diff --git a/platform/xdebugger-impl/src/com/intellij/xdebugger/impl/ui/tree/XDebuggerTree.java b/platform/xdebugger-impl/src/com/intellij/xdebugger/impl/ui/tree/XDebuggerTree.java
index 4191c11e7f26..91de065a12d8 100644
--- a/platform/xdebugger-impl/src/com/intellij/xdebugger/impl/ui/tree/XDebuggerTree.java
+++ b/platform/xdebugger-impl/src/com/intellij/xdebugger/impl/ui/tree/XDebuggerTree.java
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ import com.intellij.util.containers.ContainerUtil;
 import com.intellij.util.containers.Convertor;
 import com.intellij.util.containers.TransferToEDTQueue;
 import com.intellij.util.ui.TextTransferable;
+import com.intellij.util.ui.UIUtil;
 import com.intellij.util.ui.tree.TreeModelAdapter;
 import com.intellij.xdebugger.XSourcePosition;
 import com.intellij.xdebugger.evaluation.XDebuggerEditorsProvider;
@@ -339,6 +340,13 @@ public class XDebuggerTree extends DnDAwareTree implements DataProvider, Disposa
     actionManager.getAction(XDebuggerActions.JUMP_TO_SOURCE).unregisterCustomShortcutSet(this);
     actionManager.getAction(XDebuggerActions.JUMP_TO_TYPE_SOURCE).unregisterCustomShortcutSet(this);
     actionManager.getAction(XDebuggerActions.MARK_OBJECT).unregisterCustomShortcutSet(this);
+
+    // clear all possible inner fields that may still have links to debugger objects
+    myTreeModel.setRoot(null);
+    setCellRenderer(null);
+    UIUtil.dispose(this);
+    setLeadSelectionPath(null);
+    setAnchorSelectionPath(null);
   }
 
   private void registerShortcuts() {