diff --git a/build/org.eclipse.cdt.make.core/src/org/eclipse/cdt/make/core/scannerconfig/AbstractLanguageSettingsOutputScanner.java b/build/org.eclipse.cdt.make.core/src/org/eclipse/cdt/make/core/scannerconfig/AbstractLanguageSettingsOutputScanner.java
index d5ad2a07fa5..3a19b8f093b 100644
--- a/build/org.eclipse.cdt.make.core/src/org/eclipse/cdt/make/core/scannerconfig/AbstractLanguageSettingsOutputScanner.java
+++ b/build/org.eclipse.cdt.make.core/src/org/eclipse/cdt/make/core/scannerconfig/AbstractLanguageSettingsOutputScanner.java
@@ -230,6 +230,14 @@ public abstract class AbstractLanguageSettingsOutputScanner extends LanguageSett
 	}
 
 	public void shutdown() {
+		// release resources for garbage collector
+		currentCfgDescription = null;
+		currentProject = null;
+		currentResource = null;
+		currentLanguageId = null;
+
+		errorParserManager = null;
+		parsedResourceName = null;
 	}
 
 	public boolean processLine(String line, ErrorParserManager epm) {