diff --git a/internal/ztest/writer.go b/internal/ztest/writer.go
index 9fdd5805e..2c1a3fb89 100644
--- a/internal/ztest/writer.go
+++ b/internal/ztest/writer.go
@@ -45,6 +45,13 @@ func (s *Syncer) Sync() error {
 	return s.err
 }
 
+// Close records that it was called, then returns the user-supplied error (if
+// any).
+func (s *Syncer) Close() error {
+	s.called = true
+	return s.err
+}
+
 // Called reports whether the Sync method was called.
 func (s *Syncer) Called() bool {
 	return s.called
diff --git a/logger.go b/logger.go
index cd6e19551..719c2d1c4 100644
--- a/logger.go
+++ b/logger.go
@@ -243,6 +243,12 @@ func (log *Logger) Sync() error {
 	return log.core.Sync()
 }
 
+// Close calls the underlying Core's Close method, flushing any buffered log
+// entries. Applications should take care to call Close before exiting.
+func (log *Logger) Close() error {
+	return log.core.Close()
+}
+
 // Core returns the Logger's underlying zapcore.Core.
 func (log *Logger) Core() zapcore.Core {
 	return log.core
diff --git a/sink.go b/sink.go
index ff0becfe5..03a9206a9 100644
--- a/sink.go
+++ b/sink.go
@@ -23,7 +23,6 @@ package zap
 import (
 	"errors"
 	"fmt"
-	"io"
 	"net/url"
 	"os"
 	"strings"
@@ -55,7 +54,6 @@ func resetSinkRegistry() {
 // Sink defines the interface to write to and close logger destinations.
 type Sink interface {
 	zapcore.WriteSyncer
-	io.Closer
 }
 
 type nopCloserSink struct{ zapcore.WriteSyncer }
diff --git a/writer_test.go b/writer_test.go
index 0dc8312b4..3d77ad277 100644
--- a/writer_test.go
+++ b/writer_test.go
@@ -152,6 +152,10 @@ func (w *testWriter) Sync() error {
 	return nil
 }
 
+func (w *testWriter) Close() error {
+	return nil
+}
+
 func TestOpenWithErroringSinkFactory(t *testing.T) {
 	defer resetSinkRegistry()
 
diff --git a/zapcore/core.go b/zapcore/core.go
index a1ef8b034..98abc6399 100644
--- a/zapcore/core.go
+++ b/zapcore/core.go
@@ -42,6 +42,8 @@ type Core interface {
 	Write(Entry, []Field) error
 	// Sync flushes buffered logs (if any).
 	Sync() error
+	// Close cleans all WriterSync resources (if any).
+	Close() error
 }
 
 type nopCore struct{}
@@ -53,6 +55,7 @@ func (n nopCore) With([]Field) Core                           { return n }
 func (nopCore) Check(_ Entry, ce *CheckedEntry) *CheckedEntry { return ce }
 func (nopCore) Write(Entry, []Field) error                    { return nil }
 func (nopCore) Sync() error                                   { return nil }
+func (nopCore) Close() error                                  { return nil }
 
 // NewCore creates a Core that writes logs to a WriteSyncer.
 func NewCore(enc Encoder, ws WriteSyncer, enab LevelEnabler) Core {
@@ -104,6 +107,10 @@ func (c *ioCore) Sync() error {
 	return c.out.Sync()
 }
 
+func (c *ioCore) Close() error {
+	return c.out.Close()
+}
+
 func (c *ioCore) clone() *ioCore {
 	return &ioCore{
 		LevelEnabler: c.LevelEnabler,
diff --git a/zapcore/sampler_test.go b/zapcore/sampler_test.go
index 9ba278b0b..2eb659338 100644
--- a/zapcore/sampler_test.go
+++ b/zapcore/sampler_test.go
@@ -150,6 +150,7 @@ func (c *countingCore) Write(Entry, []Field) error {
 func (c *countingCore) With([]Field) Core { return c }
 func (*countingCore) Enabled(Level) bool  { return true }
 func (*countingCore) Sync() error         { return nil }
+func (*countingCore) Close() error        { return nil }
 
 func TestSamplerConcurrent(t *testing.T) {
 	const (
diff --git a/zapcore/tee.go b/zapcore/tee.go
index 07a32eef9..93ac0e7dc 100644
--- a/zapcore/tee.go
+++ b/zapcore/tee.go
@@ -79,3 +79,11 @@ func (mc multiCore) Sync() error {
 	}
 	return err
 }
+
+func (mc multiCore) Close() error {
+	var err error
+	for i := range mc {
+		err = multierr.Append(err, mc[i].Close())
+	}
+	return err
+}
diff --git a/zapcore/write_syncer.go b/zapcore/write_syncer.go
index a31f1a765..97b2a17b5 100644
--- a/zapcore/write_syncer.go
+++ b/zapcore/write_syncer.go
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ package zapcore
 
 import (
 	"bufio"
+	"context"
 	"io"
 	"sync"
 	"time"
@@ -33,12 +34,13 @@ import (
 // that *os.File (and thus, os.Stderr and os.Stdout) implement WriteSyncer.
 type WriteSyncer interface {
 	io.Writer
+	Close() error
 	Sync() error
 }
 
