diff --git a/kitty/cleanup.c b/kitty/cleanup.c
index 6f15fc21c..03298501a 100644
--- a/kitty/cleanup.c
+++ b/kitty/cleanup.c
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
  */
 
 #include "cleanup.h"
+#include <unistd.h>
 
 
 kitty_cleanup_at_exit_func exit_funcs[NUM_CLEANUP_FUNCS] = {0};
@@ -19,5 +20,6 @@ void
 run_at_exit_cleanup_functions(void) {
     for (unsigned i = 0; i < NUM_CLEANUP_FUNCS; i++) {
         if (exit_funcs[i]) exit_funcs[i]();
+        exit_funcs[i] = NULL;
     }
 }
diff --git a/kitty/data-types.c b/kitty/data-types.c
index 3805b3150..bdd2378a2 100644
--- a/kitty/data-types.c
+++ b/kitty/data-types.c
@@ -605,6 +605,11 @@ py_timed_debug_print(PyObject *self UNUSED, PyObject *args) {
     Py_RETURN_NONE;
 }
 
+static PyObject*
+py_run_atexit_cleanup_functions(PyObject *self UNUSED, PyObject *args UNUSED) {
+    run_at_exit_cleanup_functions();
+    Py_RETURN_NONE;
+}
 
 static PyMethodDef module_methods[] = {
     METHODB(replace_c0_codes_except_nl_space_tab, METH_O),
@@ -632,6 +637,7 @@ static PyMethodDef module_methods[] = {
     {"monotonic", (PyCFunction)py_monotonic, METH_NOARGS, ""},
     {"timed_debug_print", (PyCFunction)py_timed_debug_print, METH_VARARGS, ""},
     {"find_in_memoryview", (PyCFunction)find_in_memoryview, METH_VARARGS, ""},
+    {"run_at_exit_cleanup_functions", (PyCFunction)py_run_atexit_cleanup_functions, METH_NOARGS, ""},
 #ifdef __APPLE__
     METHODB(user_cache_dir, METH_NOARGS),
     METHODB(process_group_map, METH_NOARGS),
diff --git a/kitty/fast_data_types.pyi b/kitty/fast_data_types.pyi
index d7155714f..80d50383e 100644
--- a/kitty/fast_data_types.pyi
+++ b/kitty/fast_data_types.pyi
@@ -1723,6 +1723,7 @@ def set_redirect_keys_to_overlay(os_window_id: int, tab_id: int, window_id: int,
 def buffer_keys_in_window(os_window_id: int, tab_id: int, window_id: int, enabled: bool = True) -> bool: ...
 def sprite_idx_to_pos(idx: int, xnum: int, ynum: int) -> tuple[int, int, int]: ...
 def render_box_char(ch: int, width: int, height: int, scale: float = 1.0, dpi_x: float = 96.0, dpi_y: float = 96.0) -> bytes: ...
+def run_at_exit_cleanup_functions() -> None: ...
 
 class MousePosition(TypedDict):
     cell_x: int
diff --git a/kitty/launcher/main.c b/kitty/launcher/main.c
index 133ce76e8..b6c7d3005 100644
--- a/kitty/launcher/main.c
+++ b/kitty/launcher/main.c
@@ -466,5 +466,6 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[], char* envp[]) {
     RunData run_data = {.exe = exe, .exe_dir = exe_dir, .lib_dir = lib, .argc = argc, .argv = argv, .lc_ctype = lc_ctype};
     ret = run_embedded(&run_data);
     single_instance_main(-1, NULL, NULL);
+    Py_FinalizeEx();
     return ret;
 }
diff --git a/kitty/main.py b/kitty/main.py
index 83e2f2f4e..ca6045a4e 100644
--- a/kitty/main.py
+++ b/kitty/main.py
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@ from .fast_data_types import (
     glfw_terminate,
     load_png_data,
     mask_kitty_signals_process_wide,
+    run_at_exit_cleanup_functions,
     set_custom_cursor,
     set_default_window_icon,
     set_options,
@@ -537,3 +538,7 @@ def main() -> None:
         tb = traceback.format_exc()
         log_error(tb)
         raise SystemExit(1)
+    finally:
+        # we cant rely on this running during module unloading of fast_data_types as Python fails
+        # to unload the module, due to reference cycles, I am guessing.
+        run_at_exit_cleanup_functions()