diff --git a/lib/fluent/plugin/in_tail.rb b/lib/fluent/plugin/in_tail.rb
index 968b352d86..fe6e0ba847 100644
--- a/lib/fluent/plugin/in_tail.rb
+++ b/lib/fluent/plugin/in_tail.rb
@@ -163,7 +163,8 @@ def start
     end
 
     def shutdown
-      stop_watchers(@tails.keys, true)
+      # during shutdown phase, don't close io. It should be done in close after all threads are stopped. See close.
+      stop_watchers(@tails.keys, immediate: true, remove_watcher: false)
       @pf_file.close if @pf_file
 
       super
@@ -211,7 +212,7 @@ def refresh_watchers
       unwatched = existence_paths - target_paths
       added = target_paths - existence_paths
 
-      stop_watchers(unwatched, false, true) unless unwatched.empty?
+      stop_watchers(unwatched, immediate: false, unwatched: true) unless unwatched.empty?
       start_watchers(added) unless added.empty?
     end
 
@@ -243,9 +244,9 @@ def start_watchers(paths)
       }
     end
 
-    def stop_watchers(paths, immediate = false, unwatched = false)
+    def stop_watchers(paths, immediate: false, unwatched: false, remove_watcher: true)
       paths.each { |path|
-        tw = @tails[path]
+        tw = remove_watcher ? @tails.delete(path) : @tails[path]
         if tw
           tw.unwatched = unwatched
           if immediate
diff --git a/test/plugin/test_in_tail.rb b/test/plugin/test_in_tail.rb
index 98dbf12278..dd6e2b7360 100644
--- a/test/plugin/test_in_tail.rb
+++ b/test/plugin/test_in_tail.rb
@@ -12,14 +12,7 @@ class TailInputTest < Test::Unit::TestCase
 
   def setup
     Fluent::Test.setup
-    FileUtils.rm_rf(TMP_DIR, secure: true)
-    if File.exist?(TMP_DIR)
-      # ensure files are closed for Windows, on which deleted files
-      # are still visible from filesystem
-      GC.start(full_mark: true, immediate_mark: true, immediate_sweep: true)
-      FileUtils.remove_entry_secure(TMP_DIR, true)
-    end
-    FileUtils.mkdir_p(TMP_DIR)
+    cleanup_directory(TMP_DIR)
   end
 
   def teardown
@@ -27,6 +20,17 @@ def teardown
     Fluent::Engine.stop
   end
 
+  def cleanup_directory(path)
+    FileUtils.rm_rf(path, secure: true)
+    if File.exist?(path)
+      # ensure files are closed for Windows, on which deleted files
+      # are still visible from filesystem
+      GC.start(full_mark: true, immediate_mark: true, immediate_sweep: true)
+      FileUtils.remove_entry_secure(path, true)
+    end
+    FileUtils.mkdir_p(path)
+  end
+
   TMP_DIR = File.dirname(__FILE__) + "/../tmp/tail#{ENV['TEST_ENV_NUMBER']}"
 
   CONFIG = config_element("ROOT", "", {
@@ -866,6 +870,48 @@ def test_log_file_without_extension
       plugin = create_driver(config, false).instance
       assert_equal expected_files, plugin.expand_paths.sort
     end
+
+    # For https://github.com/fluent/fluentd/issues/1455
+    # This test is fragile because test content depends on internal implementaion.
+    # So if you modify in_tail internal, this test may break.
+    def test_unwatched_files_should_be_removed
+      config = config_element("", "", {
+                                "tag" => "tail",
+                                "path" => "#{TMP_DIR}/*.txt",
+                                "format" => "none",
+                                "pos_file" => "#{TMP_DIR}/tail.pos",
+                                "read_from_head" => true,
+                                "refresh_interval" => 1,
+                              })
+      d = create_driver(config, false)
+      d.run(expect_emits: 1, shutdown: false) do
+        File.open("#{TMP_DIR}/tail.txt", "ab") { |f| f.puts "test3\n" }
+      end
+
+      assert_equal 1, d.instance.instance_variable_get(:@tails).keys.size
+      cleanup_directory(TMP_DIR)
+      waiting(20) { sleep 0.1 until Dir.glob("#{TMP_DIR}/*.txt").size == 0 } # Ensure file is deleted on Windows
+      waiting(5) { sleep 0.1 until d.instance.instance_variable_get(:@tails).keys.size == 0 }
+
+      # Previous implementaion has an infinite watcher creation bug.
+      # Following code checks such unexpected bug by couting  actual object allocation.
+      base_num = count_timer_object
+      2.times {
+        sleep 1
+        num = count_timer_object
+        assert_equal base_num, num
+      }
+
+      d.instance_shutdown
+    end
+
+    def count_timer_object
+      num = 0
+      ObjectSpace.each_object(Fluent::PluginHelper::Timer::TimerWatcher) { |obj|
+        num += 1
+      }
+      num
+    end
   end
 
   def test_z_refresh_watchers