diff --git a/src/main/resources/org/springframework/data/gemfire/config/spring-gemfire-1.0.xsd b/src/main/resources/org/springframework/data/gemfire/config/spring-gemfire-1.0.xsd
index 4fccaf68..fdfc4758 100644
--- a/src/main/resources/org/springframework/data/gemfire/config/spring-gemfire-1.0.xsd
+++ b/src/main/resources/org/springframework/data/gemfire/config/spring-gemfire-1.0.xsd
@@ -202,6 +202,29 @@ Note: Persistence for partitioned regions is supported only from GemFire 6.5 onw
 						]]></xsd:documentation>
 					</xsd:annotation>
 				</xsd:attribute>
+				<xsd:attribute name="destroy" type="xsd:boolean" default="false">
+					<xsd:annotation>
+						<xsd:documentation><![CDATA[
+Indicates whether the defined region should be destroyed or not at shutdown. Destroy cascades to all entries and subregions.
+After the destroy, this region object can not be used any more and any attempt to use this region object will get 
+RegionDestroyedException.
+
+Default is false, meaning that regions are not destroyed.
+						]]></xsd:documentation>
+					</xsd:annotation>
+				</xsd:attribute>
+				<xsd:attribute name="close" type="xsd:boolean" default="true">
+					<xsd:annotation>
+						<xsd:documentation><![CDATA[
+Indicates whether the defined region should be closed or not at shutdown. Close performs a local destroy but leaves behind the region
+disk files. Additionally it notifies the listeners and callbacks.
+
+Default is true, meaning the regions are closed.
+
+Note: Regions are automatically closed when cache closes.						
+						]]></xsd:documentation>
+					</xsd:annotation>
+				</xsd:attribute>
 			</xsd:extension>
 		</xsd:complexContent>
 	</xsd:complexType>
diff --git a/src/test/resources/org/springframework/data/gemfire/config/client-ns.xml b/src/test/resources/org/springframework/data/gemfire/config/client-ns.xml
index e87d6755..ec14d7fa 100644
--- a/src/test/resources/org/springframework/data/gemfire/config/client-ns.xml
+++ b/src/test/resources/org/springframework/data/gemfire/config/client-ns.xml
@@ -13,9 +13,9 @@
 	
 	<gfe:client-region id="simple" pool-name="gemfire-pool"/>
 	
-	<gfe:client-region id="empty" pool-name="gemfire-pool" name="publisher" data-policy="EMPTY"/>
+	<gfe:client-region id="empty" pool-name="gemfire-pool" name="publisher" data-policy="EMPTY" close="true" destroy="false"/>
 	
-	<gfe:client-region id="complex" pool-name="gemfire-pool">
+	<gfe:client-region id="complex" pool-name="gemfire-pool" close="true" destroy="false">
 		<gfe:cache-listener>
 			<ref bean="c-listener"/>
 			<bean class="org.springframework.data.gemfire.SimpleCacheListener"/>
diff --git a/src/test/resources/org/springframework/data/gemfire/config/diskstore-ns.xml b/src/test/resources/org/springframework/data/gemfire/config/diskstore-ns.xml
index 3be1f782..33119ffc 100644
--- a/src/test/resources/org/springframework/data/gemfire/config/diskstore-ns.xml
+++ b/src/test/resources/org/springframework/data/gemfire/config/diskstore-ns.xml
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@
 		
 	<gfe:cache />
 	
-	<gfe:replicated-region id="replicated-data" persistent="true">
+	<gfe:replicated-region id="replicated-data" persistent="true" close="true" destroy="false">
 		<gfe:disk-store queue-size="50" auto-compact="true" max-oplog-size="10" synchronous-write="false" time-interval="9999">
 			<gfe:disk-dir location="./" max-size="1"/>
 		</gfe:disk-store>
diff --git a/src/test/resources/org/springframework/data/gemfire/config/partitioned-ns.xml b/src/test/resources/org/springframework/data/gemfire/config/partitioned-ns.xml
index c5fde979..67a251f4 100644
--- a/src/test/resources/org/springframework/data/gemfire/config/partitioned-ns.xml
+++ b/src/test/resources/org/springframework/data/gemfire/config/partitioned-ns.xml
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@
 	
 	<gfe:partitioned-region id="simple" />
 	
-	<gfe:partitioned-region id="options" copies="1" total-buckets="4" name="redundant">
+	<gfe:partitioned-region id="options" copies="1" total-buckets="4" name="redundant" close="true" destroy="false">
 		<gfe:partition-resolver>
 			<bean class="org.springframework.data.gemfire.SimplePartitionResolver"/>
 		</gfe:partition-resolver>
diff --git a/src/test/resources/org/springframework/data/gemfire/config/replicated-ns.xml b/src/test/resources/org/springframework/data/gemfire/config/replicated-ns.xml
index 3ef2fcff..3fe3436a 100644
--- a/src/test/resources/org/springframework/data/gemfire/config/replicated-ns.xml
+++ b/src/test/resources/org/springframework/data/gemfire/config/replicated-ns.xml
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
 	
 	<gfe:replicated-region id="pub" name="publisher"/>
 	
-	<gfe:replicated-region id="complex">
+	<gfe:replicated-region id="complex" close="true" destroy="false">
 		<gfe:cache-listener>
 			<ref bean="c-listener"/>
 			<bean class="org.springframework.data.gemfire.SimpleCacheListener"/>