diff --git a/src/node.cc b/src/node.cc
index 75783c81ca..37e6d84da7 100644
--- a/src/node.cc
+++ b/src/node.cc
@@ -21,8 +21,6 @@ using namespace v8;
 using namespace node;
 using namespace std;
 
-static int exit_code = 0;
-
 ObjectWrap::~ObjectWrap ( )
 {
   handle_->SetInternalField(0, Undefined());
@@ -265,6 +263,20 @@ node::ParseEncoding (Handle<Value> encoding_v)
   }
 }
 
+static void
+ExecuteNativeJS (const char *filename, const char *data)
+{
+  HandleScope scope;
+  TryCatch try_catch;
+  ExecuteString(String::New(data), String::New(filename));
+  if (try_catch.HasCaught())  {
+    puts("There is an error in Node's built-in javascript");
+    puts("This should be reported as a bug!");
+    ReportException(&try_catch);
+    exit(1);
+  }
+}
+
 int
 main (int argc, char *argv[]) 
 {
@@ -299,7 +311,7 @@ main (int argc, char *argv[])
 
   NODE_SET_METHOD(node, "compile", compile); // internal 
   NODE_SET_METHOD(node, "debug", debug);
-  NODE_SET_METHOD(node, "exit", node_exit);
+  NODE_SET_METHOD(node, "reallyExit", node_exit);
 
   Local<Array> arguments = Array::New(argc);
   for (int i = 0; i < argc; i++) {
@@ -308,7 +320,6 @@ main (int argc, char *argv[])
   }
   g->Set(String::New("ARGV"), arguments);
 
-
   // BUILT-IN MODULES
   Timer::Initialize(node);
 
@@ -330,20 +341,18 @@ main (int argc, char *argv[])
   HTTPServer::Initialize(http);
   HTTPConnection::Initialize(http);
 
-  // NATIVE JAVASCRIPT MODULES
-  TryCatch try_catch;
-
-  ExecuteString(String::New(native_http), String::New("http.js"));
-  if (try_catch.HasCaught()) goto native_js_error; 
-
-  ExecuteString(String::New(native_file), String::New("file.js"));
-  if (try_catch.HasCaught()) goto native_js_error; 
-
-  ExecuteString(String::New(native_node), String::New("node.js"));
-  if (try_catch.HasCaught()) goto native_js_error; 
+  ExecuteNativeJS("http.js", native_http);
+  ExecuteNativeJS("file.js", native_file);
+  ExecuteNativeJS("node.js", native_node);
 
   ev_loop(EV_DEFAULT_UC_ 0);
 
+  // call node.exit() 
+  Local<Value> exit_v = node->Get(String::New("exit"));
+  assert(exit_v->IsFunction());
+  Handle<Function> exit_f = Handle<Function>::Cast(exit_v);
+  exit_f->Call(g, 0, NULL);
+
   context.Dispose();
   // The following line when uncommented causes an error.
   // To reproduce do this:
@@ -353,9 +362,5 @@ main (int argc, char *argv[])
   //
   //V8::Dispose();
 
-  return exit_code;
-
-native_js_error:
-  ReportException(&try_catch);
-  return 1;
+  return 0;
 }
diff --git a/src/node.js b/src/node.js
index f96eeb719e..d558f977bf 100644
--- a/src/node.js
+++ b/src/node.js
@@ -138,9 +138,41 @@ node.Module.prototype.loadChildren = function (callback) {
   }
 };
 
+node.Module.prototype.exitChildren = function (callback) {
+  var children = this.children;
+  if (children.length == 0 && callback) callback();
+  var nexited = 0;
+  for (var i = 0; i < children.length; i++) {
+    children[i].exit(function () {
+      nexited += 1;
+      if (nexited == children.length && callback) callback(); 
+    });
+  }
+};
+
 node.Module.prototype.exit = function (callback) {
-  throw "not implemented";
+  var self = this;
+
+  if (self.exited) 
+    throw "Module '" + self.filename + "' is already exited.";
+
+  this.exitChildren(function () {
+    if (self.onExit) {
+      self.onExit();
+    } 
+    self.exited = true;
+    if (callback) callback()
+  });
 };
 
