diff --git a/libs/ardour/ardour/vst3_plugin.h b/libs/ardour/ardour/vst3_plugin.h
index f061a00ea2..b5096be7c3 100644
--- a/libs/ardour/ardour/vst3_plugin.h
+++ b/libs/ardour/ardour/vst3_plugin.h
@@ -381,7 +381,7 @@ class LIBARDOUR_API VST3PluginInfo : public PluginInfo
 {
 public:
 	VST3PluginInfo ();
-	~VST3PluginInfo (){};
+	~VST3PluginInfo () {}
 
 	PluginPtr                         load (Session& session);
 	std::vector<Plugin::PresetRecord> get_presets (bool user_only) const;
diff --git a/libs/ardour/plugin_manager.cc b/libs/ardour/plugin_manager.cc
index a6644b8a69..b196474a42 100644
--- a/libs/ardour/plugin_manager.cc
+++ b/libs/ardour/plugin_manager.cc
@@ -314,12 +314,14 @@ PluginManager::~PluginManager()
 		delete _windows_vst_plugin_info;
 		delete _lxvst_plugin_info;
 		delete _mac_vst_plugin_info;
-		delete _vst3_plugin_info;
 		delete _ladspa_plugin_info;
 		delete _lv2_plugin_info;
 		delete _au_plugin_info;
 		delete _lua_plugin_info;
 	}
+
+	/* do drop VST3 Info in order to release any loaded modules */
+	delete _vst3_plugin_info;
 }
 
 struct PluginInfoPtrNameSorter {