diff --git a/perf/c/local_lat.c b/perf/c/local_lat.c
index 81a2e0c8..92cfadf5 100644
--- a/perf/c/local_lat.c
+++ b/perf/c/local_lat.c
@@ -35,13 +35,13 @@ int main (int argc, char *argv [])
     struct zmq_msg_t msg;
 
     if (argc != 4) {
-        printf ("usage: local_lat <bind-to> <roundtrip-count> "
-            "<message-size>\n");
+        printf ("usage: local_lat <bind-to> <message-size> "
+            "<roundtrip-count>\n");
         return 1;
     }
     bind_to = argv [1];
-    roundtrip_count = atoi (argv [2]);
-    message_size = atoi (argv [3]);
+    message_size = atoi (argv [2]);
+    roundtrip_count = atoi (argv [3]);
 
     ctx = zmq_init (1, 1);
     assert (ctx);
@@ -68,6 +68,9 @@ int main (int argc, char *argv [])
 
     sleep (1);
 
+    rc = zmq_close (s);
+    assert (rc == 0);
+
     rc = zmq_term (ctx);
     assert (rc == 0);
 
diff --git a/perf/c/local_thr.c b/perf/c/local_thr.c
index 64c492df..71ed21cf 100644
--- a/perf/c/local_thr.c
+++ b/perf/c/local_thr.c
@@ -41,13 +41,12 @@ int main (int argc, char *argv [])
     double megabits;
 
     if (argc != 4) {
-        printf ("usage: local_thr <bind-to> <message-count> "
-            "<message-size>\n");
+        printf ("usage: local_thr <bind-to> <message-size> <message-count>\n");
         return 1;
     }
     bind_to = argv [1];
-    message_count = atoi (argv [2]);
-    message_size = atoi (argv [3]);
+    message_size = atoi (argv [2]);
+    message_count = atoi (argv [3]);
 
     ctx = zmq_init (1, 1);
     assert (ctx);
@@ -92,6 +91,9 @@ int main (int argc, char *argv [])
     printf ("mean throughput: %d [msg/s]\n", (int) throughput);
     printf ("mean throughput: %.3f [Mb/s]\n", (double) megabits);
 
+    rc = zmq_close (s);
+    assert (rc == 0);
+
     rc = zmq_term (ctx);
     assert (rc == 0);
 
diff --git a/perf/c/remote_lat.c b/perf/c/remote_lat.c
index 32329b88..6da1c420 100644
--- a/perf/c/remote_lat.c
+++ b/perf/c/remote_lat.c
@@ -39,13 +39,13 @@ int main (int argc, char *argv [])
     double latency;
 
     if (argc != 4) {
-        printf ("usage: remote_lat <connect-to> <roundtrip-count> "
-            "<message-size>\n");
+        printf ("usage: remote_lat <connect-to> <message-size> "
+            "<roundtrip-count>\n");
         return 1;
     }
     connect_to = argv [1];
-    roundtrip_count = atoi (argv [2]);
-    message_size = atoi (argv [3]);
+    message_size = atoi (argv [2]);
+    roundtrip_count = atoi (argv [3]);
 
     ctx = zmq_init (1, 1);
     assert (ctx);
@@ -87,6 +87,9 @@ int main (int argc, char *argv [])
     printf ("roundtrip count: %d\n", (int) roundtrip_count);
     printf ("average latency: %.3f [us]\n", (double) latency);
 
+    rc = zmq_close (s);
+    assert (rc == 0);
+
     rc = zmq_term (ctx);
     assert (rc == 0);
 
diff --git a/perf/c/remote_thr.c b/perf/c/remote_thr.c
index 1010bc97..9606d00f 100644
--- a/perf/c/remote_thr.c
+++ b/perf/c/remote_thr.c
@@ -35,13 +35,13 @@ int main (int argc, char *argv [])
     struct zmq_msg_t msg;
 
     if (argc != 4) {
-        printf ("usage: remote_thr <connect-to> <message-count> "
-            "<message-size>\n");
+        printf ("usage: remote_thr <connect-to> <message-size> "
+            "<message-count>\n");
         return 1;
     }
     connect_to = argv [1];
-    message_count = atoi (argv [2]);
-    message_size = atoi (argv [3]);
+    message_size = atoi (argv [2]);
+    message_count = atoi (argv [3]);
 
     ctx = zmq_init (1, 1);
     assert (ctx);
@@ -63,6 +63,9 @@ int main (int argc, char *argv [])
 
     sleep (10);
 
