diff --git a/gooey/gui/containers/application.py b/gooey/gui/containers/application.py
index 3926e44..b490834 100644
--- a/gooey/gui/containers/application.py
+++ b/gooey/gui/containers/application.py
@@ -170,7 +170,13 @@ class GooeyApplication(wx.Frame):
 
 
     def onClose(self, *args, **kwargs):
-        """Cleanup the top level WxFrame and shutdown the process"""
+        """Stop any actively running client program, cleanup the top
+        level WxFrame and shutdown the current process"""
+        # issue #592 - we need to run the same onStopExecution machinery
+        # when the exit button is clicked to ensure everything is cleaned
+        # up correctly.
+        if self.clientRunner.running():
+            self.onStopExecution()
         self.Destroy()
         sys.exit()
 
diff --git a/gooey/tests/test_application.py b/gooey/tests/test_application.py
index 1498b17..9447dec 100644
--- a/gooey/tests/test_application.py
+++ b/gooey/tests/test_application.py
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import sys
 import unittest
 from argparse import ArgumentParser
 from collections import namedtuple
@@ -55,6 +56,26 @@ class TestGooeyApplication(unittest.TestCase):
                 else:
                     mockClientRunner.stop.assert_not_called()
 
+    @patch("gui.containers.application.modals.confirmForceStop")
+    def testOnCloseShutsDownActiveClients(self, mockModal):
+        """
+        Issue 592: Closing the UI should clean up any actively running programs
+        """
+        parser = self.basicParser()
+        with instrumentGooey(parser) as (app, gapp):
+            with patch('gui.containers.application.sys.exit') as exitmock:
+                gapp.clientRunner = MagicMock()
+                gapp.Destroy = MagicMock()
+                # mocking that the user clicks "yes shut down" in the warning modal
+                mockModal.return_value = True
+                gapp.onClose()
+                
+                mockModal.assert_called()
+                gapp.Destroy.assert_called()
+                exitmock.assert_called()
+
+
+
 
 
     def basicParser(self):