diff --git a/client.cpp b/client.cpp
index 5345356fc1..017d429213 100644
--- a/client.cpp
+++ b/client.cpp
@@ -240,7 +240,10 @@ void Client::releaseWindow(bool on_shutdown)
 {
     assert(!deleting);
     deleting = true;
-    Deleted* del = Deleted::create(this);
+    Deleted* del = NULL;
+    if (!on_shutdown) {
+        del = Deleted::create(this);
+    }
     if (moveResizeMode)
         emit clientFinishUserMovedResized(this);
     emit windowClosed(this, del);
@@ -291,8 +294,10 @@ void Client::releaseWindow(bool on_shutdown)
     XDestroyWindow(display(), frameId());
     //frame = None;
     --block_geometry_updates; // Don't use GeometryUpdatesBlocker, it would now set the geometry
-    disownDataPassedToDeleted();
-    del->unrefWindow();
+    if (!on_shutdown) {
+        disownDataPassedToDeleted();
+        del->unrefWindow();
+    }
     checkNonExistentClients();
     deleteClient(this, Allowed);
     ungrabXServer();
diff --git a/unmanaged.cpp b/unmanaged.cpp
index c1e8c1c5d1..e79004e719 100644
--- a/unmanaged.cpp
+++ b/unmanaged.cpp
@@ -80,9 +80,12 @@ bool Unmanaged::track(Window w)
     return true;
 }
 
-void Unmanaged::release()
+void Unmanaged::release(bool on_shutdown)
 {
-    Deleted* del = Deleted::create(this);
+    Deleted* del = NULL;
+    if (!on_shutdown) {
+        del = Deleted::create(this);
+    }
     emit windowClosed(this, del);
     finishCompositing();
     workspace()->removeUnmanaged(this, Allowed);
@@ -91,9 +94,11 @@ void Unmanaged::release()
             XShapeSelectInput(display(), window(), NoEventMask);
         XSelectInput(display(), window(), NoEventMask);
     }
-    addWorkspaceRepaint(del->visibleRect());
-    disownDataPassedToDeleted();
-    del->unrefWindow();
+    if (!on_shutdown) {
+        addWorkspaceRepaint(del->visibleRect());
+        disownDataPassedToDeleted();
+        del->unrefWindow();
+    }
     deleteUnmanaged(this, Allowed);
 }
 
diff --git a/unmanaged.h b/unmanaged.h
index a3bde27f26..b11d62b84c 100644
--- a/unmanaged.h
+++ b/unmanaged.h
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ class Unmanaged
 public:
     Unmanaged(Workspace *ws);
     bool windowEvent(XEvent* e);
-    void release();
+    void release(bool on_shutdown = false);
     bool track(Window w);
     static void deleteUnmanaged(Unmanaged* c, allowed_t);
     virtual int desktop() const;
diff --git a/workspace.cpp b/workspace.cpp
index a9deaaa088..77dd708cde 100644
--- a/workspace.cpp
+++ b/workspace.cpp
@@ -503,7 +503,7 @@ Workspace::~Workspace()
         desktops.removeAll(c);
     }
     for (UnmanagedList::iterator it = unmanaged.begin(), end = unmanaged.end(); it != end; ++it)
-        (*it)->release();
+        (*it)->release(true);
     delete m_outline;
     discardPopup();
     XDeleteProperty(display(), rootWindow(), atoms->kwin_running);