 // AddSync converts an io.Writer to a WriteSyncer. It attempts to be
 // intelligent: if the concrete type of the io.Writer implements WriteSyncer,
-// we'll use the existing Sync method. If it doesn't, we'll add a no-op Sync.
+// we'll use the existing Sync and Close method. If it doesn't, we'll add a no-op Sync and Close.
 func AddSync(w io.Writer) WriteSyncer {
 	switch w := w.(type) {
 	case WriteSyncer:
@@ -77,9 +79,17 @@ func (s *lockedWriteSyncer) Sync() error {
 	return err
 }
 
+func (s *lockedWriteSyncer) Close() error {
+	s.Lock()
+	err := s.ws.Close()
+	s.Unlock()
+	return err
+}
+
 type bufferWriterSyncer struct {
-	bufferWriter *bufio.Writer
 	ws           WriteSyncer
+	bufferWriter *bufio.Writer
+	cancel       context.CancelFunc
 }
 
 // defaultBufferSize sizes the buffer associated with each WriterSync.
@@ -107,18 +117,24 @@ func Buffer(ws WriteSyncer, bufferSize int, flushInterval time.Duration) WriteSy
 		flushInterval = defaultFlushInterval
 	}
 
+	ctx, cancel := context.WithCancel(context.Background())
+
 	// bufio is not goroutine safe, so add lock writer here
 	ws = Lock(&bufferWriterSyncer{
 		bufferWriter: bufio.NewWriterSize(ws, bufferSize),
+		cancel:       cancel,
 	})
 
 	// flush buffer every interval
 	// we do not need exit this goroutine explicitly
 	go func() {
-		for range time.NewTicker(flushInterval).C {
+		select {
+		case <-time.NewTicker(flushInterval).C:
 			if err := ws.Sync(); err != nil {
 				return
 			}
+		case <-ctx.Done():
+			return
 		}
 	}()
 
@@ -126,7 +142,6 @@ func Buffer(ws WriteSyncer, bufferSize int, flushInterval time.Duration) WriteSy
 }
 
 func (s *bufferWriterSyncer) Write(bs []byte) (int, error) {
-
 	// there are some logic internal for bufio.Writer here:
 	// 1. when the buffer is enough, data would not be flushed.
 	// 2. when the buffer is not enough, data would be flushed as soon as the buffer fills up.
@@ -146,6 +161,11 @@ func (s *bufferWriterSyncer) Sync() error {
 	return s.bufferWriter.Flush()
 }
 
+func (s *bufferWriterSyncer) Close() error {
+	s.cancel()
+	return s.Sync()
+}
+
 type writerWrapper struct {
 	io.Writer
 }
@@ -154,6 +174,10 @@ func (w writerWrapper) Sync() error {
 	return nil
 }
 
+func (w writerWrapper) Close() error {
+	return nil
+}
+
 type multiWriteSyncer []WriteSyncer
 
 // NewMultiWriteSyncer creates a WriteSyncer that duplicates its writes
@@ -192,3 +216,7 @@ func (ws multiWriteSyncer) Sync() error {
 	}
 	return err
 }
+
+func (ws multiWriteSyncer) Close() error {
+	return ws.Sync()
+}
diff --git a/zapcore/write_syncer_test.go b/zapcore/write_syncer_test.go
index 257a0eb74..33f93643a 100644
--- a/zapcore/write_syncer_test.go
+++ b/zapcore/write_syncer_test.go
@@ -85,6 +85,15 @@ func TestBufferWriter(t *testing.T) {
 		requireWriteWorks(t, ws)
 		assert.Equal(t, "foo", buf.String(), "Unexpected log string")
 	})
+
+	t.Run("cancel context", func(t *testing.T) {
+		buf := &bytes.Buffer{}
+		ws := Buffer(Buffer(AddSync(buf), 0, 0), 0, 0)
+		requireWriteWorks(t, ws)
+		assert.Equal(t, "", buf.String(), "Unexpected log calling a no-op Write method.")
+		assert.NoError(t, ws.Close(), "Unexpected error calling a no-op Sync method.")
+		assert.Equal(t, "foo", buf.String(), "Unexpected log string")
+	})
 }
 
 func TestNewMultiWriteSyncerWorksForSingleWriter(t *testing.T) {
diff --git a/zaptest/logger.go b/zaptest/logger.go
index 1e2451c26..f95304e4f 100644
--- a/zaptest/logger.go
+++ b/zaptest/logger.go
@@ -138,3 +138,7 @@ func (w testingWriter) Write(p []byte) (n int, err error) {
 func (w testingWriter) Sync() error {
 	return nil
 }
+
+func (w testingWriter) Close() error {
+	return nil
+}
diff --git a/zaptest/observer/observer.go b/zaptest/observer/observer.go
index 78f5be45d..f698fa96e 100644
--- a/zaptest/observer/observer.go
+++ b/zaptest/observer/observer.go
@@ -165,3 +165,7 @@ func (co *contextObserver) Write(ent zapcore.Entry, fields []zapcore.Field) erro
 func (co *contextObserver) Sync() error {
 	return nil
 }
+
+func (co *contextObserver) Close() error {
+	return nil
+}