diff --git a/core/src/main/java/org/jruby/Ruby.java b/core/src/main/java/org/jruby/Ruby.java
index 200dea42fe4..86f8058fa0e 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/org/jruby/Ruby.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/org/jruby/Ruby.java
@@ -3402,6 +3402,18 @@ private void systemTeardown(final ThreadContext context) {
         threadService.teardown();
         threadService = new ThreadService(this);
 
+        // Release classloader resources
+        releaseClassLoader();
+
+        // Tear down LoadService
+        loadService.tearDown();
+
+        // Clear runtime tables to aid GC
+        boundMethods.clear();
+        allModules.clear();
+        constantNameInvalidators.clear();
+        symbolTable.clear();
+        javaSupport = loadJavaSupport();
     }
 
     private int userTeardown(ThreadContext context) {
@@ -3454,7 +3466,6 @@ private int userTeardown(ThreadContext context) {
     public void releaseClassLoader() {
         if (jrubyClassLoader != null) {
             jrubyClassLoader.close();
-            //jrubyClassLoader = null;
         }
     }
 
@@ -5625,7 +5636,7 @@ public RubyClass getData() {
     private PrintStream err;
 
     // Java support
-    private final JavaSupport javaSupport;
+    private JavaSupport javaSupport;
     private final JRubyClassLoader jrubyClassLoader;
 
     // Object Specializer
diff --git a/core/src/main/java/org/jruby/RubySymbol.java b/core/src/main/java/org/jruby/RubySymbol.java
index 11654541202..cff00bcc002 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/org/jruby/RubySymbol.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/org/jruby/RubySymbol.java
@@ -996,8 +996,7 @@ public static final class SymbolTable {
         public SymbolTable(Ruby runtime) {
             this.runtime = runtime;
             this.loadFactor = DEFAULT_LOAD_FACTOR;
-            this.threshold = (int)(DEFAULT_INITIAL_CAPACITY * DEFAULT_LOAD_FACTOR);
-            this.symbolTable = new SymbolEntry[DEFAULT_INITIAL_CAPACITY];
+            reset();
         }
 
         // note all fields are final -- rehash creates new entries when necessary.
@@ -1337,6 +1336,15 @@ public int size() {
             return size;
         }
 
+        public void clear() {
+            reset();
+        }
+
+        private void reset() {
+            this.threshold = (int)(DEFAULT_INITIAL_CAPACITY * DEFAULT_LOAD_FACTOR);
+            this.symbolTable = new SymbolEntry[DEFAULT_INITIAL_CAPACITY];
+        }
+
         private SymbolEntry[] rehash() {
             SymbolEntry[] oldTable = symbolTable;
             int oldCapacity = oldTable.length;
diff --git a/core/src/main/java/org/jruby/embed/ScriptingContainer.java b/core/src/main/java/org/jruby/embed/ScriptingContainer.java
index 32dbea57fe1..237fb7c61d5 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/org/jruby/embed/ScriptingContainer.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/org/jruby/embed/ScriptingContainer.java
@@ -1844,7 +1844,6 @@ public void terminate() {
         LocalContextProvider provider = getProvider();
         if (provider.isRuntimeInitialized()) {
             provider.getRuntime().tearDown(false);
-            provider.getRuntime().releaseClassLoader();
         }
         provider.terminate();
     }
diff --git a/core/src/main/java/org/jruby/runtime/load/LibrarySearcher.java b/core/src/main/java/org/jruby/runtime/load/LibrarySearcher.java
index 96500bb034a..a8a4155bcaa 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/org/jruby/runtime/load/LibrarySearcher.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/org/jruby/runtime/load/LibrarySearcher.java
@@ -808,6 +808,12 @@ private static boolean isURI(String path) {
         return false;
     }
 
+    // Clear caches and release resources
+    public void tearDown() {
+        loadedFeaturesIndex.clear();
+        loadedFeaturesSnapshot.clear();
+    }
+
     enum Suffix {
         RUBY(".rb", ResourceLibrary::new),
         CLASS(".class", ClassResourceLibrary::new),
diff --git a/core/src/main/java/org/jruby/runtime/load/LoadService.java b/core/src/main/java/org/jruby/runtime/load/LoadService.java
index 79658741ea2..0f5bcb26433 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/org/jruby/runtime/load/LoadService.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/org/jruby/runtime/load/LoadService.java
@@ -1009,4 +1009,9 @@ public String getPathForLocation(String filename) {
 
         return filename;
     }
+
+    public void tearDown() {
+        loadedFeatures.clear();
+        librarySearcher.tearDown();
+    }
 }