diff --git a/src/pya/pya/pya.cc b/src/pya/pya/pya.cc
index 377c7211f..8c617f71d 100644
--- a/src/pya/pya/pya.cc
+++ b/src/pya/pya/pya.cc
@@ -390,6 +390,8 @@ PythonInterpreter::~PythonInterpreter ()
   m_stdout = PythonPtr ();
   m_stderr = PythonPtr ();
 
+  sp_interpreter = 0;
+
   if (m_embedded) {
 
     Py_Finalize ();
@@ -400,8 +402,6 @@ PythonInterpreter::~PythonInterpreter ()
     }
 
   }
-
-  sp_interpreter = 0;
 }
 
 char *
diff --git a/testdata/klayout_main/main.rb b/testdata/klayout_main/main.rb
index 279c20417..f867f4339 100644
--- a/testdata/klayout_main/main.rb
+++ b/testdata/klayout_main/main.rb
@@ -191,6 +191,18 @@ class KLayoutMain_TestClass < TestBase
 
   end
 
+  def test_12
+
+    # Application.exit(0) - Python
+    out = `#{self.klayout_bin} -z -r #{File.join(File.dirname(__FILE__), "test12.py")} 2>&1`
+    assert_equal(out, "Before exit()\n")
+
+    # Application.exit(0) - Ruby
+    out = `#{self.klayout_bin} -z -r #{File.join(File.dirname(__FILE__), "test12.rb")} 2>&1`
+    assert_equal(out, "Before exit()\n")
+
+  end
+
 end
 
 load("test_epilogue.rb")
diff --git a/testdata/klayout_main/test12.py b/testdata/klayout_main/test12.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..b1e545993
--- /dev/null
+++ b/testdata/klayout_main/test12.py
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+
+print("Before exit()")
+pya.Application.instance().exit(0)
+
diff --git a/testdata/klayout_main/test12.rb b/testdata/klayout_main/test12.rb
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..304a4bf6d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/testdata/klayout_main/test12.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+
+$stdout.puts("Before exit()")
+$stdout.flush
+RBA::Application::instance.exit(0)
+