diff --git a/scripts/ztplot.py b/scripts/ztplot.py
index 01ce123b748af06ca3e92fe84ae020af035a7e60..fdd98ca226f68b14080838be0f33d004e6730b92 100755
--- a/scripts/ztplot.py
+++ b/scripts/ztplot.py
@@ -179,12 +179,12 @@ class ZTPlot(kp.Module):
         f = os.path.join(self.plots_path, filename + '.png')
         f_tmp = os.path.join(self.plots_path, filename + '_tmp.png')
 
-        ztplot(hits,
-               filename=f_tmp,
-               title=title,
-               max_z=self.max_z,
-               ytick_distance=self.ytick_distance,
-               grid_lines=grid_lines)
+        fig = ztplot(hits,
+                     filename=f_tmp,
+                     title=title,
+                     max_z=self.max_z,
+                     ytick_distance=self.ytick_distance,
+                     grid_lines=grid_lines)
         shutil.move(f_tmp, f)
 
         if overlays > self.records['overlays'] or n_hits > self.records[
@@ -215,6 +215,9 @@ class ZTPlot(kp.Module):
             ])
             shutil.copy(f, plot_filename)
 
+        plt.close(fig)
+        plt.close('all')
+
     def finish(self):
         self.run = False