diff --git a/include/sysemu/char.h b/include/sysemu/char.h
index 2c3998765453..c4692d5d34c7 100644
--- a/include/sysemu/char.h
+++ b/include/sysemu/char.h
@@ -151,6 +151,13 @@ CharDriverState *qemu_chr_new(const char *label, const char *filename,
  */
 void qemu_chr_disconnect(CharDriverState *chr);
 
+/**
+ * @qemu_chr_cleanup:
+ *
+ * Delete all chardevs (when leaving qemu)
+ */
+void qemu_chr_cleanup(void);
+
 /**
  * @qemu_chr_new_noreplay:
  *
diff --git a/qemu-char.c b/qemu-char.c
index 87212b852c3a..0cbb6a1eab01 100644
--- a/qemu-char.c
+++ b/qemu-char.c
@@ -4566,7 +4566,7 @@ void qmp_chardev_remove(const char *id, Error **errp)
     qemu_chr_delete(chr);
 }
 
-static void qemu_chr_cleanup(void)
+void qemu_chr_cleanup(void)
 {
     CharDriverState *chr, *tmp;
 
@@ -4621,8 +4621,6 @@ static void register_types(void)
      * is specified
      */
     qemu_add_machine_init_done_notifier(&muxes_realize_notify);
-
-    atexit(qemu_chr_cleanup);
 }
 
 type_init(register_types);
diff --git a/vl.c b/vl.c
index 899dd555a691..2b4e22eb8380 100644
--- a/vl.c
+++ b/vl.c
@@ -4673,6 +4673,7 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv, char **envp)
 #ifdef CONFIG_TPM
     tpm_cleanup();
 #endif
+    qemu_chr_cleanup();
 
     return 0;
 }