diff --git a/src/notcurses/builder.rs b/src/notcurses/builder.rs
index ecf0a8b..5f930b8 100644
--- a/src/notcurses/builder.rs
+++ b/src/notcurses/builder.rs
@@ -5,10 +5,9 @@
 
 use crate::{
     error::NotcursesResult as Result,
-    notcurses::{LogLevel, Notcurses},
+    notcurses::{LogLevel, Notcurses, NotcursesInner},
     sys::{Nc, NcOptionsBuilder},
 };
-use std::{cell::RefCell, rc::Rc};
 
 /// A [`Notcurses`] builder.
 #[derive(Clone, Copy, Debug)]
@@ -39,8 +38,9 @@ impl NotcursesBuilder {
     pub fn build(self) -> Result<Notcurses> {
         Notcurses::lock_notcurses()?;
         let nc = unsafe { Nc::with_options(self.options.build())? };
+
         Ok(Notcurses {
-            nc: Rc::new(RefCell::new(nc)),
+            inner: NotcursesInner::new(nc),
             options: self.options,
         })
     }
diff --git a/src/notcurses/mod.rs b/src/notcurses/mod.rs
index 0d5eca6..be7727a 100644
--- a/src/notcurses/mod.rs
+++ b/src/notcurses/mod.rs
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ mod notcurses;
 mod statistics;
 
 pub use self::notcurses::Notcurses;
+pub(crate) use self::notcurses::NotcursesInner;
 pub use builder::NotcursesBuilder;
 pub use capabilities::Capabilities;
 pub use log_level::LogLevel;
diff --git a/src/notcurses/notcurses.rs b/src/notcurses/notcurses.rs
index c3350e1..f11160a 100644
--- a/src/notcurses/notcurses.rs
+++ b/src/notcurses/notcurses.rs
@@ -17,31 +17,46 @@ use crate::{
 };
 use std::{cell::RefCell, rc::Rc};
 
+/// Maintains the notcurses context alive until all dependend objects are dropped.
+pub(crate) struct NotcursesInner {
+    pub(crate) nc: *mut Nc,
+}
+impl NotcursesInner {
+    #[inline]
+    #[must_use]
+    pub(crate) fn new(nc: *mut Nc) -> Rc<RefCell<Self>> {
+        Rc::new(RefCell::new(NotcursesInner { nc }))
+    }
+}
+
 /// *Notcurses* state for a given terminal, composed of [`Plane`][crate::plane::Plane]s.
 ///
 /// There can only be a single `Notcurses` instance per thread at any given moment.
 pub struct Notcurses {
-    pub(crate) nc: Rc<RefCell<*mut Nc>>,
-    pub(super) options: NcOptionsBuilder,
+    // This is cloned in dependent objects, to ensure proper drop order.
+    pub(crate) inner: Rc<RefCell<NotcursesInner>>,
+    pub(crate) options: NcOptionsBuilder,
 }
 
 mod core_impls {
-    use super::{Nc, Notcurses, OnceCell, NOTCURSES_LOCK};
+    use super::{Notcurses, NotcursesInner, OnceCell, NOTCURSES_LOCK};
     use core::fmt;
 
-    impl Drop for Notcurses {
+    // Notcurses will be properly stopped after all dependent objects are dropped
+    impl Drop for NotcursesInner {
         fn drop(&mut self) {
-            // Allows initializing a new Notcurses instance again.
-            NOTCURSES_LOCK.with(|refcell| {
-                refcell.replace(OnceCell::new());
-            });
-            let nc_ptr: *mut Nc = *self.nc.borrow_mut();
+            let nc_ptr = self.nc;
             if !nc_ptr.is_null() {
                 unsafe {
                     (*nc_ptr).drop_planes();
                     (*nc_ptr).stop().expect("Notcurses.stop() failed");
                 }
             }
+
+            // Unlock the static lock to allow new `Notcurses` instances
+            NOTCURSES_LOCK.with(|refcell| {
+                refcell.replace(OnceCell::new());
+            });
         }
     }
 
