diff --git a/src/laybasic/laybasic/layNetlistBrowserPage.cc b/src/laybasic/laybasic/layNetlistBrowserPage.cc
index 2a58ea516..ee0474460 100644
--- a/src/laybasic/laybasic/layNetlistBrowserPage.cc
+++ b/src/laybasic/laybasic/layNetlistBrowserPage.cc
@@ -235,14 +235,19 @@ NetlistBrowserPage::set_highlight_style (QColor color, int line_width, int verte
 }
 
 void
-NetlistBrowserPage::set_view (lay::LayoutView *view, unsigned int cv_index)
+NetlistBrowserPage::set_view (lay::LayoutView *view, int cv_index)
 {
   if (mp_view) {
     mp_view->layer_list_changed_event.remove (this, &NetlistBrowserPage::layer_list_changed);
   }
 
-  mp_view = view;
-  m_cv_index = cv_index;
+  if (cv_index < 0) {
+    mp_view = 0;
+    m_cv_index = 0;
+  } else {
+    mp_view = view;
+    m_cv_index = (unsigned int) cv_index;
+  }
 
   if (mp_view) {
     mp_view->layer_list_changed_event.add (this, &NetlistBrowserPage::layer_list_changed);
diff --git a/src/laybasic/laybasic/layNetlistBrowserPage.h b/src/laybasic/laybasic/layNetlistBrowserPage.h
index 03db3b29d..2bde27cec 100644
--- a/src/laybasic/laybasic/layNetlistBrowserPage.h
+++ b/src/laybasic/laybasic/layNetlistBrowserPage.h
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ public:
    *  If that pointer is non-null, the browser will attach itself to
    *  the view and provide highlights for the selected markers inside the given cellview.
    */
-  void set_view (lay::LayoutView *view, unsigned int cv_index);
+  void set_view (lay::LayoutView *view, int cv_index);
 
   /**
    *  @brief Attaches the page to a L2N DB
diff --git a/testdata/ruby/rdbTest.rb b/testdata/ruby/rdbTest.rb
index 975f1155f..a6fa8ebd2 100644
--- a/testdata/ruby/rdbTest.rb
+++ b/testdata/ruby/rdbTest.rb
@@ -695,6 +695,8 @@ class RDB_TestClass < TestBase
     assert_equal(view.num_rdbs, 2)
     assert_equal(ot, 0)
 
+    mw.close_current_view
+
   end
 
   # scan_... methods