diff --git a/src/GUI/gui_funcs.cxx b/src/GUI/gui_funcs.cxx
index 282929f3a..2764dce3c 100644
--- a/src/GUI/gui_funcs.cxx
+++ b/src/GUI/gui_funcs.cxx
@@ -385,9 +385,6 @@ void goodBye(puObject *)
     //      "Program exiting normally at user request." );
     cout << "Program exiting normally at user request." << endl;
 
-    // close all external I/O connections
-    globals->get_io()->shutdown_all();
-
     exit(0);
 }