diff -up TnL-source-071111/src/game.cc~ TnL-source-071111/src/game.cc
--- TnL-source-071111/src/game.cc~	2007-11-11 16:38:40.000000000 +0100
+++ TnL-source-071111/src/game.cc	2007-11-11 16:38:40.000000000 +0100
@@ -352,6 +352,10 @@ void Game::teardownSystem(Status & stat)
     ls_message("Exiting game.\n");
     
     stat.endJob();
+
+    /* ugly but necessary, because otherwise Ptr<> will call unref on us after
+       destruction in the case the constructor failed */
+    exit(1);
 }
 
 void Game::startupSimulation(Status & stat) {