diff --git a/deltachat-ffi/src/lib.rs b/deltachat-ffi/src/lib.rs
index ae4a0b337..6dfb27002 100644
--- a/deltachat-ffi/src/lib.rs
+++ b/deltachat-ffi/src/lib.rs
@@ -44,11 +44,14 @@ pub unsafe extern "C" fn dc_context_new(
     Box::into_raw(Box::new(ctx))
 }
 
+/// Release the context structure.
+///
+/// This function releases the memory of the `dc_context_t` structure.
 #[no_mangle]
 pub unsafe extern "C" fn dc_context_unref(context: *mut dc_context_t) {
     assert!(!context.is_null());
     let context = &mut *context;
-    context::dc_context_unref(context);
+    context::dc_close(context);
     Box::from_raw(context);
 }
 
diff --git a/examples/repl/main.rs b/examples/repl/main.rs
index c3a47ccec..c89ce9104 100644
--- a/examples/repl/main.rs
+++ b/examples/repl/main.rs
@@ -456,12 +456,6 @@ fn main_0(args: Vec<String>) -> Result<(), failure::Error> {
     println!("history saved");
     {
         stop_threads(&ctx.read().unwrap());
-
-        unsafe {
-            let mut ctx = ctx.write().unwrap();
-            dc_close(&mut ctx);
-            dc_context_unref(&mut ctx);
-        }
     }
 
     Ok(())
diff --git a/src/context.rs b/src/context.rs
index 3f2944e5a..619d26355 100644
--- a/src/context.rs
+++ b/src/context.rs
@@ -20,7 +20,6 @@ use crate::sql::Sql;
 use crate::types::*;
 use crate::x::*;
 
-#[repr(C)]
 pub struct Context {
     pub userdata: *mut libc::c_void,
     pub dbfile: Arc<RwLock<*mut libc::c_char>>,
@@ -77,6 +76,14 @@ impl Context {
     }
 }
 
+impl Drop for Context {
+    fn drop(&mut self) {
+        unsafe {
+            dc_close(&self);
+        }
+    }
+}
+
 impl Default for RunningState {
     fn default() -> Self {
         RunningState {
@@ -165,16 +172,6 @@ pub fn dc_context_new(
     }
 }
 
-#[cfg(test)]
-mod tests {
-    use super::*;
-    #[test]
-    fn no_crashes_on_context_deref() {
-        let mut ctx = dc_context_new(None, std::ptr::null_mut(), Some("Test OS".into()));
-        unsafe { dc_context_unref(&mut ctx) };
-    }
-}
-
 unsafe fn cb_receive_imf(
     context: &Context,
     imf_raw_not_terminated: *const libc::c_char,
@@ -258,12 +255,6 @@ fn cb_get_config(context: &Context, key: &str) -> Option<String> {
     context.sql.get_config(context, key)
 }
 
-pub unsafe fn dc_context_unref(context: &mut Context) {
-    if 0 != dc_is_open(context) {
-        dc_close(context);
-    }
-}
-
 pub unsafe fn dc_close(context: &Context) {
     info!(context, 0, "disconnecting INBOX-watch",);
     context.inbox.read().unwrap().disconnect(context);
@@ -591,3 +582,24 @@ pub fn dc_is_mvbox(context: &Context, folder_name: impl AsRef<str>) -> bool {
         false
     }
 }
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod tests {
+    use super::*;
+
+    #[test]
+    fn no_crashes_on_context_deref() {
+        let ctx = dc_context_new(None, std::ptr::null_mut(), Some("Test OS".into()));
+        std::mem::drop(ctx);
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_context_double_close() {
+        let ctx = dc_context_new(None, std::ptr::null_mut(), None);
+        unsafe {
+            dc_close(&ctx);
+            dc_close(&ctx);
+        }
+        std::mem::drop(ctx);
+    }
+}