diff --git a/ChangeLog b/ChangeLog
index 064dd8a0..4f3488f3 100644
--- a/ChangeLog
+++ b/ChangeLog
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
 - cache limits, drop, init, flush plus command-line controls
 - remove dmalloc support, was never used and valgrind is better
 - im_csv2vips() allows quoted strings, including escaped quotes
+- added vips_shutdown()
 
 10/8/11 started 7.26.3
 - don't use G_VALUE_COLLECT_INIT(), many platforms do not have a glib this
diff --git a/TODO b/TODO
index bfb8e0d1..cea230d0 100644
--- a/TODO
+++ b/TODO
@@ -8,7 +8,8 @@
 - add vips_init_argv() which processes argc/argv for you? handy for tiny
   progs, perhaps
 
-- add vips_shutdown()? unload plugins, drop cache etc.
+- add vips_shutdown()? unload plugins, drop cache etc. could test for leaks
+  too
 
 
 
diff --git a/libvips/include/vips/vips.h b/libvips/include/vips/vips.h
index edb098a2..9661a376 100644
--- a/libvips/include/vips/vips.h
+++ b/libvips/include/vips/vips.h
@@ -150,6 +150,7 @@ extern "C" {
 const char *vips_get_argv0( void );
 int vips_init( const char *argv0 );
 void vips_check_init( void );
+void vips_shutdown( void );
 GOptionGroup *vips_get_option_group( void );
 
 const char *vips_version_string( void );
diff --git a/libvips/iofuncs/init.c b/libvips/iofuncs/init.c
index 8b78dd2a..dbdc8a08 100644
--- a/libvips/iofuncs/init.c
+++ b/libvips/iofuncs/init.c
@@ -145,12 +145,14 @@ vips_get_argv0( void )
  *   if( vips_init( argv[0] ) )
  *     vips_error_exit( "unable to start VIPS" );
  *
+ *   vips_shutdown();
+ *
  *   return( 0 );
  * }
  * ]|
  *
- * See also: vips_get_option_group(), vips_version(), vips_guess_prefix(),
- * vips_guess_libdir().
+ * See also: vips_shutdown(), vips_get_option_group(), vips_version(), 
+ * vips_guess_prefix(), vips_guess_libdir().
  *
  * Returns: 0 on success, -1 otherwise
  */
@@ -274,6 +276,25 @@ vips_check_init( void )
 		vips_error_clear();
 }
 
+/**
+ * vips_shutdown:
+ *
+ * Call this to drop caches and close plugins. Handy if you're doing leak
+ * checks.
+ */
+void
+vips_shutdown( void )
+{
+	im_close_plugins();
+	vips_cache_drop_all();
+
+#ifdef DEBUG_LEAK
+	printf( "** leak test on exit:\n" );
+	im__print_all();
+	printf( "** leak test done\n" );
+#endif /*DEBUG_LEAK*/
+}
+
 const char *
 vips__gettext( const char *msgid )
 {
diff --git a/tools/edvips.c b/tools/edvips.c
index 089006d4..3ea8a90d 100644
--- a/tools/edvips.c
+++ b/tools/edvips.c
@@ -207,6 +207,8 @@ main( int argc, char **argv )
 
 	im_close( im );
 
+	vips_shutdown();
+
 	return( 0 );
 }
 
diff --git a/tools/find_mosaic.c b/tools/find_mosaic.c
index 11e5d0c7..33ef1f06 100644
--- a/tools/find_mosaic.c
+++ b/tools/find_mosaic.c
@@ -436,6 +436,7 @@ char **argv;
 			error_exit("unable to close\n ");
 	fclose( fp );
 
+	vips_shutdown();
 
 	return( 0 );
 }
diff --git a/tools/header.c b/tools/header.c
index f5cf2ecd..72516878 100644
--- a/tools/header.c
+++ b/tools/header.c
@@ -204,5 +204,7 @@ main( int argc, char *argv[] )
 			im_close( im );
 	}
 
+	vips_shutdown();
+
 	return( result );
 }
diff --git a/tools/mergeup.c b/tools/mergeup.c
index 166f1a94..5a366b74 100644
--- a/tools/mergeup.c
+++ b/tools/mergeup.c
@@ -560,5 +560,7 @@ char **argv;
 		if( im_close(out) == -1)
 			error_exit("unable to close\n ");
 
+	vips_shutdown();
+
 	return( 0 );
 }
diff --git a/tools/vips.c b/tools/vips.c
index 206a6790..e506fae0 100644
--- a/tools/vips.c
+++ b/tools/vips.c
@@ -1127,14 +1127,7 @@ main( int argc, char **argv )
 
 	g_option_context_free( context );
 
-	im_close_plugins();
-	vips_cache_drop_all();
-
-#ifdef DEBUG_LEAK
-	printf( "** leak test on exit:\n" );
-	im__print_all();
-	printf( "** leak test done\n" );
-#endif /*DEBUG_LEAK*/
+	vips_shutdown();
 
 	return( 0 );
 }
diff --git a/tools/vipsthumbnail.c b/tools/vipsthumbnail.c
index 81aa01b7..3c0ee5c8 100644
--- a/tools/vipsthumbnail.c
+++ b/tools/vipsthumbnail.c
@@ -405,5 +405,7 @@ main( int argc, char **argv )
 			im_error_clear();
 		}
 
+	vips_shutdown();
+
 	return( 0 );
 }