diff --git a/webshell/tests/viewer/nsViewerApp.cpp b/webshell/tests/viewer/nsViewerApp.cpp
index e7426a3b897..a5a1f7ea9fa 100644
--- a/webshell/tests/viewer/nsViewerApp.cpp
+++ b/webshell/tests/viewer/nsViewerApp.cpp
@@ -117,6 +117,7 @@ nsViewerApp::nsViewerApp()
   mIsInitialized = PR_FALSE;
   mWidth = DEFAULT_WIDTH;
   mHeight = DEFAULT_HEIGHT;
+  mJustShutdown = PR_FALSE;
 }
 
 nsViewerApp::~nsViewerApp()
@@ -208,9 +209,11 @@ nsViewerApp::SetupRegistry()
   nsIFactory* bwf;
   NS_NewBrowserWindowFactory(&bwf);
   nsComponentManager::RegisterFactory(kBrowserWindowCID, 0, 0, bwf, PR_FALSE);
+  NS_RELEASE(bwf);
 
   NS_NewXPBaseWindowFactory(&bwf);
   nsComponentManager::RegisterFactory(kXPBaseWindowCID, 0, 0, bwf, PR_FALSE);
+  NS_RELEASE(bwf);
 
   return NS_OK;
 }
@@ -243,7 +246,7 @@ nsViewerApp::Initialize(int argc, char** argv)
 
   // Create widget application shell
   rv = nsComponentManager::CreateInstance(kAppShellCID, nsnull, kIAppShellIID,
-                                    (void**)&mAppShell);
+                                          (void**)&mAppShell);
   if (NS_OK != rv) {
     return rv;
   }
@@ -252,7 +255,7 @@ nsViewerApp::Initialize(int argc, char** argv)
 
   // Load preferences
   rv = nsComponentManager::CreateInstance(kPrefCID, NULL, kIPrefIID,
-                                    (void **) &mPrefs);
+                                          (void **) &mPrefs);
   if (NS_OK != rv) {
     return rv;
   }
@@ -318,16 +321,21 @@ nsViewerApp::Initialize(int argc, char** argv)
 nsresult
 nsViewerApp::Exit()
 {
-
-  Destroy();
-  mAppShell->Exit();
-  NS_RELEASE(mAppShell);
-
-  if (nsnull != mEventQService) {
-    nsServiceManager::ReleaseService(kEventQueueServiceCID, mEventQService);
-    mEventQService = nsnull;
+  nsresult rv = NS_OK;
+  if (mAppShell) {
+    Destroy();
+    mAppShell->Exit();
+    NS_RELEASE(mAppShell);
   }
-  return NS_OK;
+  if (mEventQService) {
+    printf("Going to destroy the event queue\n");
+    rv = mEventQService->DestroyThreadEventQueue();
+    if (nsnull != mEventQService) {
+      nsServiceManager::ReleaseService(kEventQueueServiceCID, mEventQService);
+      mEventQService = nsnull;
+    }
+  }
+  return rv;
 }
 
 static void
@@ -351,6 +359,7 @@ PrintHelpInfo(char **argv)
   fprintf(stderr, "-S domain -- add a domain/host that is safe to crawl (e.g. www.netscape.com)\n");
   fprintf(stderr, "-A domain -- add a domain/host that should be avoided (e.g. microsoft.com)\n");
   fprintf(stderr, "-N pages -- set the max # of pages to crawl\n");
+  fprintf(stderr, "-x -- startup and just shutdown to test for leaks under Purify\n");
 #if defined(NS_DEBUG) && defined(XP_WIN)
   fprintf(stderr, "-md # -- set the crt debug flags to #\n");
 #endif
@@ -415,15 +424,17 @@ nsViewerApp::ProcessArguments(int argc, char** argv)
   int i;
   for (i = 1; i < argc; i++) {
     if (argv[i][0] == '-') {
+      if (PL_strcmp(argv[i], "-x") == 0) {
+        mJustShutdown = PR_TRUE;
+      }
 #if defined(NS_DEBUG) && defined(XP_WIN)
-      if (PL_strcmp(argv[i], "-md") == 0) {
+      else if (PL_strcmp(argv[i], "-md") == 0) {
         int old = _CrtSetDbgFlag(0);
         old |= _CRTDBG_CHECK_ALWAYS_DF;
         _CrtSetDbgFlag(old);
       }
-      else
 #endif
-      if (PL_strncmp(argv[i], "-p", 2) == 0) {
+      else if (PL_strncmp(argv[i], "-p", 2) == 0) {
         char *optionalSampleStopIndex = &(argv[i][2]);
         if ('\0' != *optionalSampleStopIndex)
         {
diff --git a/webshell/tests/viewer/nsViewerApp.h b/webshell/tests/viewer/nsViewerApp.h
index a35d6188730..545178e895d 100644
--- a/webshell/tests/viewer/nsViewerApp.h
+++ b/webshell/tests/viewer/nsViewerApp.h
@@ -82,6 +82,7 @@ protected:
   PRBool mIsInitialized;
   PRInt32 mWidth, mHeight;
   PRBool mShowLoadTimes;
+  PRBool mJustShutdown;
 };
 
 class nsNativeViewerApp : public nsViewerApp {
diff --git a/webshell/tests/viewer/nsWinMain.cpp b/webshell/tests/viewer/nsWinMain.cpp
index b6cce3a28bb..18e10c2d1f2 100644
--- a/webshell/tests/viewer/nsWinMain.cpp
+++ b/webshell/tests/viewer/nsWinMain.cpp
@@ -39,6 +39,9 @@ nsNativeViewerApp::~nsNativeViewerApp()
 int
 nsNativeViewerApp::Run() 
 {
+  if (mJustShutdown)
+    return 0;
+
   OpenWindow();
  
   // Process messages
@@ -47,7 +50,7 @@ nsNativeViewerApp::Run()
 
   // Pump all messages
   do {
-    BOOL  havePriorityMessage;
+//    BOOL  havePriorityMessage;
 
     // Give priority to system messages (in particular keyboard, mouse,
     // timer, and paint messages).
@@ -125,12 +128,13 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 {
   nsresult rv;
   nsIServiceManager* servMgr;
-  rv = NS_InitXPCOM(&servMgr, NULL, NULL);
+  rv = NS_InitXPCOM(&servMgr);
   NS_ASSERTION(NS_SUCCEEDED(rv), "NS_InitXPCOM failed");
   nsViewerApp* app = new nsNativeViewerApp();
   NS_ADDREF(app);
   app->Initialize(argc, argv);
   int result = app->Run();
+  app->Exit();  // this exit is needed for the -x case where the close box is never clicked
   NS_RELEASE(app);
   rv = NS_ShutdownXPCOM(servMgr);
   NS_ASSERTION(NS_SUCCEEDED(rv), "NS_ShutdownXPCOM failed");