diff --git a/IPython/core/interactiveshell.py b/IPython/core/interactiveshell.py
index 037b86b..e32d32c 100644
--- a/IPython/core/interactiveshell.py
+++ b/IPython/core/interactiveshell.py
@@ -1119,7 +1119,49 @@ class InteractiveShell(SingletonConfigurable, Magic):
         
         # Clear out the namespace from the last %run
         self.new_main_mod()
-
+    
+    def del_var(self, varname, by_name=False):
+        """Delete a variable from the various namespaces, so that, as
+        far as possible, we're not keeping any hidden references to it.
+        
+        Parameters
+        ----------
+        varname : str
+            The name of the variable to delete.
+        by_name : bool
+            If True, delete variables with the given name in each
+            namespace. If False (default), find the variable in the user
+            namespace, and delete references to it.
+        """
+        if varname in ('__builtin__', '__builtins__'):
+            raise ValueError("Refusing to delete %s" % varname)
+        ns_refs = self.ns_refs_table + [self.user_ns,
+                self.user_global_ns, self._user_main_module.__dict__] +\
+                self._main_ns_cache.values()
+        
+        if by_name:                    # Delete by name
+            for ns in ns_refs:
+                try:
+                    del ns[varname]
+                except KeyError:
+                    pass
+        else:                         # Delete by object
+            try:
+                obj = self.user_ns[varname]
+            except KeyError:
+                raise NameError("name '%s' is not defined" % varname)
+            # Also check in output history
+            ns_refs.append(self.history_manager.output_hist)
+            for ns in ns_refs:
+                to_delete = [n for n, o in ns.iteritems() if o is obj]
+                for name in to_delete:
+                    del ns[name]
+                    
+            # displayhook keeps extra references, but not in a dictionary
+            for name in ('_', '__', '___'):
+                if getattr(self.displayhook, name) is obj:
+                    setattr(self.displayhook, name, None)
+    
     def reset_selective(self, regex=None):
         """Clear selective variables from internal namespaces based on a
         specified regular expression.
diff --git a/IPython/core/magic.py b/IPython/core/magic.py
index cde29a4..d904d28 100644
--- a/IPython/core/magic.py
+++ b/IPython/core/magic.py
@@ -1084,7 +1084,24 @@ Currently the magic system has the following functions:\n"""
                 raise TypeError('regex must be a string or compiled pattern')
             for i in self.magic_who_ls():
                 if m.search(i): 
-                    del(user_ns[i])        
+                    del(user_ns[i])
+                    
+    def magic_xdel(self, parameter_s=''):
+        """Delete a variable, trying to clear it from anywhere that
+        IPython's machinery has references to it. By default, this uses
+        the identity of the named object in the user namespace to remove
+        references held under other names. The object is also removed
+        from the output history.
+        
+        Options
+          -n : Delete the specified name from all namespaces, without
+          checking their identity.
+        """
+        opts, varname = self.parse_options(parameter_s,'n')
+        try:
+            self.shell.del_var(varname, ('n' in opts))
+        except (NameError, ValueError) as e:
+            print type(e).__name__ +": "+ str(e)
         
     def magic_logstart(self,parameter_s=''):
         """Start logging anywhere in a session.
diff --git a/IPython/core/tests/test_magic.py b/IPython/core/tests/test_magic.py
index 671d7ea..f5e3654 100644
--- a/IPython/core/tests/test_magic.py
+++ b/IPython/core/tests/test_magic.py
@@ -394,6 +394,28 @@ def test_reset_hard():
     nt.assert_equal(monitor, [])
     _ip.magic_reset("-f")
     nt.assert_equal(monitor, [1])
+    
+class TestXdel(tt.TempFileMixin):
+    def test_xdel(self):
+        """Test that references from %run are cleared by xdel."""
+        src = ("class A(object):\n"
+               "    monitor = []\n"
+               "    def __del__(self):\n"
+               "        self.monitor.append(1)\n"
+               "a = A()\n")
+        self.mktmp(src)
+        # %run creates some hidden references...
+        _ip.magic("run %s" % self.fname)
+        # ... as does the displayhook.
+        _ip.run_cell("a")
+        
+        monitor = _ip.user_ns["A"].monitor
+        nt.assert_equal(monitor, [])
+        
+        _ip.magic("xdel a")
+        
+        # Check that a's __del__ method has been called.
+        nt.assert_equal(monitor, [1])
 
 def doctest_who():
     """doctest for %who
diff --git a/IPython/testing/globalipapp.py b/IPython/testing/globalipapp.py
index 162dba9..cee6f2b 100644
--- a/IPython/testing/globalipapp.py
+++ b/IPython/testing/globalipapp.py
@@ -132,6 +132,16 @@ class ipnsdict(dict):
         # correct for that ourselves, to ensure consitency with the 'real'
         # ipython.
         self['__builtins__'] = __builtin__
+        
+    def __delitem__(self, key):
+        """Part of the test suite checks that we can release all
+        references to an object. So we need to make sure that we're not
+        keeping a reference in _savedict."""
+        dict.__delitem__(self, key)
+        try:
+            del self._savedict[key]
+        except KeyError:
+            pass
 
 
 def get_ipython():