diff --git a/source/gameengine/GamePlayer/ghost/GPG_ghost.cpp b/source/gameengine/GamePlayer/ghost/GPG_ghost.cpp
index 2c642d4bd04..f1edb71f4fe 100644
--- a/source/gameengine/GamePlayer/ghost/GPG_ghost.cpp
+++ b/source/gameengine/GamePlayer/ghost/GPG_ghost.cpp
@@ -1031,10 +1031,9 @@ int main(int argc, char** argv)
 						 * removal is needed else the system will free an already freed value */
 						system->removeEventConsumer(&app);
 
-						/* nodesystem relies on blendfile data, free it first */
-						free_nodesystem();
-
 						BLO_blendfiledata_free(bfd);
+						/* G.main == bfd->main, it gets referenced in free_nodesystem so we can't have a dangling pointer */
+						G.main = NULL;
 						if (python_main) MEM_freeN(python_main);
 					}
 				} while (exitcode == KX_EXIT_REQUEST_RESTART_GAME || exitcode == KX_EXIT_REQUEST_START_OTHER_GAME);
@@ -1052,6 +1051,13 @@ int main(int argc, char** argv)
 		}
 	}
 
+	/* refer to WM_exit_ext() and free_blender(),
+	 * these are not called in the player but we need to match some of there behavior here,
+	 * if the order of function calls or blenders state isn't matching that of blender proper,
+	 * we may get troubles later on */
+
+	free_nodesystem();
+
 	// Cleanup
 	RNA_exit();
 	BLF_exit();