diff --git a/src/buffer_manager.cc b/src/buffer_manager.cc
index e19c889c..77c50288 100644
--- a/src/buffer_manager.cc
+++ b/src/buffer_manager.cc
@@ -9,6 +9,13 @@ namespace Kakoune
 
 struct name_not_unique : logic_error {};
 
+BufferManager::~BufferManager()
+{
+    // delete remaining buffers
+    while (not m_buffers.empty())
+        delete m_buffers.begin()->second;
+}
+
 void BufferManager::register_buffer(Buffer* buffer)
 {
     assert(buffer);
diff --git a/src/buffer_manager.hh b/src/buffer_manager.hh
index e893d419..beba6652 100644
--- a/src/buffer_manager.hh
+++ b/src/buffer_manager.hh
@@ -26,6 +26,8 @@ public:
         Buffer* operator->() const { return parent_type::operator*().second; }
     };
 
+    ~BufferManager();
+
     void register_buffer(Buffer* buffer);
     void unregister_buffer(Buffer* buffer);