-// Load the root module. I.E. the command line argument.
-(new node.Module({ path: ARGV[1], target: this })).load();
+(function () {
+  // Load the root module. I.E. the command line argument.
+  root_module = new node.Module({ path: ARGV[1], target: this });
+  root_module.load();
+
+  node.exit = function (code) {
+    root_module.exit(function () {
+      node.reallyExit(code);
+    });
+  };
+}())
diff --git a/test/fixtures/a.js b/test/fixtures/a.js
index d1405e2d16..2d23232805 100644
--- a/test/fixtures/a.js
+++ b/test/fixtures/a.js
@@ -1,10 +1,18 @@
 var c = require("b/c.js");
+var string = "A";
+
 exports.A = function () {
-  return "A";
+  return string;
 };
+
 exports.C = function () {
   return c.C();
 };
+
 exports.D = function () {
   return c.D();
 };
+
+function onExit () {
+  string = "A done";
+}
diff --git a/test/fixtures/b/c.js b/test/fixtures/b/c.js
index 72b539e729..e2091fdaa8 100644
--- a/test/fixtures/b/c.js
+++ b/test/fixtures/b/c.js
@@ -1,9 +1,16 @@
 var d = require("d.js");
 
+var string = "C";
+
 exports.C = function () {
-  return "C";
+  return string;
 };
 
 exports.D = function () {
   return d.D();
 };
+
+function onExit () {
+  puts("c.js onExit called");
+  string = "C done";
+}
diff --git a/test/fixtures/b/d.js b/test/fixtures/b/d.js
index e7ae0e8d1a..7e178e99b3 100644
--- a/test/fixtures/b/d.js
+++ b/test/fixtures/b/d.js
@@ -1,4 +1,11 @@
+var string = "D";
+
 exports.D = function () {
-  return "D";
+  return string;
 };
 
+function onExit () {
+  node.debug("d.js onExit called");
+  string = "D done";
+}
+
diff --git a/test/test-module-loading.js b/test/test-module-loading.js
index aa4c28823a..519c516510 100644
--- a/test/test-module-loading.js
+++ b/test/test-module-loading.js
@@ -21,3 +21,22 @@ function onLoad () {
   assertInstanceof(d2.D, Function);
   assertEquals("D", d2.D());
 }
+
+function onExit () {
+  assertInstanceof(a.A, Function);
+  assertEquals("A done", a.A());
+
+  assertInstanceof(a.C, Function);
+  assertEquals("C done", a.C());
+
+  assertInstanceof(a.D, Function);
+  assertEquals("D done", a.D());
+
+  assertInstanceof(d.D, Function);
+  assertEquals("D done", d.D());
+
+  assertInstanceof(d2.D, Function);
+  assertEquals("D done", d2.D());
+
+  node.debug("test-module-loading.js onExit() called");
+}
diff --git a/website/api.html b/website/api.html
index d67e67a4e4..3290ae9d9b 100644
--- a/website/api.html
+++ b/website/api.html
@@ -944,6 +944,23 @@ function onLoad () {
     used after <code>onLoad()</code> is called. So put them at the
     beginning of your file.
   </p>
+
+  <p>
+    Additionally when <code>node.exit()</code> is called or when
+    a program exits naturally, the function <code>onExit()</code> will be
+    called for each module (children first).
+    The <code>onExit()</code> callback cannot perform I/O as the process is
+    going to forcably exit in several microseconds, however it is a good
+    hook to perform some constant time checks of the module's state. 
+    It's useful for unit tests.
+  </p>
+
+  <p>
+    Just to reiterate: <code>onExit()</code>, is not the place to close
+    files or shutdown servers. The process will exit before they get
+    performed. 
+  </p>
+
 </div>
 </body>
 </html>