diff --git a/libs/renderengine/threaded/RenderEngineThreaded.cpp b/libs/renderengine/threaded/RenderEngineThreaded.cpp
index c9f6296..c87a836 100644
--- a/libs/renderengine/threaded/RenderEngineThreaded.cpp
+++ b/libs/renderengine/threaded/RenderEngineThreaded.cpp
@@ -90,6 +90,9 @@
             return !mRunning || !mFunctionCalls.empty();
         });
     }
+
+    // we must release the RenderEngine on the thread that created it
+    mRenderEngine.reset();
 }
 
 void RenderEngineThreaded::waitUntilInitialized() const {