diff --git a/gdb/target.c b/gdb/target.c
index 86cdb71..3c37ee4 100644
--- a/gdb/target.c
+++ b/gdb/target.c
@@ -1934,6 +1934,12 @@ void
 target_mourn_inferior (void)
 {
   struct target_ops *t;
+
+  /* We no longer need to keep handles on any of the object files.
+     Make sure to release them to avoid unnecessarily locking any
+     of them while we're not actually debugging.  */
+  bfd_cache_close_all ();
+
   for (t = current_target.beneath; t != NULL; t = t->beneath)
     {
       if (t->to_mourn_inferior != NULL)