+    rc = zmq_close (s);
+    assert (rc == 0);
+
     rc = zmq_term (ctx);
     assert (rc == 0);
 
diff --git a/perf/cpp/local_lat.cpp b/perf/cpp/local_lat.cpp
index 9260f0a7..343ca74c 100644
--- a/perf/cpp/local_lat.cpp
+++ b/perf/cpp/local_lat.cpp
@@ -27,13 +27,13 @@
 int main (int argc, char *argv [])
 {
     if (argc != 4) {
-        printf ("usage: local_lat <bind-to> <roundtrip-count> "
-            "<message-size>\n");
+        printf ("usage: local_lat <bind-to> <message-size> "
+            "<roundtrip-count>\n");
         return 1;
     }
     const char *bind_to = argv [1];
-    int roundtrip_count = atoi (argv [2]);
-    size_t message_size = (size_t) atoi (argv [3]);
+    size_t message_size = (size_t) atoi (argv [2]);
+    int roundtrip_count = atoi (argv [3]);
 
     zmq::context_t ctx (1, 1);
 
diff --git a/perf/cpp/local_thr.cpp b/perf/cpp/local_thr.cpp
index 3e961dea..ca81ba90 100644
--- a/perf/cpp/local_thr.cpp
+++ b/perf/cpp/local_thr.cpp
@@ -28,13 +28,13 @@
 int main (int argc, char *argv [])
 {
     if (argc != 4) {
-        printf ("usage: local_thr <bind-to> <message-count> "
-            "<message-size>\n");
+        printf ("usage: local_thr <bind-to> <message-size> "
+            "<message-count>\n");
         return 1;
     }
     const char *bind_to = argv [1];
-    int message_count = atoi (argv [2]);
-    size_t message_size = (size_t) atoi (argv [3]);
+    size_t message_size = (size_t) atoi (argv [2]);
+    int message_count = atoi (argv [3]);
 
     zmq::context_t ctx (1, 1);
 
diff --git a/perf/cpp/remote_lat.cpp b/perf/cpp/remote_lat.cpp
index 169ed1e5..c3ded102 100644
--- a/perf/cpp/remote_lat.cpp
+++ b/perf/cpp/remote_lat.cpp
@@ -27,13 +27,13 @@
 int main (int argc, char *argv [])
 {
     if (argc != 4) {
-        printf ("usage: remote_lat <connect-to> <roundtrip-count> "
-            "<message-size>\n");
+        printf ("usage: remote_lat <connect-to> <message-size> "
+            "<roundtrip-count>\n");
         return 1;
     }
     const char *connect_to = argv [1];
-    int roundtrip_count = atoi (argv [2]);
-    size_t message_size = (size_t) atoi (argv [3]);
+    size_t message_size = (size_t) atoi (argv [2]);
+    int roundtrip_count = atoi (argv [3]);
 
     zmq::context_t ctx (1, 1);
 
diff --git a/perf/cpp/remote_thr.cpp b/perf/cpp/remote_thr.cpp
index 06946f57..5474c6ad 100644
--- a/perf/cpp/remote_thr.cpp
+++ b/perf/cpp/remote_thr.cpp
@@ -27,13 +27,13 @@
 int main (int argc, char *argv [])
 {
     if (argc != 4) {
-        printf ("usage: remote_thr <connect-to> <message-count> "
-            "<message-size>\n");
+        printf ("usage: remote_thr <connect-to> <message-size> "
+            "<message-count>\n");
         return 1;
     }
     const char *connect_to = argv [1];
-    int message_count = atoi (argv [2]);
-    size_t message_size = (size_t) atoi (argv [3]);
+    size_t message_size = (size_t) atoi (argv [2]);
+    int message_count = atoi (argv [3]);
 
     zmq::context_t ctx (1, 1);
 
diff --git a/perf/python/local_lat.py b/perf/python/local_lat.py
index 7f1503fb..e9d46e05 100644
--- a/perf/python/local_lat.py
+++ b/perf/python/local_lat.py
@@ -23,13 +23,13 @@ import libpyzmq
 
 def main ():
     if len (sys.argv) != 4:
-        print 'usage: local_lat <bind-to> <roundtrip-count> <message-size>'
+        print 'usage: local_lat <bind-to> <message-size> <roundtrip-count>'
         sys.exit (1)
 
     try:
         bind_to = sys.argv [1]
-        roundtrip_count = int (sys.argv [2])
-        message_size = int (sys.argv [3])
+        message_size = int (sys.argv [2])
+        roundtrip_count = int (sys.argv [3])
     except (ValueError, OverflowError), e:
         print 'message-size and roundtrip-count must be integers'
         sys.exit (1)
diff --git a/perf/python/remote_lat.py b/perf/python/remote_lat.py
index 372f5670..f2ee04a9 100644
--- a/perf/python/remote_lat.py
+++ b/perf/python/remote_lat.py
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ import libpyzmq
 
