diff --git a/IPython/kernel/comm/comm.py b/IPython/kernel/comm/comm.py
index d9c37af..fd4e1fb 100644
--- a/IPython/kernel/comm/comm.py
+++ b/IPython/kernel/comm/comm.py
@@ -70,6 +70,7 @@ class Comm(LoggingConfigurable):
     def __del__(self):
         """trigger close on gc"""
         self.close()
+        get_ipython().comm_manager.unregister_comm(self)
     
     # publishing messages
     
diff --git a/IPython/kernel/comm/manager.py b/IPython/kernel/comm/manager.py
index fdc7ba6..a4c5e5f 100644
--- a/IPython/kernel/comm/manager.py
+++ b/IPython/kernel/comm/manager.py
@@ -76,7 +76,6 @@ class CommManager(LoggingConfigurable):
         """Unregister a comm, and close its counterpart"""
         # unlike get_comm, this should raise a KeyError
         comm = self.comms.pop(comm_id)
-        comm.close()
     
     def get_comm(self, comm_id):
         """Get a comm with a particular id