diff --git a/hawk/lib/Hawk.cpp b/hawk/lib/Hawk.cpp
index 2eac7fe1..224ba62f 100644
--- a/hawk/lib/Hawk.cpp
+++ b/hawk/lib/Hawk.cpp
@@ -1797,8 +1797,6 @@ int Hawk::exec (Value* ret, const Value* args, hawk_oow_t nargs)
 	int n = (this->runctx.rtx->hawk->parse.pragma.entry[0] != '\0')?
 		this->call(this->runctx.rtx->hawk->parse.pragma.entry, ret, args, nargs): this->loop(ret);
 
-	hawk_rtx_cleario (this->runctx.rtx);
-
 #if defined(HAWK_ENABLE_GC)
         /* i assume this function is a usual hawk program starter.
          * call garbage collection after a whole program finishes */
diff --git a/hawk/lib/run.c b/hawk/lib/run.c
index 5e5b5f5f..95433e84 100644
--- a/hawk/lib/run.c
+++ b/hawk/lib/run.c
@@ -1671,6 +1671,10 @@ hawk_val_t* hawk_rtx_loop (hawk_rtx_t* rtx)
 
 	/* reset the exit level */
 	rtx->exit_level = EXIT_NONE;
+
+	/* clear any pending io's */
+	hawk_rtx_cleario (rtx);
+
 	return retv;
 }
 
@@ -1682,8 +1686,6 @@ hawk_val_t* hawk_rtx_execwithucstrarr (hawk_rtx_t* rtx, const hawk_uch_t* args[]
 		hawk_rtx_callwithooucstrarr(rtx, rtx->hawk->parse.pragma.entry, args, nargs):
 		hawk_rtx_loop(rtx);
 
-	hawk_rtx_cleario (rtx);
-
 #if defined(HAWK_ENABLE_GC)
 	/* i assume this function is a usual hawk program starter.
 	 * call garbage collection after a whole program finishes */
@@ -1811,7 +1813,7 @@ hawk_val_t* hawk_rtx_callfun (hawk_rtx_t* rtx, hawk_fun_t* fun, hawk_val_t* args
 
 	v = __eval_call(rtx, (hawk_nde_t*)&call, fun, push_arg_from_vals, (void*)&pafv, capture_retval_on_exit, &crdata);
 
-	if (!v)
+	if (HAWK_UNLIKELY(!v))
 	{
 		/* an error occurred. let's check if it is caused by exit().
 		 * if so, the return value should have been captured into
@@ -1827,6 +1829,9 @@ hawk_val_t* hawk_rtx_callfun (hawk_rtx_t* rtx, hawk_fun_t* fun, hawk_val_t* args
 		hawk_rtx_refupval (rtx, v);
 	}
 
+	/* clear any pending io's */
+	hawk_rtx_cleario  (rtx);
+
 	/* return the return value with its reference count at least 1.
 	 * the caller of this function should count down its reference. */
 	return v;