv;
 use logforth_core::record::RecordOwned;
 
@@ -37,6 +38,7 @@ enum Task {
     },
     Flush {
         appends: Arc<[Box<dyn Append>]>,
+        completion: crossbeam_channel::Sender<Result<(), Error>>,
     },
 }
 
diff --git a/appenders/async/src/worker.rs b/appenders/async/src/worker.rs
index 944fccb..c7d4fde 100644
--- a/appenders/async/src/worker.rs
+++ b/appenders/async/src/worker.rs
@@ -53,13 +53,25 @@ impl Worker {
                         }
                     }
                 }
-                Task::Flush { appends } => {
+                Task::Flush {
+                    appends,
+                    completion,
+                } => {
+                    let mut first_error = None;
                     for append in appends.iter() {
                         if let Err(err) = append.flush() {
                             let err = Error::new("failed to flush").set_source(err);
                             trap.trap(&err);
+                            if first_error.is_none() {
+                                first_error = Some(err);
+                            }
                         }
                     }
+                    if let Some(err) = first_error {
+                        let _ = completion.send(Err(err));
+                    } else {
+                        let _ = completion.send(Ok(()));
+                    }
                 }
             }
         }