diff --git a/receiver/otlpreceiver/factory.go b/receiver/otlpreceiver/factory.go
index 75553059d16..4cfb7568cc5 100644
--- a/receiver/otlpreceiver/factory.go
+++ b/receiver/otlpreceiver/factory.go
@@ -195,4 +195,6 @@ func createReceiver(cfg configmodels.Receiver, logger *zap.Logger) (*otlpReceive
 // We maintain this map because the Factory is asked trace and metric receivers separately
 // when it gets CreateTracesReceiver() and CreateMetricsReceiver() but they must not
 // create separate objects, they must use one otlpReceiver object per configuration.
+// When the receiver is shutdown it should be removed from this map so the same configuration
+// can be recreated successfully.
 var receivers = map[*Config]*otlpReceiver{}
diff --git a/receiver/otlpreceiver/otlp.go b/receiver/otlpreceiver/otlp.go
index 4ab6fd675b1..e88fda13cf2 100644
--- a/receiver/otlpreceiver/otlp.go
+++ b/receiver/otlpreceiver/otlp.go
@@ -51,6 +51,7 @@ type otlpReceiver struct {
 
 	stopOnce        sync.Once
 	startServerOnce sync.Once
+	shutdownWG      sync.WaitGroup
 
 	logger *zap.Logger
 }
@@ -96,8 +97,11 @@ func (r *otlpReceiver) startGRPCServer(cfg *configgrpc.GRPCServerSettings, host
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
+	r.shutdownWG.Add(1)
 	go func() {
-		if errGrpc := r.serverGRPC.Serve(gln); errGrpc != nil {
+		defer r.shutdownWG.Done()
+
+		if errGrpc := r.serverGRPC.Serve(gln); errGrpc != nil && errGrpc != grpc.ErrServerStopped {
 			host.ReportFatalError(errGrpc)
 		}
 	}()
@@ -111,8 +115,11 @@ func (r *otlpReceiver) startHTTPServer(cfg *confighttp.HTTPServerSettings, host
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
+	r.shutdownWG.Add(1)
 	go func() {
-		if errHTTP := r.serverHTTP.Serve(hln); errHTTP != nil {
+		defer r.shutdownWG.Done()
+
+		if errHTTP := r.serverHTTP.Serve(hln); errHTTP != nil && errHTTP != http.ErrServerClosed {
 			host.ReportFatalError(errHTTP)
 		}
 	}()
@@ -180,6 +187,13 @@ func (r *otlpReceiver) Shutdown(ctx context.Context) error {
 		if r.serverGRPC != nil {
 			r.serverGRPC.GracefulStop()
 		}
+
+		r.shutdownWG.Wait()
+
+		// delete the receiver from the map so it doesn't leak and it becomes possible to create
+		// another instance with the same configuration that functions properly. Notice that an
+		// OTLP object can only be started and shutdown once.
+		delete(receivers, r.cfg)
 	})
 	return err
 }
diff --git a/service/defaultcomponents/default_receivers_test.go b/service/defaultcomponents/default_receivers_test.go
index deb9de7e5da..b1001c7b782 100644
--- a/service/defaultcomponents/default_receivers_test.go
+++ b/service/defaultcomponents/default_receivers_test.go
@@ -60,8 +60,7 @@ func TestDefaultReceivers(t *testing.T) {
 			skipLifecyle: true, // TODO: Usage of CMux doesn't allow proper shutdown.
 		},
 		{
-			receiver:     "otlp",
-			skipLifecyle: true, // TODO: Upcoming PR to fix zipkin lifecycle.
+			receiver: "otlp",
 		},
 		{
 			receiver: "prometheus",