diff --git a/gfx/src/gtk/nsGfxFactoryGTK.cpp b/gfx/src/gtk/nsGfxFactoryGTK.cpp
index ae6aaed70c5a..616164dfd0ef 100644
--- a/gfx/src/gtk/nsGfxFactoryGTK.cpp
+++ b/gfx/src/gtk/nsGfxFactoryGTK.cpp
@@ -180,5 +180,11 @@ static nsModuleComponentInfo components[] =
     nsScreenManagerGtkConstructor }
 };
 
-NS_IMPL_NSGETMODULE("nsGfxGTKModule", components)
+PR_STATIC_CALLBACK(void)
+nsGfxGTKModuleDtor(nsIModule *self)
+{
+  nsRenderingContextGTK::Shutdown();
+}
+
+NS_IMPL_NSGETMODULE_WITH_DTOR("nsGfxGTKModule", components, nsGfxGTKModuleDtor)
 
diff --git a/gfx/src/gtk/nsRenderingContextGTK.cpp b/gfx/src/gtk/nsRenderingContextGTK.cpp
index ca97cb1b9d07..d1a57ccc19a6 100644
--- a/gfx/src/gtk/nsRenderingContextGTK.cpp
+++ b/gfx/src/gtk/nsRenderingContextGTK.cpp
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ static NS_DEFINE_CID(kRegionCID, NS_REGION_CID);
   gdk.height = ns.height; \
   PR_END_MACRO
 
-static nsGCCache *gcCache = new nsGCCache();
+static nsGCCache *gcCache = nsnull;
 
 nsRenderingContextGTK::nsRenderingContextGTK()
 {
@@ -102,6 +102,12 @@ nsRenderingContextGTK::~nsRenderingContextGTK()
   }
 }
 
+/*static*/ nsresult
+nsRenderingContextGTK::Shutdown()
+{
+  delete gcCache;
+  return NS_OK;
+}
 
 NS_IMETHODIMP nsRenderingContextGTK::Init(nsIDeviceContext* aContext,
                                           nsIWidget *aWindow)
@@ -519,6 +525,10 @@ void nsRenderingContextGTK::UpdateGC()
     mClipRegion->GetNativeRegion((void*&)rgn);
   }
 
+  if (!gcCache) {
+    gcCache = new nsGCCache();
+    if (!gcCache) return;
+  }
   mGC = gcCache->GetGC(mSurface->GetDrawable(), 
                        &values,
                        valuesMask,
diff --git a/gfx/src/gtk/nsRenderingContextGTK.h b/gfx/src/gtk/nsRenderingContextGTK.h
index 43a9efecb48e..993ee455821a 100644
--- a/gfx/src/gtk/nsRenderingContextGTK.h
+++ b/gfx/src/gtk/nsRenderingContextGTK.h
@@ -51,6 +51,7 @@ class nsRenderingContextGTK : public nsRenderingContextImpl
 public:
   nsRenderingContextGTK();
   virtual ~nsRenderingContextGTK();
+  static nsresult Shutdown(); // release statics
 
   NS_DECL_AND_IMPL_ZEROING_OPERATOR_NEW