diff --git a/tests/apitest/src/AppKit/NSPasteboard.cs b/tests/apitest/src/AppKit/NSPasteboard.cs
index 29014421b9..c36c999889 100644
--- a/tests/apitest/src/AppKit/NSPasteboard.cs
+++ b/tests/apitest/src/AppKit/NSPasteboard.cs
@@ -14,8 +14,13 @@ namespace Xamarin.Mac.Tests
 		public void NSPasteboardTests_WriteObjectTests ()
 		{
 			NSPasteboard b = NSPasteboard.CreateWithUniqueName();
+			if (b == null)
+				Assert.Inconclusive ("NSPasteboard could not be provided by the OS.");
 			b.WriteObjects (new INSPasteboardWriting [] { (NSString)"asfd" });
 			b.WriteObjects (new NSPasteboardWriting [] { new MyPasteboard () });
+			// from the docs: the lifetime of a unique pasteboard is not related to the lifetime of the creating app,
+			// you must release a unique pasteboard by calling releaseGlobally to avoid possible leaks. 
+			b.ReleaseGlobally (); 
 		}
 		
 		class MyPasteboard2 : NSPasteboardReading