diff --git a/spring-webflow/src/main/java/org/springframework/webflow/definition/FlowDefinition.java b/spring-webflow/src/main/java/org/springframework/webflow/definition/FlowDefinition.java
index 611b6dfa..6b8751ea 100644
--- a/spring-webflow/src/main/java/org/springframework/webflow/definition/FlowDefinition.java
+++ b/spring-webflow/src/main/java/org/springframework/webflow/definition/FlowDefinition.java
@@ -87,4 +87,9 @@ public interface FlowDefinition extends Annotated {
 	 */
 	public boolean inDevelopment();
 
+	/**
+	 * Destroy this flow definition, releasing any resources. After the flow is destroyed it cannot be started again.
+	 */
+	public void destroy();
+
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/spring-webflow/src/main/java/org/springframework/webflow/definition/registry/FlowDefinitionHolder.java b/spring-webflow/src/main/java/org/springframework/webflow/definition/registry/FlowDefinitionHolder.java
index 06dab5c2..6bd67dab 100644
--- a/spring-webflow/src/main/java/org/springframework/webflow/definition/registry/FlowDefinitionHolder.java
+++ b/spring-webflow/src/main/java/org/springframework/webflow/definition/registry/FlowDefinitionHolder.java
@@ -56,4 +56,11 @@ public interface FlowDefinitionHolder {
 	 */
 	public void refresh() throws FlowDefinitionConstructionException;
 
+	/**
+	 * Indicates that the system is being shutdown and any resources flow resources should be released. After this
+	 * method is called, calls to {@link #getFlowDefinition()} are undefined. Should only be called once. May be a no-op
+	 * if the held flow was never constructed to begin with.
+	 */
+	public void destroy();
+
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/spring-webflow/src/main/java/org/springframework/webflow/definition/registry/FlowDefinitionRegistryImpl.java b/spring-webflow/src/main/java/org/springframework/webflow/definition/registry/FlowDefinitionRegistryImpl.java
index 1512f1a0..0219c45e 100644
--- a/spring-webflow/src/main/java/org/springframework/webflow/definition/registry/FlowDefinitionRegistryImpl.java
+++ b/spring-webflow/src/main/java/org/springframework/webflow/definition/registry/FlowDefinitionRegistryImpl.java
@@ -21,9 +21,6 @@ import java.util.TreeMap;
 
 import org.apache.commons.logging.Log;
 import org.apache.commons.logging.LogFactory;
-import org.springframework.beans.factory.DisposableBean;
-import org.springframework.context.ApplicationContext;
-import org.springframework.context.ConfigurableApplicationContext;
 import org.springframework.core.style.ToStringCreator;
 import org.springframework.util.Assert;
 import org.springframework.webflow.definition.FlowDefinition;
@@ -34,7 +31,7 @@ import org.springframework.webflow.definition.FlowDefinition;
  * @author Keith Donald
  * @author Scott Andrews
  */
-public class FlowDefinitionRegistryImpl implements FlowDefinitionRegistry, DisposableBean {
+public class FlowDefinitionRegistryImpl implements FlowDefinitionRegistry {
 
 	private static final Log logger = LogFactory.getLog(FlowDefinitionRegistryImpl.class);
 
@@ -106,17 +103,10 @@ public class FlowDefinitionRegistryImpl implements FlowDefinitionRegistry, Dispo
 		registerFlowDefinition(new StaticFlowDefinitionHolder(definition));
 	}
 
-	// implementing DisposableBean
-
-	public void destroy() throws Exception {
-		Iterator flowDefinitionKeyIt = flowDefinitions.keySet().iterator();
-		while (flowDefinitionKeyIt.hasNext()) {
-			FlowDefinitionHolder holder = this.getFlowDefinitionHolder((String) flowDefinitionKeyIt.next());
-			FlowDefinition flowDefinition = holder.getFlowDefinition();
-			ApplicationContext context = flowDefinition.getApplicationContext();
-			if (context instanceof ConfigurableApplicationContext) {
-				((ConfigurableApplicationContext) context).close();
-			}
+	public void destroy() {
+		Iterator it = flowDefinitions.keySet().iterator();
+		while (it.hasNext()) {
+			getFlowDefinitionHolder((String) it.next()).destroy();
 		}
 	}
 
diff --git a/spring-webflow/src/main/java/org/springframework/webflow/definition/registry/StaticFlowDefinitionHolder.java b/spring-webflow/src/main/java/org/springframework/webflow/definition/registry/StaticFlowDefinitionHolder.java
index 54bdea99..1b81f7ad 100644
--- a/spring-webflow/src/main/java/org/springframework/webflow/definition/registry/StaticFlowDefinitionHolder.java
+++ b/spring-webflow/src/main/java/org/springframework/webflow/definition/registry/StaticFlowDefinitionHolder.java
@@ -53,6 +53,10 @@ class StaticFlowDefinitionHolder implements FlowDefinitionHolder {
 		// nothing to do
 	}
 
