diff --git a/locust/runners.py b/locust/runners.py
index c1cd29beca..659df576fd 100644
--- a/locust/runners.py
+++ b/locust/runners.py
@@ -74,6 +74,7 @@
 HEARTBEAT_INTERVAL = 1
 HEARTBEAT_LIVENESS = 3
 HEARTBEAT_DEAD_INTERNAL = -60
+MASTER_HEARTBEAT_TIMEOUT = 60
 FALLBACK_INTERVAL = 5
 CONNECT_TIMEOUT = 5
 CONNECT_RETRY_COUNT = 60
@@ -1056,6 +1057,9 @@ def client_listener(self) -> NoReturn:
                         )
                     if "current_memory_usage" in msg.data:
                         c.memory_usage = msg.data["current_memory_usage"]
+                    self.send_message("heartbeat", client_id=msg.node_id)
+                else:
+                    logging.debug(f"Got heartbeat message from unknown worker {msg.node_id}")
             elif msg.type == "stats":
                 self.environment.events.worker_report.fire(client_id=msg.node_id, data=msg.data)
             elif msg.type == "spawning":
@@ -1149,6 +1153,7 @@ def __init__(self, environment: "Environment", master_host: str, master_port: in
         super().__init__(environment)
         self.retry = 0
         self.connected = False
+        self.last_heartbeat_timestamp = time.time()  # will be overwritten on connect, but lets keep the linter happy
         self.connection_event = Event()
         self.worker_state = STATE_INIT
         self.client_id = socket.gethostname() + "_" + uuid4().hex
@@ -1160,6 +1165,7 @@ def __init__(self, environment: "Environment", master_host: str, master_port: in
         self.greenlet.spawn(self.worker).link_exception(greenlet_exception_handler)
         self.connect_to_master()
         self.greenlet.spawn(self.heartbeat).link_exception(greenlet_exception_handler)
+        self.greenlet.spawn(self.heartbeat_timeout_checker).link_exception(greenlet_exception_handler)
         self.greenlet.spawn(self.stats_reporter).link_exception(greenlet_exception_handler)
 
         # register listener for when all users have spawned, and report it to the master node
@@ -1249,6 +1255,13 @@ def heartbeat(self) -> NoReturn:
                 self.reset_connection()
             gevent.sleep(HEARTBEAT_INTERVAL)
 
+    def heartbeat_timeout_checker(self) -> NoReturn:
+        while True:
+            gevent.sleep(1)
+            if self.connected and self.last_heartbeat_timestamp < time.time() - MASTER_HEARTBEAT_TIMEOUT:
+                logger.error(f"Didn't get heartbeat from master in over {MASTER_HEARTBEAT_TIMEOUT}s")
+                self.quit()
+
     def reset_connection(self) -> None:
         logger.info("Reset connection to master")
         try:
@@ -1328,6 +1341,8 @@ def worker(self) -> NoReturn:
             elif msg.type == "reconnect":
                 logger.warning("Received reconnect message from master. Resetting RPC connection.")
                 self.reset_connection()
+            elif msg.type == "heartbeat":
+                self.last_heartbeat_timestamp = time.time()
             elif msg.type in self.custom_messages:
                 logger.debug("Received %s message from master" % msg.type)
                 self.custom_messages[msg.type](environment=self.environment, msg=msg)
@@ -1378,6 +1393,7 @@ def connect_to_master(self):
                 raise ConnectionError()
             self.connect_to_master()
         self.connected = True
+        self.last_heartbeat_timestamp = time.time()
 
 
 def _format_user_classes_count_for_log(user_classes_count: Dict[str, int]) -> str:
diff --git a/locust/test/test_main.py b/locust/test/test_main.py
index 5ab533f69d..ce740103f8 100644
--- a/locust/test/test_main.py
+++ b/locust/test/test_main.py
@@ -1860,3 +1860,58 @@ def test_processes_ctrl_c(self):
             self.assertIn("(index 3) reported as ready", stderr)
             self.assertIn("The last worker quit, stopping test", stderr)
             self.assertIn("Shutting down (exit code 0)", stderr)
+
+    def test_workers_shut_down_if_master_is_gone(self):
+        content = """
+from locust import HttpUser, task, constant, runners
+runners.MASTER_HEARTBEAT_TIMEOUT = 3
+
+class AnyUser(HttpUser):
+    host = "http://127.0.0.1:8089"
+    wait_time = constant(1)
+    @task
+    def my_task(self):
+        print("worker index:", self.environment.runner.worker_index)
+"""
+        with mock_locustfile(content=content) as mocked:
+            master_proc = subprocess.Popen(
+                [
+                    "locust",
+                    "-f",
+                    mocked.file_path,
+                    "--master",
+                    "--headless",
+                    "--expect-workers",
+                    "2",
+                ],
+                stdout=PIPE,
+                stderr=PIPE,
+                text=True,
+            )
+
+            worker_parent_proc = subprocess.Popen(
+                [
+                    "locust",
+                    "-f",
+                    mocked.file_path,
+                    "--worker",
+                    "--processes",
+                    "2",
+                    "--headless",
+                ],
+                stdout=PIPE,
+                stderr=PIPE,
+                text=True,
+            )
+            gevent.sleep(1)
+            master_proc.kill()
+            master_proc.wait()
+            try:
+                _, worker_stderr = worker_parent_proc.communicate(timeout=7)
+            except Exception:
+                worker_parent_proc.kill()
+                _, worker_stderr = worker_parent_proc.communicate()
+                assert False, f"worker never finished: {worker_stderr}"
+
+            self.assertNotIn("Traceback", worker_stderr)
+            self.assertIn("Didn't get heartbeat from master in over ", worker_stderr)