diff --git a/cave/com.raytheon.viz.gfe/src/com/raytheon/viz/gfe/BaseGfePyController.java b/cave/com.raytheon.viz.gfe/src/com/raytheon/viz/gfe/BaseGfePyController.java
index 3305246d2d..e02600cd53 100644
--- a/cave/com.raytheon.viz.gfe/src/com/raytheon/viz/gfe/BaseGfePyController.java
+++ b/cave/com.raytheon.viz.gfe/src/com/raytheon/viz/gfe/BaseGfePyController.java
@@ -51,6 +51,8 @@ import com.raytheon.viz.gfe.smartscript.FieldDefinition;
  * Date         Ticket#    Engineer    Description
  * ------------ ---------- ----------- --------------------------
  * Nov 10, 2008            njensen     Initial creation
+ * Jan 18, 2013           njensen     Added garbageCollect()
+ * 
  * </pre>
  * 
  * @author njensen
@@ -354,4 +356,20 @@ public abstract class BaseGfePyController extends PythonScript implements
         execute("addModule", INTERFACE, argMap);
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Runs the python garbage collector. This should be run at the end of a
+     * procedure or tool in case the custom python used tk. If the python used
+     * tk and it is not garbage collected, errors about invalid threads may
+     * occur when the garbage collector runs in another python interpreter.
+     */
+    public void garbageCollect() {
+        try {
+            jep.eval("import gc");
+            jep.eval("gc.collect()");
+        } catch (JepException e) {
+            statusHandler.handle(Priority.PROBLEM,
+                    "Error garbage collecting GFE python interpreter", e);
+        }
+    }
+
 }
diff --git a/cave/com.raytheon.viz.gfe/src/com/raytheon/viz/gfe/procedures/ProcedureJob.java b/cave/com.raytheon.viz.gfe/src/com/raytheon/viz/gfe/procedures/ProcedureJob.java
index ab3d246e95..a9b8a5d7c3 100644
--- a/cave/com.raytheon.viz.gfe/src/com/raytheon/viz/gfe/procedures/ProcedureJob.java
+++ b/cave/com.raytheon.viz.gfe/src/com/raytheon/viz/gfe/procedures/ProcedureJob.java
@@ -56,6 +56,7 @@ import com.raytheon.viz.gfe.jobs.AsyncProgressJob;
  * Date         Ticket#    Engineer    Description
  * ------------ ---------- ----------- --------------------------
  * Oct 8, 2009            njensen     Initial creation
+ * Jan 18, 2013    1509  njensen  Garbage collect after running procedure
  * 
  * </pre>
  * 
@@ -395,6 +396,7 @@ public class ProcedureJob extends AbstractQueueJob<ProcedureRequest> {
             statusHandler.handle(Priority.PROBLEM, "Error executing procedure "
                     + procedureName, e);
         } finally {
+            controller.garbageCollect();
             progressJob.done(pjStatus);
         }
     }
diff --git a/cave/com.raytheon.viz.gfe/src/com/raytheon/viz/gfe/smarttool/script/SmartToolJob.java b/cave/com.raytheon.viz.gfe/src/com/raytheon/viz/gfe/smarttool/script/SmartToolJob.java
index 05dcae6f9f..c154f9439b 100644
--- a/cave/com.raytheon.viz.gfe/src/com/raytheon/viz/gfe/smarttool/script/SmartToolJob.java
+++ b/cave/com.raytheon.viz.gfe/src/com/raytheon/viz/gfe/smarttool/script/SmartToolJob.java
@@ -53,6 +53,7 @@ import com.raytheon.viz.gfe.smarttool.Tool;
  * Date         Ticket#    Engineer    Description
  * ------------ ---------- ----------- --------------------------
  * Jan 19, 2010            njensen     Initial creation
+ * Jan 18, 2013    1509  njensen  Garbage collect after running tool
  * 
  * </pre>
  * 
@@ -164,6 +165,7 @@ public class SmartToolJob extends AbstractQueueJob<SmartToolRequest> {
                                         "Error in smart tool", e);
                                 throw e;
                             } finally {
+                                python.garbageCollect();
                                 progressJob.done(pjResult);
                                 req = request;
                                 request = null;