 def main ():
     if len(sys.argv) != 4:
-        print 'usage: remote_lat <connect-to> <roundtrip-count> <message-size>'
+        print 'usage: remote_lat <connect-to> <message-size> <roundtrip-count>'
         sys.exit (1)
 
     try:
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ def main ():
 
     end = datetime.now ()
     delta = (end - start).microseconds + 1000000 * (end - start).seconds
-    latency = delta / roundtrip_count / 2
+    latency = float (delta) / roundtrip_count / 2
 
     print "message size: %.0f [B]" % (message_size, )
     print "roundtrip count: %.0f" % (roundtrip_count, )
diff --git a/perf/python/remote_thr.py b/perf/python/remote_thr.py
index a80adfd5..bab001dd 100644
--- a/perf/python/remote_thr.py
+++ b/perf/python/remote_thr.py
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ def main ():
         sys.exit (1)
 
     try:
-        connect_to = argv [1]
+        connect_to = sys.argv [1]
         message_size = int (sys.argv [2])
         message_count = int (sys.argv [3])
     except (ValueError, OverflowError), e:
diff --git a/src/app_thread.cpp b/src/app_thread.cpp
index e1085948..58fe19d2 100644
--- a/src/app_thread.cpp
+++ b/src/app_thread.cpp
@@ -51,9 +51,7 @@ zmq::app_thread_t::app_thread_t (dispatcher_t *dispatcher_, int thread_slot_) :
 
 zmq::app_thread_t::~app_thread_t ()
 {
-    //  Destroy all the sockets owned by this application thread.
-    for (sockets_t::iterator it = sockets.begin (); it != sockets.end (); it ++)
-        delete *it;
+    zmq_assert (sockets.empty ());
 }
 
 zmq::i_signaler *zmq::app_thread_t::get_signaler ()
diff --git a/src/dispatcher.cpp b/src/dispatcher.cpp
index 71e20df3..49c21972 100644
--- a/src/dispatcher.cpp
+++ b/src/dispatcher.cpp
@@ -30,7 +30,9 @@
 #include "windows.h"
 #endif
 
-zmq::dispatcher_t::dispatcher_t (int app_threads_, int io_threads_)
+zmq::dispatcher_t::dispatcher_t (int app_threads_, int io_threads_) :
+    sockets (0),
+    terminated (false)
 {
 #ifdef ZMQ_HAVE_WINDOWS
     //  Intialise Windows sockets. Note that WSAStartup can be called multiple
@@ -68,6 +70,20 @@ zmq::dispatcher_t::dispatcher_t (int app_threads_, int io_threads_)
         io_threads [i]->start ();
 }
 
+int zmq::dispatcher_t::term ()
+{
+    term_sync.lock ();
+    zmq_assert (!terminated);
+    terminated = true;
+    bool destroy = (sockets == 0);
+    term_sync.unlock ();
+    
+    if (destroy)
+        delete this;
+
+    return 0;
+}
+
 zmq::dispatcher_t::~dispatcher_t ()
 {
     //  Close all application theads, sockets, io_objects etc.
@@ -111,9 +127,27 @@ zmq::socket_base_t *zmq::dispatcher_t::create_socket (int type_)
     }
     threads_sync.unlock ();
 
+    term_sync.lock ();
+    sockets++;
+    term_sync.unlock ();
+
     return thread->create_socket (type_);
 }
 
+void zmq::dispatcher_t::destroy_socket ()
+{
+    //  If zmq_term was already called and there are no more sockets,
+    //  terminate the whole 0MQ infrastructure.
+    term_sync.lock ();
+    zmq_assert (sockets > 0);
+    sockets--;
+    bool destroy = (sockets == 0 && terminated);
+    term_sync.unlock ();
+
+    if (destroy)
+       delete this;
+}
+
 zmq::app_thread_t *zmq::dispatcher_t::choose_app_thread ()
 {
     //  Check whether thread ID is already assigned. If so, return it.
diff --git a/src/dispatcher.hpp b/src/dispatcher.hpp
index cb445efe..bd1f6557 100644
--- a/src/dispatcher.hpp
+++ b/src/dispatcher.hpp
@@ -52,12 +52,18 @@ namespace zmq
         //  signalers.
         dispatcher_t (int app_threads_, int io_threads_);
 
-        //  To be called to terminate the whole infrastructure (zmq_term).
-        ~dispatcher_t ();
+        //  This function is called when user invokes zmq_term. If there are
+        //  no more sockets open it'll cause all the infrastructure to be shut
+        //  down. If there are open sockets still, the deallocation happens
+        //  after the last one is closed.
+        int term ();
 
