diff --git a/examples/nvme/abort/abort.c b/examples/nvme/abort/abort.c
index 61960bfb6..ea1147994 100644
--- a/examples/nvme/abort/abort.c
+++ b/examples/nvme/abort/abort.c
@@ -1074,8 +1074,8 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 	}
 	if (spdk_env_init(&opts) < 0) {
 		fprintf(stderr, "Unable to initialize SPDK env\n");
-		rc = -1;
-		goto cleanup;
+		unregister_trids();
+		return -1;
 	}
 
 	g_tsc_rate = spdk_get_ticks_hz();
@@ -1135,6 +1135,8 @@ cleanup:
 	unregister_namespaces();
 	unregister_controllers();
 
+	spdk_env_fini();
+
 	if (rc != 0) {
 		fprintf(stderr, "%s: errors occurred\n", argv[0]);
 	}
diff --git a/examples/nvme/arbitration/arbitration.c b/examples/nvme/arbitration/arbitration.c
index 76f8211b0..3d7dd1a8a 100644
--- a/examples/nvme/arbitration/arbitration.c
+++ b/examples/nvme/arbitration/arbitration.c
@@ -1093,7 +1093,7 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
 	struct worker_thread *worker, *main_worker;
 	unsigned main_core;
 	char task_pool_name[30];
-	uint32_t task_count;
+	uint32_t task_count = 0;
 	struct spdk_env_opts opts;
 
 	rc = parse_args(argc, argv);
@@ -1114,15 +1114,18 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
 	g_arbitration.tsc_rate = spdk_get_ticks_hz();
 
 	if (register_workers() != 0) {
-		return 1;
+		rc = 1;
+		goto exit;
 	}
 
 	if (register_controllers() != 0) {
-		return 1;
+		rc = 1;
+		goto exit;
 	}
 
 	if (associate_workers_with_ns() != 0) {
-		return 1;
+		rc = 1;
+		goto exit;
 	}
 
 	snprintf(task_pool_name, sizeof(task_pool_name), "task_pool_%d", getpid());
@@ -1140,7 +1143,8 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
 					sizeof(struct arb_task), 0, SPDK_ENV_SOCKET_ID_ANY);
 	if (task_pool == NULL) {
 		fprintf(stderr, "could not initialize task pool\n");
-		return 1;
+		rc = 1;
+		goto exit;
 	}
 
 	print_configuration(argv[0]);
@@ -1166,10 +1170,12 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
 
 	print_stats();
 
+exit:
 	unregister_controllers();
-
 	cleanup(task_count);
 
+	spdk_env_fini();
+
 	if (rc != 0) {
 		fprintf(stderr, "%s: errors occurred\n", argv[0]);
 	}
diff --git a/examples/nvme/discovery_aer/discovery_aer.c b/examples/nvme/discovery_aer/discovery_aer.c
index bd801185c..14974b067 100644
--- a/examples/nvme/discovery_aer/discovery_aer.c
+++ b/examples/nvme/discovery_aer/discovery_aer.c
@@ -327,5 +327,7 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 		spdk_nvme_detach_poll(detach_ctx);
 	}
 
+	spdk_env_fini();
+
 	return 0;
 }
diff --git a/examples/nvme/fio_plugin/fio_plugin.c b/examples/nvme/fio_plugin/fio_plugin.c
index db3b31686..e2d8934bb 100644
--- a/examples/nvme/fio_plugin/fio_plugin.c
+++ b/examples/nvme/fio_plugin/fio_plugin.c
@@ -1464,6 +1464,10 @@ static void spdk_fio_cleanup(struct thread_data *td)
 			pthread_join(g_ctrlr_thread_id, NULL);
 		}
 	}
+
+	if (g_spdk_env_initialized) {
+		spdk_env_fini();
+	}
 }
 
 /* This function enables addition of SPDK parameters to the fio config
diff --git a/examples/nvme/hello_world/hello_world.c b/examples/nvme/hello_world/hello_world.c
index 25c2fd420..d47ac25c7 100644
--- a/examples/nvme/hello_world/hello_world.c
+++ b/examples/nvme/hello_world/hello_world.c
@@ -507,14 +507,14 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 	rc = spdk_nvme_probe(&g_trid, NULL, probe_cb, attach_cb, NULL);
 	if (rc != 0) {
 		fprintf(stderr, "spdk_nvme_probe() failed\n");
-		cleanup();
-		return 1;
+		rc = 1;
+		goto exit;
 	}
 
 	if (TAILQ_EMPTY(&g_controllers)) {
 		fprintf(stderr, "no NVMe controllers found\n");
-		cleanup();
-		return 1;
+		rc = 1;
+		goto exit;
 	}
 
 	printf("Initialization complete.\n");
@@ -524,5 +524,8 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 		spdk_vmd_fini();
 	}
 
