diff --git a/api/tesseractmain.cpp b/api/tesseractmain.cpp
index a1ca145a..3f6b3651 100644
--- a/api/tesseractmain.cpp
+++ b/api/tesseractmain.cpp
@@ -421,7 +421,9 @@ int main(int argc, char** argv) {
   }
 
   PERF_COUNT_START("Tesseract:main")
-  tesseract::TessBaseAPI api;
+
+  // Avoid memory leak caused by auto variable when exit() is called.
+  static tesseract::TessBaseAPI api;
 
   api.SetOutputName(outputbase);
 
@@ -490,7 +492,8 @@ int main(int argc, char** argv) {
       (api.GetBoolVariable("tessedit_resegment_from_boxes", &b) && b) ||
       (api.GetBoolVariable("tessedit_make_boxes_from_boxes", &b) && b);
 
-  tesseract::PointerVector<tesseract::TessResultRenderer> renderers;
+  // Avoid memory leak caused by auto variable when exit() is called.
+  static tesseract::PointerVector<tesseract::TessResultRenderer> renderers;
 
   if (in_training_mode) {
     renderers.push_back(NULL);