diff --git a/cvpcb/cvpcb.cpp b/cvpcb/cvpcb.cpp
index 3d24dd0067..301e0bd7e7 100644
--- a/cvpcb/cvpcb.cpp
+++ b/cvpcb/cvpcb.cpp
@@ -184,6 +184,9 @@ bool IFACE::OnKifaceStart( PGM_BASE* aProgram, int aCtlBits )
     }
     catch( const IO_ERROR& ioe )
     {
+        // we didnt get anywhere deregister the settings
+        aProgram->GetSettingsManager().FlushAndRelease( KifaceSettings(), false );
+
         DisplayErrorMessage( nullptr, _( "An error occurred attempting to load the global "
                                          "footprint library table." ),
                              ioe.What() );
diff --git a/eeschema/eeschema.cpp b/eeschema/eeschema.cpp
index f7ee199104..f90979f05d 100644
--- a/eeschema/eeschema.cpp
+++ b/eeschema/eeschema.cpp
@@ -334,7 +334,8 @@ bool IFACE::OnKifaceStart( PGM_BASE* aProgram, int aCtlBits )
     InitSettings( new EESCHEMA_SETTINGS );
     // Register the symbol editor settings as well because they share a KiFACE and need to be
     // loaded prior to use to avoid threading deadlocks
-    aProgram->GetSettingsManager().RegisterSettings( new SYMBOL_EDITOR_SETTINGS );
+    SYMBOL_EDITOR_SETTINGS* symSettings = new SYMBOL_EDITOR_SETTINGS();
+    aProgram->GetSettingsManager().RegisterSettings( symSettings ); // manager takes ownership
 
     // We intentionally register KifaceSettings after SYMBOL_EDITOR_SETTINGS
     // In legacy configs, many settings were in a single editor config nd the migration routine
@@ -345,7 +346,12 @@ bool IFACE::OnKifaceStart( PGM_BASE* aProgram, int aCtlBits )
     start_common( aCtlBits );
 
     if( !loadGlobalLibTable() )
+    {
+        // we didnt get anywhere deregister the settings
+        aProgram->GetSettingsManager().FlushAndRelease( symSettings, false );
+        aProgram->GetSettingsManager().FlushAndRelease( KifaceSettings(), false );
         return false;
+    }
 
     m_jobHandler = std::make_unique<EESCHEMA_JOBS_HANDLER>();
 
diff --git a/pcbnew/pcbnew.cpp b/pcbnew/pcbnew.cpp
index 7ed364eadc..c8d8bff9a8 100644
--- a/pcbnew/pcbnew.cpp
+++ b/pcbnew/pcbnew.cpp
@@ -364,7 +364,21 @@ bool IFACE::OnKifaceStart( PGM_BASE* aProgram, int aCtlBits )
     start_common( aCtlBits );
 
     if( !loadGlobalLibTable() )
+    {
+        // we didnt get anywhere deregister the
+        aProgram->GetSettingsManager().FlushAndRelease(
+                aProgram->GetSettingsManager().GetAppSettings<CVPCB_SETTINGS>(), false );
+
+        aProgram->GetSettingsManager().FlushAndRelease( KifaceSettings(), false );
+
+        aProgram->GetSettingsManager().FlushAndRelease(
+                aProgram->GetSettingsManager().GetAppSettings<FOOTPRINT_EDITOR_SETTINGS>(), false );
+
+        aProgram->GetSettingsManager().FlushAndRelease(
+                aProgram->GetSettingsManager().GetAppSettings<EDA_3D_VIEWER_SETTINGS>(), false );
+
         return false;
+    }
 
     m_jobHandler = std::make_unique<PCBNEW_JOBS_HANDLER>();