diff --git a/vlib/v/gen/cgen.v b/vlib/v/gen/cgen.v
index 08bb999dbb..9793e64258 100644
--- a/vlib/v/gen/cgen.v
+++ b/vlib/v/gen/cgen.v
@@ -5009,9 +5009,10 @@ fn (mut g Gen) write_init_function() {
 	if g.pref.printfn_list.len > 0 && '_vinit' in g.pref.printfn_list {
 		println(g.out.after(fn_vinit_start_pos))
 	}
+	//
+	fn_vcleanup_start_pos := g.out.len
+	g.writeln('void _vcleanup() {')
 	if g.is_autofree {
-		fn_vcleanup_start_pos := g.out.len
-		g.writeln('void _vcleanup() {')
 		// g.writeln('puts("cleaning up...");')
 		reversed_table_modules := g.table.modules.reverse()
 		for mod_name in reversed_table_modules {
@@ -5020,21 +5021,29 @@ fn (mut g Gen) write_init_function() {
 		}
 		// g.writeln('\tfree(g_str_buf);')
 		g.writeln('\tarray_free(&as_cast_type_indexes);')
-		g.writeln('}')
-		if g.pref.printfn_list.len > 0 && '_vcleanup' in g.pref.printfn_list {
-			println(g.out.after(fn_vcleanup_start_pos))
-		}
 	}
+	g.writeln('}')
+	if g.pref.printfn_list.len > 0 && '_vcleanup' in g.pref.printfn_list {
+		println(g.out.after(fn_vcleanup_start_pos))
+	}
+	//
 	needs_constructor := g.pref.is_shared && g.pref.os != .windows
 	if needs_constructor {
 		// shared libraries need a way to call _vinit/2. For that purpose,
-		// provide a constructor, ensuring that all constants are initialized just once.
+		// provide a constructor/destructor pair, ensuring that all constants
+		// are initialized just once, and that they will be freed too.
 		// NB: os.args in this case will be [].
 		g.writeln('__attribute__ ((constructor))')
 		g.writeln('void _vinit_caller() {')
 		g.writeln('\tstatic bool once = false; if (once) {return;} once = true;')
 		g.writeln('\t_vinit(0,0);')
 		g.writeln('}')
+
+		g.writeln('__attribute__ ((destructor))')
+		g.writeln('void _vcleanup_caller() {')
+		g.writeln('\tstatic bool once = false; if (once) {return;} once = true;')
+		g.writeln('\t_vcleanup();')
+		g.writeln('}')
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/vlib/v/gen/cmain.v b/vlib/v/gen/cmain.v
index 0cccfc9f57..f0e27c183a 100644
--- a/vlib/v/gen/cmain.v
+++ b/vlib/v/gen/cmain.v
@@ -78,9 +78,7 @@ fn (mut g Gen) gen_c_main_header() {
 }
 
 pub fn (mut g Gen) gen_c_main_footer() {
-	if g.is_autofree {
-		g.writeln('\t_vcleanup();')
-	}
+	g.writeln('\t_vcleanup();')
 	g.writeln('\treturn 0;')
 	g.writeln('}')
 }
@@ -160,9 +158,7 @@ pub fn (mut g Gen) gen_c_main_for_tests() {
 	if g.pref.is_stats {
 		g.writeln('\tmain__BenchedTests_end_testing(&bt);')
 	}
-	if g.is_autofree {
-		g.writeln('\t_vcleanup();')
-	}
+	g.writeln('\t_vcleanup();')
 	g.writeln('\treturn g_test_fails > 0;')
 	g.writeln('}')
 	if g.pref.printfn_list.len > 0 && 'main' in g.pref.printfn_list {