@@ -146,7 +161,7 @@ impl Notcurses {
         let options = NcOptionsBuilder::new().suppress_banners(true);
         let nc_ptr = unsafe { Nc::with_options(options.build())? };
         Ok(Notcurses {
-            nc: Rc::new(RefCell::new(nc_ptr)),
+            inner: NotcursesInner::new(nc_ptr),
             options,
         })
     }
@@ -157,7 +172,7 @@ impl Notcurses {
         let options = NcOptionsBuilder::new();
         let nc_ptr = unsafe { Nc::with_options(options.build())? };
         Ok(Notcurses {
-            nc: Rc::new(RefCell::new(nc_ptr)),
+            inner: NotcursesInner::new(nc_ptr),
             options,
         })
     }
@@ -170,7 +185,7 @@ impl Notcurses {
             .cli_mode(true);
         let nc_ptr = unsafe { Nc::with_options(options.build())? };
         Ok(Notcurses {
-            nc: Rc::new(RefCell::new(nc_ptr)),
+            inner: NotcursesInner::new(nc_ptr),
             options,
         })
     }
@@ -181,7 +196,7 @@ impl Notcurses {
         let options = NcOptionsBuilder::new().cli_mode(true);
         let nc_ptr = unsafe { Nc::with_options(options.build())? };
         Ok(Notcurses {
-            nc: Rc::new(RefCell::new(nc_ptr)),
+            inner: NotcursesInner::new(nc_ptr),
             options,
         })
     }
@@ -194,7 +209,7 @@ impl Notcurses {
     where
         F: FnOnce(&Nc) -> R,
     {
-        let nc_ptr = *self.nc.borrow();
+        let nc_ptr = self.inner.borrow().nc;
         unsafe { f(&*nc_ptr) }
     }
 
@@ -204,7 +219,7 @@ impl Notcurses {
     where
         F: FnOnce(&mut Nc) -> R,
     {
-        let nc_ptr = *self.nc.borrow_mut();
+        let nc_ptr = self.inner.borrow_mut().nc;
         unsafe { f(&mut *nc_ptr) }
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/plane/builder.rs b/src/plane/builder.rs
index a60147b..20d98e1 100644
--- a/src/plane/builder.rs
+++ b/src/plane/builder.rs
@@ -9,7 +9,6 @@ use crate::{
     sys::{Nc, NcPlane, NcPlaneOptionsBuilder},
     Notcurses, Position, Size,
 };
-use std::{cell::RefMut, rc::Rc};
 
 /// A [`Plane`] builder.
 #[derive(Debug, Default)]
@@ -29,15 +28,15 @@ impl PlaneBuilder {
 
     /// Returns a new standalone `Plane`.
     pub fn build(self, nc: &Notcurses) -> Result<Plane> {
-        let notcurses = Rc::clone(&nc.nc);
+        let notcurses = nc.inner.clone();
         let ncplane = {
-            let nc_borrow: RefMut<*mut Nc> = notcurses.borrow_mut();
-            let nc_ptr: *mut Nc = *nc_borrow;
+            let inner_nc = notcurses.borrow_mut();
+            let nc_ptr: *mut Nc = inner_nc.nc;
+
             // SAFETY: ensured via RefCell's borrowing rules
             let nc_ref: &mut Nc = unsafe { &mut *nc_ptr };
             NcPlane::new_pile(nc_ref, &self.options.build())?
         };
-
         Ok(Plane {
             nc: ncplane,
             notcurses,
diff --git a/src/plane/plane.rs b/src/plane/plane.rs
index 3139327..2501434 100644
--- a/src/plane/plane.rs
+++ b/src/plane/plane.rs
@@ -6,9 +6,9 @@
 use crate::{
     color::{Channel, Channels},
     error::NotcursesResult as Result,
-    notcurses::{Capabilities, Notcurses},
+    notcurses::{Capabilities, Notcurses, NotcursesInner},
     plane::{Align, Cell, PlaneBuilder, PlaneGeometry, Style},
-    sys::{Nc, NcPlane},
+    sys::NcPlane,
     visual::Blitter,
     Position, Size,
 };
@@ -17,7 +17,8 @@ use std::{cell::RefCell, rc::Rc};
 /// A drawable text surface, composed of [`Cell`]s.
 pub struct Plane {
     pub(super) nc: *mut NcPlane,
-    pub(super) notcurses: Rc<RefCell<*mut Nc>>,
+    // Ensures the notcurses context remains alive as long as this object exists
+    pub(super) notcurses: Rc<RefCell<NotcursesInner>>,
 }
 
 mod core_impls {
@@ -34,8 +35,7 @@ mod core_impls {
                 CLI_PLANE_LOCK.with(|refcell| {
                     refcell.replace(OnceCell::new());
                 });
-            } else if crate::Notcurses::is_initialized() && self.notcurses.try_borrow_mut().is_ok()
-            {
+            } else if crate::Notcurses::is_initialized() {
                 let _res = self.into_ref_mut().destroy();
             }
         }
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ impl Plane {
     pub fn from_ncplane(ncplane: &mut NcPlane, notcurses: &Notcurses) -> Plane {
         Plane {
             nc: ncplane as *mut NcPlane,
-            notcurses: notcurses.nc.clone(),
+            notcurses: notcurses.inner.clone(),
         }
     }
 
@@ -198,7 +198,7 @@ impl Plane {
     pub fn duplicate(&self) -> Plane {
         Plane {
             nc: self.into_ref().dup(),
-            notcurses: Rc::clone(&self.notcurses),
+            notcurses: self.notcurses.clone(),
         }
     }