diff --git a/core/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/index/query/QueryParseContextTests.java b/core/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/index/query/QueryParseContextTests.java
index 1e00176f558..c509468a1a7 100644
--- a/core/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/index/query/QueryParseContextTests.java
+++ b/core/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/index/query/QueryParseContextTests.java
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ import org.elasticsearch.common.xcontent.json.JsonXContent;
 import org.elasticsearch.search.SearchModule;
 import org.elasticsearch.test.ESTestCase;
 import org.junit.After;
+import org.junit.AfterClass;
 import org.junit.Before;
 import org.junit.BeforeClass;
 
@@ -45,6 +46,11 @@ public class QueryParseContextTests extends ESTestCase {
         xContentRegistry = new NamedXContentRegistry(new SearchModule(Settings.EMPTY, false, emptyList()).getNamedXContents());
     }
 
+    @AfterClass
+    public static void cleanup() {
+        xContentRegistry = null;
+    }
+
     private ThreadContext threadContext;
 
     @Before