diff --git a/lib/libalpm/alpm.c b/lib/libalpm/alpm.c
index 4f95832d..a60a4bb6 100644
--- a/lib/libalpm/alpm.c
+++ b/lib/libalpm/alpm.c
@@ -77,10 +77,19 @@ int SYMEXPORT alpm_initialize(void)
  */
 int SYMEXPORT alpm_release(void)
 {
+	pmdb_t *db;
+
 	ALPM_LOG_FUNC;
 
 	ASSERT(handle != NULL, RET_ERR(PM_ERR_HANDLE_NULL, -1));
 
+	/* close local database */
+	db = handle->db_local;
+	if(db) {
+		db->ops->unregister(db);
+		handle->db_local = NULL;
+	}
+
 	if(alpm_db_unregister_all() == -1) {
 		return(-1);
 	}
diff --git a/lib/libalpm/db.c b/lib/libalpm/db.c
index fb64faed..bf6df06e 100644
--- a/lib/libalpm/db.c
+++ b/lib/libalpm/db.c
@@ -90,12 +90,8 @@ int SYMEXPORT alpm_db_unregister_all(void)
 	/* Do not unregister a database if a transaction is on-going */
 	ASSERT(handle->trans == NULL, RET_ERR(PM_ERR_TRANS_NOT_NULL, -1));
 
-	/* close local database */
-	db = handle->db_local;
-	if(db) {
-		db->ops->unregister(db);
-		handle->db_local = NULL;
-	}
+	/* since the local DB is registered in alpm_initialize(), we'll be
+	 * symmetrical and let the cleanup occur in alpm_release() */
 
 	/* and also sync ones */
 	for(i = handle->dbs_sync; i; i = i->next) {