-	return 0;
+exit:
+	cleanup();
+	spdk_env_fini();
+	return rc;
 }
diff --git a/examples/nvme/hotplug/hotplug.c b/examples/nvme/hotplug/hotplug.c
index 0d774f8ec..e99f28fb8 100644
--- a/examples/nvme/hotplug/hotplug.c
+++ b/examples/nvme/hotplug/hotplug.c
@@ -555,7 +555,8 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 
 	/* Detect the controllers that are plugged in at startup. */
 	if (register_controllers() != 0) {
-		return 1;
+		rc = 1;
+		goto cleanup;
 	}
 
 	fprintf(stderr, "Initialization complete. Starting I/O...\n");
@@ -564,14 +565,17 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 	if (g_expected_insert_times != -1 && g_insert_times != g_expected_insert_times) {
 		fprintf(stderr, "Expected inserts %d != actual inserts %d\n",
 			g_expected_insert_times, g_insert_times);
-		return 1;
+		rc = 1;
+		goto cleanup;
 	}
 
 	if (g_expected_removal_times != -1 && g_removal_times != g_expected_removal_times) {
 		fprintf(stderr, "Expected removals %d != actual removals %d\n",
 			g_expected_removal_times, g_removal_times);
-		return 1;
+		rc = 1;
 	}
 
-	return 0;
+cleanup:
+	spdk_env_fini();
+	return rc;
 }
diff --git a/examples/nvme/identify/identify.c b/examples/nvme/identify/identify.c
index 038bef314..92e0c9e3c 100644
--- a/examples/nvme/identify/identify.c
+++ b/examples/nvme/identify/identify.c
@@ -2246,7 +2246,8 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 		ctrlr = spdk_nvme_connect(&g_trid, &opts, sizeof(opts));
 		if (!ctrlr) {
 			fprintf(stderr, "spdk_nvme_connect() failed\n");
-			return 1;
+			rc = 1;
+			goto exit;
 		}
 
 		g_controllers_found++;
@@ -2254,7 +2255,8 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 		spdk_nvme_detach_async(ctrlr, &g_detach_ctx);
 	} else if (spdk_nvme_probe(&g_trid, NULL, probe_cb, attach_cb, NULL) != 0) {
 		fprintf(stderr, "spdk_nvme_probe() failed\n");
-		return 1;
+		rc = 1;
+		goto exit;
 	}
 
 	if (g_detach_ctx) {
@@ -2265,9 +2267,12 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 		fprintf(stderr, "No NVMe controllers found.\n");
 	}
 
+exit:
 	if (g_vmd) {
 		spdk_vmd_fini();
 	}
 
-	return 0;
+	spdk_env_fini();
+
+	return rc;
 }
diff --git a/examples/nvme/nvme_manage/nvme_manage.c b/examples/nvme/nvme_manage/nvme_manage.c
index 236311761..a671f835d 100644
--- a/examples/nvme/nvme_manage/nvme_manage.c
+++ b/examples/nvme/nvme_manage/nvme_manage.c
@@ -1634,6 +1634,7 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 
 	if (spdk_nvme_probe(NULL, NULL, probe_cb, attach_cb, NULL) != 0) {
 		fprintf(stderr, "spdk_nvme_probe() failed\n");
+		spdk_env_fini();
 		return 1;
 	}
 
@@ -1704,5 +1705,7 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 		spdk_nvme_detach_poll(detach_ctx);
 	}
 
+	spdk_env_fini();
+
 	return 0;
 }
diff --git a/examples/nvme/perf/perf.c b/examples/nvme/perf/perf.c
index a549e2b22..e81198135 100644
--- a/examples/nvme/perf/perf.c
+++ b/examples/nvme/perf/perf.c
@@ -2860,12 +2860,13 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 	rc = pthread_mutex_init(&g_stats_mutex, NULL);
 	if (rc != 0) {
 		fprintf(stderr, "Failed to init mutex\n");
-		goto cleanup;
+		return -1;
 	}
 	if (spdk_env_init(&opts) < 0) {
 		fprintf(stderr, "Unable to initialize SPDK env\n");
-		rc = -1;
-		goto cleanup;
+		unregister_trids();
+		pthread_mutex_destroy(&g_stats_mutex);
+		return -1;
 	}
 
 	rc = setup_sig_handlers();
@@ -2956,6 +2957,8 @@ cleanup:
 	unregister_controllers();
 	unregister_workers();
 
+	spdk_env_fini();
+
 	pthread_mutex_destroy(&g_stats_mutex);
 
 	if (rc != 0) {
diff --git a/examples/nvme/reconnect/reconnect.c b/examples/nvme/reconnect/reconnect.c
index 5f5370d76..23b1ba00d 100644
--- a/examples/nvme/reconnect/reconnect.c
+++ b/examples/nvme/reconnect/reconnect.c
@@ -1095,8 +1095,8 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 	opts.hugepage_single_segments = g_dpdk_mem_single_seg;
 	if (spdk_env_init(&opts) < 0) {
 		fprintf(stderr, "Unable to initialize SPDK env\n");
-		rc = 1;
-		goto cleanup;
+		unregister_trids();
+		return 1;
 	}
 
 	g_tsc_rate = spdk_get_ticks_hz();
@@ -1159,6 +1159,8 @@ cleanup:
 	unregister_controllers();
 	unregister_workers();
 
+	spdk_env_fini();
+
 	if (rc != 0) {
 		fprintf(stderr, "%s: errors occurred\n", argv[0]);
 		/*