diff --git a/java/debugger/impl/src/com/intellij/debugger/jdi/VirtualMachineProxyImpl.java b/java/debugger/impl/src/com/intellij/debugger/jdi/VirtualMachineProxyImpl.java
index 3830212254e7..f1efc8458f4a 100644
--- a/java/debugger/impl/src/com/intellij/debugger/jdi/VirtualMachineProxyImpl.java
+++ b/java/debugger/impl/src/com/intellij/debugger/jdi/VirtualMachineProxyImpl.java
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright 2000-2016 JetBrains s.r.o.
+ * Copyright 2000-2017 JetBrains s.r.o.
  *
  * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
  * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
@@ -383,14 +383,15 @@ public class VirtualMachineProxyImpl implements JdiTimer, VirtualMachineProxy {
     catch (UnsupportedOperationException e) {
       LOG.info(e);
     }
-
-    if (Patches.JDK_BUG_EVENT_CONTROLLER_LEAK) {
-      // Memory leak workaround, see IDEA-163334
-      TargetVM target = ReflectionUtil.getField(myVirtualMachine.getClass(), myVirtualMachine, TargetVM.class, "target");
-      if (target != null) {
-        Thread controller = ReflectionUtil.getField(target.getClass(), target, Thread.class, "eventController");
-        if (controller != null) {
-          controller.stop();
+    finally {
+      if (Patches.JDK_BUG_EVENT_CONTROLLER_LEAK) {
+        // Memory leak workaround, see IDEA-163334
+        TargetVM target = ReflectionUtil.getField(myVirtualMachine.getClass(), myVirtualMachine, TargetVM.class, "target");
+        if (target != null) {
+          Thread controller = ReflectionUtil.getField(target.getClass(), target, Thread.class, "eventController");
+          if (controller != null) {
+            controller.stop();
+          }
         }
       }
     }