diff --git a/libs/ui/include/psemek/ui/button.hpp b/libs/ui/include/psemek/ui/button.hpp
index 6f6429d9..52e39de3 100644
--- a/libs/ui/include/psemek/ui/button.hpp
+++ b/libs/ui/include/psemek/ui/button.hpp
@@ -30,6 +30,8 @@ namespace psemek::ui
 			callback_ = std::move(callback);
 		}
 
+		~button() override;
+
 	protected:
 		enum class state_t
 		{
diff --git a/libs/ui/include/psemek/ui/element.hpp b/libs/ui/include/psemek/ui/element.hpp
index 89c8c36b..5b0fff88 100644
--- a/libs/ui/include/psemek/ui/element.hpp
+++ b/libs/ui/include/psemek/ui/element.hpp
@@ -56,6 +56,9 @@ namespace psemek::ui
 		virtual void post(std::function<void()> f);
 		virtual void post_reshape();
 
+	protected:
+		virtual void release_children();
+
 	private:
 		element * parent_ = nullptr;
 		async::event_loop * loop_ = nullptr;
diff --git a/libs/ui/include/psemek/ui/frame.hpp b/libs/ui/include/psemek/ui/frame.hpp
index d18a1996..0012b55a 100644
--- a/libs/ui/include/psemek/ui/frame.hpp
+++ b/libs/ui/include/psemek/ui/frame.hpp
@@ -19,6 +19,8 @@ namespace psemek::ui
 		virtual std::optional<geom::vector<float, 2>> min_size() const { return min_size_; }
 		virtual std::optional<geom::vector<float, 2>> max_size() const { return max_size_; }
 
+		~frame() override;
+
 	private:
 		std::optional<geom::vector<float, 2>> min_size_;
 		std::optional<geom::vector<float, 2>> max_size_;
diff --git a/libs/ui/include/psemek/ui/grid_layout.hpp b/libs/ui/include/psemek/ui/grid_layout.hpp
index c7dd8f62..d110e6a7 100644
--- a/libs/ui/include/psemek/ui/grid_layout.hpp
+++ b/libs/ui/include/psemek/ui/grid_layout.hpp
@@ -42,6 +42,8 @@ namespace psemek::ui
 
 		void draw(painter &) const override {}
 
+		~grid_layout() override;
+
 	private:
 		util::array<std::shared_ptr<element>, 2> children_;
 		std::vector<element *> children_range_;
diff --git a/libs/ui/include/psemek/ui/screen.hpp b/libs/ui/include/psemek/ui/screen.hpp
index 15691f8e..6b54ba16 100644
--- a/libs/ui/include/psemek/ui/screen.hpp
+++ b/libs/ui/include/psemek/ui/screen.hpp
@@ -44,6 +44,8 @@ namespace psemek::ui
 
 		void draw(painter &) const override {}
 
+		~screen() override;
+
 	private:
 		container_impl container_;
 		box_shape shape_;
diff --git a/libs/ui/source/button.cpp b/libs/ui/source/button.cpp
index cdfacb21..4c4a0864 100644
--- a/libs/ui/source/button.cpp
+++ b/libs/ui/source/button.cpp
@@ -64,6 +64,11 @@ namespace psemek::ui
 		return false;
 	}
 
+	button::~button()
+	{
+		release_children();
+	}
+
 	void button::on_state_changed(state_t old)
 	{
 		auto s = merged_style();
diff --git a/libs/ui/source/element.cpp b/libs/ui/source/element.cpp
index 451b9967..49e5c3ef 100644
--- a/libs/ui/source/element.cpp
+++ b/libs/ui/source/element.cpp
@@ -95,4 +95,10 @@ namespace psemek::ui
 		});
 	}
 
+	void element::release_children()
+	{
+		for (auto c : children())
+			if (c) c->set_parent(nullptr);
+	}
+
 }
diff --git a/libs/ui/source/frame.cpp b/libs/ui/source/frame.cpp
index 1343a324..cfe56a98 100644
--- a/libs/ui/source/frame.cpp
+++ b/libs/ui/source/frame.cpp
@@ -34,4 +34,9 @@ namespace psemek::ui
 		post_reshape();
 	}
 
+	frame::~frame()
+	{
+		release_children();
+	}
+
 }
diff --git a/libs/ui/source/grid_layout.cpp b/libs/ui/source/grid_layout.cpp
index 23fe5f20..46551cbb 100644
--- a/libs/ui/source/grid_layout.cpp
+++ b/libs/ui/source/grid_layout.cpp
@@ -281,4 +281,9 @@ namespace psemek::ui
 		}
 	}
 
+	grid_layout::~grid_layout()
+	{
+		release_children();
+	}
+
 }
diff --git a/libs/ui/source/screen.cpp b/libs/ui/source/screen.cpp
index 53a58f44..2f21fb1a 100644
--- a/libs/ui/source/screen.cpp
+++ b/libs/ui/source/screen.cpp
@@ -113,4 +113,9 @@ namespace psemek::ui
 		return result;
 	}
 
+	screen::~screen()
+	{
+		release_children();
+	}
+
 }