diff --git a/src/openai/_base_client.py b/src/openai/_base_client.py
index f31e5af54b..645343bd41 100644
--- a/src/openai/_base_client.py
+++ b/src/openai/_base_client.py
@@ -1316,9 +1316,13 @@ def __del__(self) -> None:
         if self.is_closed:
             return
 
+        # TODO(someday): support non asyncio runtimes here
         try:
-            # TODO(someday): support non asyncio runtimes here
-            asyncio.get_running_loop().create_task(self.aclose())
+            loop = asyncio.get_event_loop()
+            if loop.is_running():
+                loop.create_task(self.aclose())
+            else:
+                loop.run_until_complete(self.aclose())
         except Exception:
             pass