diff --git a/libs/ardour/audioregion.cc b/libs/ardour/audioregion.cc
index 3092817a39..e92cbcafe5 100644
--- a/libs/ardour/audioregion.cc
+++ b/libs/ardour/audioregion.cc
@@ -2093,5 +2093,9 @@ AudioRegion::do_export (std::string const& path) const
 		to_read -= this_time;
 		pos += this_time;
 	}
+
+	/* Drop references, close file */
+	interleaver.clear_outputs ();
+	sfw.reset ();
 	return to_read == 0;
 }