diff --git a/kafka/coordinator/base.py b/kafka/coordinator/base.py
index ad644aa52..4aa5c89bc 100644
--- a/kafka/coordinator/base.py
+++ b/kafka/coordinator/base.py
@@ -33,6 +33,16 @@ def __init__(self, generation_id, member_id, protocol):
         self.member_id = member_id
         self.protocol = protocol
 
+    @property
+    def is_valid(self):
+        return self.generation_id != DEFAULT_GENERATION_ID
+
+    def __eq__(self, other):
+        return (self.generation_id == other.generation_id and
+                self.member_id == other.member_id and
+                self.protocol == other.protocol)
+
+
 Generation.NO_GENERATION = Generation(DEFAULT_GENERATION_ID, UNKNOWN_MEMBER_ID, None)
 
 
@@ -461,7 +471,8 @@ def join_group(self, timeout_ms=None):
                 exception = future.exception
                 if isinstance(exception, (Errors.UnknownMemberIdError,
                                           Errors.RebalanceInProgressError,
-                                          Errors.IllegalGenerationError)):
+                                          Errors.IllegalGenerationError,
+                                          Errors.MemberIdRequiredError)):
                     continue
                 elif not future.retriable():
                     raise exception  # pylint: disable-msg=raising-bad-type
@@ -491,7 +502,7 @@ def _send_join_group_request(self):
             (protocol, metadata if isinstance(metadata, bytes) else metadata.encode())
             for protocol, metadata in self.group_protocols()
         ]
-        version = self._client.api_version(JoinGroupRequest, max_version=3)
+        version = self._client.api_version(JoinGroupRequest, max_version=4)
         if version == 0:
             request = JoinGroupRequest[version](
                 self.group_id,
@@ -585,6 +596,11 @@ def _handle_join_group_response(self, future, send_time, response):
             future.failure(error)
         elif error_type is Errors.GroupAuthorizationFailedError:
             future.failure(error_type(self.group_id))
+        elif error_type is Errors.MemberIdRequiredError:
+            # Broker requires a concrete member id to be allowed to join the group. Update member id
+            # and send another join group request in next cycle.
+            self.reset_generation(response.member_id)
+            future.failure(error_type())
         else:
             # unexpected error, throw the exception
             error = error_type()
@@ -762,10 +778,10 @@ def generation(self):
                 return None
             return self._generation
 
-    def reset_generation(self):
-        """Reset the generation and memberId because we have fallen out of the group."""
+    def reset_generation(self, member_id=UNKNOWN_MEMBER_ID):
+        """Reset the generation and member_id because we have fallen out of the group."""
         with self._lock:
-            self._generation = Generation.NO_GENERATION
+            self._generation = Generation(DEFAULT_GENERATION_ID, member_id, None)
             self.rejoin_needed = True
             self.state = MemberState.UNJOINED
 
@@ -799,8 +815,10 @@ def _close_heartbeat_thread(self, timeout_ms=None):
                 self._heartbeat_thread = None
 
     def __del__(self):
-        if hasattr(self, '_heartbeat_thread'):
+        try:
             self._close_heartbeat_thread()
+        except (TypeError, AttributeError):
+            pass
 
     def close(self, timeout_ms=None):
         """Close the coordinator, leave the current group,
@@ -816,7 +834,7 @@ def maybe_leave_group(self, timeout_ms=None):
         with self._client._lock, self._lock:
             if (not self.coordinator_unknown()
                 and self.state is not MemberState.UNJOINED
-                and self._generation is not Generation.NO_GENERATION):
+                and self._generation.is_valid):
 
                 # this is a minimal effort attempt to leave the group. we do not
                 # attempt any resending if the request fails or times out.
diff --git a/kafka/protocol/group.py b/kafka/protocol/group.py
index 3b32590ec..74e19c94b 100644
--- a/kafka/protocol/group.py
+++ b/kafka/protocol/group.py
@@ -52,6 +52,12 @@ class JoinGroupResponse_v3(Response):
     SCHEMA = JoinGroupResponse_v2.SCHEMA
 
 
+class JoinGroupResponse_v4(Response):
+    API_KEY = 11
+    API_VERSION = 4
+    SCHEMA = JoinGroupResponse_v3.SCHEMA
+
+
 class JoinGroupRequest_v0(Request):
     API_KEY = 11
     API_VERSION = 0
@@ -95,14 +101,22 @@ class JoinGroupRequest_v3(Request):
     API_VERSION = 3
     RESPONSE_TYPE = JoinGroupResponse_v3
     SCHEMA = JoinGroupRequest_v2.SCHEMA
-    UNKNOWN_MEMBER_ID = ''
+
+
+class JoinGroupRequest_v4(Request):
+    API_KEY = 11
+    API_VERSION = 4
+    RESPONSE_TYPE = JoinGroupResponse_v4
+    SCHEMA = JoinGroupRequest_v3.SCHEMA
 
 
 JoinGroupRequest = [
-    JoinGroupRequest_v0, JoinGroupRequest_v1, JoinGroupRequest_v2, JoinGroupRequest_v3
+    JoinGroupRequest_v0, JoinGroupRequest_v1, JoinGroupRequest_v2,
+    JoinGroupRequest_v3, JoinGroupRequest_v4,
 ]
 JoinGroupResponse = [
-    JoinGroupResponse_v0, JoinGroupResponse_v1, JoinGroupResponse_v2, JoinGroupResponse_v3
+    JoinGroupResponse_v0, JoinGroupResponse_v1, JoinGroupResponse_v2,
+    JoinGroupResponse_v3, JoinGroupResponse_v4,
 ]
 
 
diff --git a/test/test_coordinator.py b/test/test_coordinator.py
index bfd3a2187..251de566a 100644
--- a/test/test_coordinator.py
+++ b/test/test_coordinator.py
@@ -304,7 +304,7 @@ def test_close(mocker, coordinator):
     coordinator._handle_leave_group_response.assert_called_with('foobar')
 
     assert coordinator.generation() is None
-    assert coordinator._generation is Generation.NO_GENERATION
+    assert coordinator._generation == Generation.NO_GENERATION
     assert coordinator.state is MemberState.UNJOINED
     assert coordinator.rejoin_needed is True