         //  Create a socket.
         class socket_base_t *create_socket (int type_);
 
+        //  Destroy a socket.
+        void destroy_socket ();
+
         //  Returns number of thread slots in the dispatcher. To be used by
         //  individual threads to find out how many distinct signals can be
         //  received.
@@ -93,6 +99,8 @@ namespace zmq
 
     private:
 
+        ~dispatcher_t ();
+
         //  Returns the app thread associated with the current thread.
         //  NULL if we are out of app thread slots.
         class app_thread_t *choose_app_thread ();
@@ -127,9 +135,20 @@ namespace zmq
         typedef std::set <class pipe_t*> pipes_t;
         pipes_t pipes;
 
-        // Synchronisation of access to the pipes repository.
+        //  Synchronisation of access to the pipes repository.
         mutex_t pipes_sync;
 
+        //  Number of sockets alive.
+        int sockets;
+
+        //  If true, zmq_term was already called. When last socket is closed
+        //  the whole 0MQ infrastructure should be deallocated.
+        bool terminated;
+
+        //  Synchronisation of access to the termination data (socket count
+        //  and 'terminated' flag).
+        mutex_t term_sync;
+
         dispatcher_t (const dispatcher_t&);
         void operator = (const dispatcher_t&);
     };
diff --git a/src/object.cpp b/src/object.cpp
index c0ef21cc..1433b7bd 100644
--- a/src/object.cpp
+++ b/src/object.cpp
@@ -53,6 +53,11 @@ int zmq::object_t::get_thread_slot ()
     return thread_slot;
 }
 
+zmq::dispatcher_t *zmq::object_t::get_dispatcher ()
+{
+    return dispatcher;
+}
+
 void zmq::object_t::process_command (command_t &cmd_)
 {
     switch (cmd_.type) {
diff --git a/src/object.hpp b/src/object.hpp
index 250e8568..2e415074 100644
--- a/src/object.hpp
+++ b/src/object.hpp
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@ namespace zmq
         ~object_t ();
 
         int get_thread_slot ();
+        dispatcher_t *get_dispatcher ();
         void process_command (struct command_t &cmd_);
 
         //  Allow pipe to access corresponding dispatcher functions.
diff --git a/src/session.cpp b/src/session.cpp
index ac2dd127..bc334e00 100644
--- a/src/session.cpp
+++ b/src/session.cpp
@@ -54,7 +54,12 @@ bool zmq::session_t::read (::zmq_msg_t *msg_)
 
 bool zmq::session_t::write (::zmq_msg_t *msg_)
 {
-    return out_pipe->write (msg_);
+    if (out_pipe->write (msg_)) {
+        zmq_msg_init (msg_);
+        return true;
+    }
+
+    return false;
 }
 
 void zmq::session_t::flush ()
diff --git a/src/socket_base.cpp b/src/socket_base.cpp
index 6ad1f551..93a0a4c3 100644
--- a/src/socket_base.cpp
+++ b/src/socket_base.cpp
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@
 
 #include "socket_base.hpp"
 #include "app_thread.hpp"
-#include "err.hpp"
+#include "dispatcher.hpp"
 #include "zmq_listener.hpp"
 #include "zmq_connecter.hpp"
 #include "msg_content.hpp"
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@
 #include "owned.hpp"
 #include "uuid.hpp"
 #include "pipe.hpp"
+#include "err.hpp"
 
 zmq::socket_base_t::socket_base_t (app_thread_t *parent_) :
     object_t (parent_),
@@ -288,7 +289,16 @@ int zmq::socket_base_t::recv (::zmq_msg_t *msg_, int flags_)
 int zmq::socket_base_t::close ()
 {
     app_thread->remove_socket (this);
+
+    //  Pointer to the dispatcher must be retrieved before the socket is
+    //  deallocated. Afterwards it is not available.
+    dispatcher_t *dispatcher = get_dispatcher ();
     delete this;
+
+    //  This function must be called after the socket is completely deallocated
+    //  as it may cause termination of the whole 0MQ infrastructure.
+    dispatcher->destroy_socket ();
+
     return 0;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/zmq.cpp b/src/zmq.cpp
index 49096ad6..0ffd530d 100644
--- a/src/zmq.cpp
+++ b/src/zmq.cpp
@@ -183,8 +183,7 @@ void *zmq_init (int app_threads_, int io_threads_)
 
 int zmq_term (void *dispatcher_)
 {
-    delete (zmq::dispatcher_t*) dispatcher_;
-    return 0;
+    return ((zmq::dispatcher_t*) dispatcher_)->term ();
 }
 
 void *zmq_socket (void *dispatcher_, int type_)