diff --git a/capinfos.c b/capinfos.c
index 2bce743d26..c548f43f57 100644
--- a/capinfos.c
+++ b/capinfos.c
@@ -1710,6 +1710,10 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
 exit:
   g_free(hash_buf);
   wtap_cleanup();
+  free_progdirs();
+#ifdef HAVE_PLUGINS
+  plugins_cleanup();
+#endif
   return overall_error_status;
 }
 
diff --git a/captype.c b/captype.c
index 5858a392f8..8bff6f01b5 100644
--- a/captype.c
+++ b/captype.c
@@ -217,6 +217,10 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
   }
 
   wtap_cleanup();
+  free_progdirs();
+#ifdef HAVE_PLUGINS
+  plugins_cleanup();
+#endif
   return overall_error_status;
 }
 
diff --git a/editcap.c b/editcap.c
index b209e4fad7..ae691cf1b5 100644
--- a/editcap.c
+++ b/editcap.c
@@ -1898,6 +1898,10 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
     wtap_close(wth);
 clean_exit:
     wtap_cleanup();
+    free_progdirs();
+#ifdef HAVE_PLUGINS
+    plugins_cleanup();
+#endif
     return ret;
 
 error_on_exit:
diff --git a/sharkd.c b/sharkd.c
index 4ab49bf485..db797be5dd 100644
--- a/sharkd.c
+++ b/sharkd.c
@@ -300,6 +300,10 @@ clean_exit:
   col_cleanup(&cfile.cinfo);
   free_filter_lists();
   wtap_cleanup();
+  free_progdirs();
+#ifdef HAVE_PLUGINS
+  plugins_cleanup();
+#endif
   return ret;
 }
 
diff --git a/tshark.c b/tshark.c
index 470da75992..b244d78a6d 100644
--- a/tshark.c
+++ b/tshark.c
@@ -2203,6 +2203,10 @@ clean_exit:
   col_cleanup(&cfile.cinfo);
   free_filter_lists();
   wtap_cleanup();
+  free_progdirs();
+#ifdef HAVE_PLUGINS
+  plugins_cleanup();
+#endif
   cf_close(&cfile);
   return exit_status;
 }
diff --git a/ui/gtk/main.c b/ui/gtk/main.c
index bf3bc3b481..11c73fb835 100644
--- a/ui/gtk/main.c
+++ b/ui/gtk/main.c
@@ -2817,6 +2817,10 @@ clean_exit:
     col_cleanup(&cfile.cinfo);
     free_filter_lists();
     wtap_cleanup();
+    free_progdirs();
+#ifdef HAVE_PLUGINS
+    plugins_cleanup();
+#endif
     return ret;
 }
 
diff --git a/wireshark-qt.cpp b/wireshark-qt.cpp
index 4fcedd2d68..5ad28c59e9 100644
--- a/wireshark-qt.cpp
+++ b/wireshark-qt.cpp
@@ -948,6 +948,10 @@ clean_exit:
 #endif
     col_cleanup(&CaptureFile::globalCapFile()->cinfo);
     wtap_cleanup();
+    free_progdirs();
+#ifdef HAVE_PLUGINS
+    plugins_cleanup();
+#endif
     return ret_val;
 }
 
diff --git a/wsutil/filesystem.c b/wsutil/filesystem.c
index 7ea4776a91..f820ef1df0 100644
--- a/wsutil/filesystem.c
+++ b/wsutil/filesystem.c
@@ -2191,6 +2191,16 @@ data_file_url(const gchar *filename)
     return uri;
 }
 
+void
+free_progdirs(void)
+{
+    g_free(progfile_dir);
+    g_free(plugin_dir);
+#ifdef HAVE_EXTCAP
+    g_free(extcap_dir);
+#endif
+}
+
 /*
  * Editor modelines
  *
diff --git a/wsutil/filesystem.h b/wsutil/filesystem.h
index a45367a69b..ea467c49ee 100644
--- a/wsutil/filesystem.h
+++ b/wsutil/filesystem.h
@@ -304,6 +304,11 @@ WS_DLL_PUBLIC gboolean copy_file_binary_mode(const char *from_filename,
  */
 WS_DLL_PUBLIC gchar* data_file_url(const gchar *filename);
 
+/*
+ * Free the internal structtures
+ */
+WS_DLL_PUBLIC void free_progdirs(void);
+
 #ifdef __cplusplus
 }
 #endif /* __cplusplus */
diff --git a/wsutil/plugins.c b/wsutil/plugins.c
index 1f637c552b..2e8b7dcfe8 100644
--- a/wsutil/plugins.c
+++ b/wsutil/plugins.c
@@ -156,6 +156,10 @@ plugins_scan_dir(const char *dirname, plugin_load_failure_mode mode)
     gchar         *dot;
     int            cr;
 
+    if (!g_file_test(dirname, G_FILE_TEST_EXISTS) || !g_file_test(dirname, G_FILE_TEST_IS_DIR)) {
+        return;
+    }
+
     if ((dir = ws_dir_open(dirname, 0, NULL)) != NULL)
     {
         while ((file = ws_dir_read_name(dir)) != NULL)
@@ -180,6 +184,7 @@ plugins_scan_dir(const char *dirname, plugin_load_failure_mode mode)
 #endif
             g_snprintf(filename, FILENAME_LEN, "%s" G_DIR_SEPARATOR_S "%s",
                        dirname, name);
+
             if ((handle = g_module_open(filename, G_MODULE_BIND_LOCAL)) == NULL)
             {
                 /*
@@ -265,7 +270,6 @@ plugins_scan_dir(const char *dirname, plugin_load_failure_mode mode)
                 g_free(new_plug);
                 continue;
             }
-
         }
         ws_dir_close(dir);
     }
@@ -422,6 +426,29 @@ plugins_dump_all(void)
     plugins_get_descriptions(print_plugin_description, NULL);
 }
 
+void
+plugins_cleanup(void)
+{
+    plugin* prev;
+    plugin* cur;
+
+    if (!plugin_list)
+        return;
+
+    prev = plugin_list;
+    cur = plugin_list->next;
+
+    do {
+        g_free(prev->name);
+        g_free(prev);
+        prev = cur;
+        cur = cur->next;
+    } while(cur);
+
+    g_free(prev->name);
+    g_free(prev);
+}
+
 #endif /* HAVE_PLUGINS */
 
 /*
diff --git a/wsutil/plugins.h b/wsutil/plugins.h
index 677c6d3f0b..89751ee2fb 100644
--- a/wsutil/plugins.h
+++ b/wsutil/plugins.h
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@ typedef void (*plugin_description_callback)(const char *, const char *,
                                             void *);
 WS_DLL_PUBLIC void plugins_get_descriptions(plugin_description_callback callback, void *user_data);
 WS_DLL_PUBLIC void plugins_dump_all(void);
+WS_DLL_PUBLIC void plugins_cleanup(void);
 
 #ifdef __cplusplus
 }