diff --git a/cmd/termshark/termshark.go b/cmd/termshark/termshark.go
index f5c4ee0..ce80f49 100644
--- a/cmd/termshark/termshark.go
+++ b/cmd/termshark/termshark.go
@@ -816,6 +816,9 @@ func cmain() int {
 		}
 	}
 
+	// the app variable is created here so I can bind it in the defer below
+	var app *gowid.App
+
 	// Do this before ui.Build. If ui.Build fails (e.g. bad TERM), then the filter will be left
 	// running, so we need the defer to be in effect here and not after the processing of ui.Build's
 	// error
@@ -823,9 +826,17 @@ func cmain() int {
 		if ui.FilterWidget != nil {
 			ui.FilterWidget.Close()
 		}
+		if ui.SearchWidget != nil {
+			ui.SearchWidget.Close(app)
+		}
+		if ui.CurrentWormholeWidget != nil {
+			ui.CurrentWormholeWidget.Close()
+		}
+		if ui.CurrentColsWidget != nil {
+			ui.CurrentColsWidget.Close()
+		}
 	}()
 
-	var app *gowid.App
 	if app, err = ui.Build(); err != nil {
 		fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "Error: %v\n", err)
 		// Tcell returns ExitError now because if its internal terminfo DB does not have
@@ -1235,15 +1246,6 @@ Loop:
 				// will happen next time round because the quitRequested flag is checked.
 				stopLoaders()
 			}
-			if ui.CurrentWormholeWidget != nil {
-				ui.CurrentWormholeWidget.Close()
-			}
-			if ui.CurrentColsWidget != nil {
-				ui.CurrentColsWidget.Close()
-			}
-			if ui.SearchWidget != nil {
-				ui.SearchWidget.Close(app)
-			}
 
 		case sig := <-sigChan:
 			if system.IsSigTSTP(sig) {