+	public void destroy() {
+		flowDefinition.destroy();
+	}
+
 	public boolean equals(Object o) {
 		if (!(o instanceof StaticFlowDefinitionHolder)) {
 			return false;
diff --git a/spring-webflow/src/main/java/org/springframework/webflow/engine/Flow.java b/spring-webflow/src/main/java/org/springframework/webflow/engine/Flow.java
index a0127dcb..8158d0ff 100644
--- a/spring-webflow/src/main/java/org/springframework/webflow/engine/Flow.java
+++ b/spring-webflow/src/main/java/org/springframework/webflow/engine/Flow.java
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ import org.apache.commons.logging.LogFactory;
 import org.springframework.binding.mapping.Mapper;
 import org.springframework.binding.mapping.MappingResults;
 import org.springframework.context.ApplicationContext;
+import org.springframework.context.ConfigurableApplicationContext;
 import org.springframework.core.style.StylerUtils;
 import org.springframework.core.style.ToStringCreator;
 import org.springframework.util.Assert;
@@ -591,6 +592,12 @@ public class Flow extends AnnotatedObject implements FlowDefinition {
 		}
 	}
 
+	public void destroy() {
+		if (applicationContext != null && applicationContext instanceof ConfigurableApplicationContext) {
+			((ConfigurableApplicationContext) applicationContext).close();
+		}
+	}
+
 	/**
 	 * Handle an exception that occurred during an execution of this flow.
 	 * @param exception the exception that occurred
diff --git a/spring-webflow/src/main/java/org/springframework/webflow/engine/builder/DefaultFlowHolder.java b/spring-webflow/src/main/java/org/springframework/webflow/engine/builder/DefaultFlowHolder.java
index 83bac39c..ffcaab8f 100644
--- a/spring-webflow/src/main/java/org/springframework/webflow/engine/builder/DefaultFlowHolder.java
+++ b/spring-webflow/src/main/java/org/springframework/webflow/engine/builder/DefaultFlowHolder.java
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ public class DefaultFlowHolder implements FlowDefinitionHolder {
 	private static final Log logger = LogFactory.getLog(DefaultFlowHolder.class);
 
 	/**
-	 * The flow definition assembled by this assembler.
+	 * The flow definition assembled by this assembler, initially null.
 	 */
 	private FlowDefinition flowDefinition;
 
@@ -95,6 +95,12 @@ public class DefaultFlowHolder implements FlowDefinitionHolder {
 		assembleFlow();
 	}
 
+	public void destroy() {
+		if (flowDefinition != null) {
+			flowDefinition.destroy();
+		}
+	}
+
 	// internal helpers
 
 	private void assembleFlow() throws FlowDefinitionConstructionException {
diff --git a/spring-webflow/src/test/java/org/springframework/webflow/definition/registry/FlowDefinitionRegistryImplTests.java b/spring-webflow/src/test/java/org/springframework/webflow/definition/registry/FlowDefinitionRegistryImplTests.java
index d625a1fb..9d52566c 100644
--- a/spring-webflow/src/test/java/org/springframework/webflow/definition/registry/FlowDefinitionRegistryImplTests.java
+++ b/spring-webflow/src/test/java/org/springframework/webflow/definition/registry/FlowDefinitionRegistryImplTests.java
@@ -143,6 +143,10 @@ public class FlowDefinitionRegistryImplTests extends TestCase {
 		public boolean inDevelopment() {
 			return false;
 		}
+
+		public void destroy() {
+		}
+
 	}
 
 	private static class BarFlow implements FlowDefinition {
@@ -188,5 +192,8 @@ public class FlowDefinitionRegistryImplTests extends TestCase {
 			return false;
 		}
 
+		public void destroy() {
+		}
+
 	}
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/spring-webflow/src/test/java/org/springframework/webflow/mvc/servlet/FlowHandlerMappingTests.java b/spring-webflow/src/test/java/org/springframework/webflow/mvc/servlet/FlowHandlerMappingTests.java
index c1bd90e3..2f3e91d8 100644
--- a/spring-webflow/src/test/java/org/springframework/webflow/mvc/servlet/FlowHandlerMappingTests.java
+++ b/spring-webflow/src/test/java/org/springframework/webflow/mvc/servlet/FlowHandlerMappingTests.java
@@ -130,6 +130,9 @@ public class FlowHandlerMappingTests extends TestCase {
 			throw new UnsupportedOperationException("Auto-generated method stub");
 		}
 
+		public void destroy() {
+		}
+
 	}
 
 	public static class CustomFlowHandler implements FlowHandler {