diff --git a/maven-core/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/plugin/DefaultPluginRealmCache.java b/maven-core/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/plugin/DefaultPluginRealmCache.java
index 896236741e..c821ae90ad 100644
--- a/maven-core/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/plugin/DefaultPluginRealmCache.java
+++ b/maven-core/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/plugin/DefaultPluginRealmCache.java
@@ -29,7 +29,9 @@
 import org.apache.maven.model.Plugin;
 import org.apache.maven.project.MavenProject;
 import org.codehaus.plexus.classworlds.realm.ClassRealm;
+import org.codehaus.plexus.classworlds.realm.NoSuchRealmException;
 import org.codehaus.plexus.component.annotations.Component;
+import org.codehaus.plexus.personality.plexus.lifecycle.phase.Disposable;
 import org.sonatype.aether.RepositorySystemSession;
 import org.sonatype.aether.graph.DependencyFilter;
 import org.sonatype.aether.repository.LocalRepository;
@@ -41,7 +43,7 @@
  */
 @Component( role = PluginRealmCache.class )
 public class DefaultPluginRealmCache
-    implements PluginRealmCache
+    implements PluginRealmCache, Disposable
 {
 
     protected static class CacheKey
@@ -179,6 +181,18 @@ public CacheRecord put( Key key, ClassRealm pluginRealm, List<Artifact> pluginAr
 
     public void flush()
     {
+        for ( CacheRecord record : cache.values() )
+        {
+            ClassRealm realm = record.realm;
+            try
+            {
+                realm.getWorld().disposeRealm( realm.getId() );
+            }
+            catch ( NoSuchRealmException e )
+            {
+                // ignore
+            }
+        }
         cache.clear();
     }
 
@@ -197,4 +211,9 @@ public void register( MavenProject project, CacheRecord record )
         // default cache does not track plugin usage
     }
 
+    public void dispose()
+    {
+        flush();
+    }
+
 }
diff --git a/maven-embedder/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/cli/MavenCli.java b/maven-embedder/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/cli/MavenCli.java
index 10d21a2b84..45ea1309cd 100644
--- a/maven-embedder/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/cli/MavenCli.java
+++ b/maven-embedder/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/cli/MavenCli.java
@@ -55,6 +55,7 @@
 import org.apache.maven.lifecycle.LifecycleExecutionException;
 import org.apache.maven.lifecycle.internal.LifecycleWeaveBuilder;
 import org.apache.maven.model.building.ModelProcessor;
+import org.apache.maven.plugin.PluginRealmCache;
 import org.apache.maven.project.MavenProject;
 import org.apache.maven.properties.internal.EnvironmentUtils;
 import org.apache.maven.settings.building.DefaultSettingsBuildingRequest;
@@ -112,9 +113,6 @@ public class MavenCli
 
     private ClassWorld classWorld;
 
-    // Per-instance container supports fast embedded execution of core ITs
-    private DefaultPlexusContainer container;
-    
     private LoggerManager plexusLoggerManager;
 
     private ILoggerFactory slf4jLoggerFactory;
@@ -197,7 +195,7 @@ public int doMain( String[] args, String workingDirectory, PrintStream stdout, P
     // TODO: need to externalize CliRequest
     public int doMain( CliRequest cliRequest )
     {
-        PlexusContainer localContainer = this.container;
+        PlexusContainer localContainer = null;
         try
         {
             initialize( cliRequest );
@@ -235,7 +233,7 @@ public int doMain( CliRequest cliRequest )
         }
         finally
         {
-            if ( localContainer != this.container )
+            if (localContainer != null)
             {
                 localContainer.dispose();
             }
@@ -377,10 +375,8 @@ private PlexusContainer container( CliRequest cliRequest )
             cliRequest.classWorld = new ClassWorld( "plexus.core", Thread.currentThread().getContextClassLoader() );
         }
 
-        DefaultPlexusContainer container = this.container;
+        DefaultPlexusContainer container = null;
 
-        if ( container == null )
-        {
             ContainerConfiguration cc = new DefaultContainerConfiguration()
                 .setClassWorld( cliRequest.classWorld )
                 .setRealm( setupContainerRealm( cliRequest ) )
@@ -405,12 +401,6 @@ protected void configure()
 
             customizeContainer( container );
 
-            if ( cliRequest.classWorld == classWorld )
-            {
-                this.container = container;
-            }
-        }
-
         container.getLoggerManager().setThresholds( cliRequest.request.getLoggingLevel() );
 
         Thread.currentThread().setContextClassLoader( container.getContainerRealm() );