diff --git a/direct/src/showbase/ShowBase.py b/direct/src/showbase/ShowBase.py
index be7ab3bc96..762c909829 100644
--- a/direct/src/showbase/ShowBase.py
+++ b/direct/src/showbase/ShowBase.py
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ import EventManager
 import math,sys,os
 import Loader
 import time
+import gc
 from direct.fsm import ClassicFSM
 from direct.fsm import State
 from direct.showbase import ExceptionVarDump
@@ -53,6 +54,8 @@ class ShowBase(DirectObject.DirectObject):
 
     notify = directNotify.newCategory("ShowBase")
 
+    GarbageCollectTaskName = "allowGarbageCollect"
+
     def __init__(self):
         __builtin__.__dev__ = config.GetBool('want-dev', 0)
         if config.GetBool('want-variable-dump', not __dev__):
@@ -364,6 +367,13 @@ class ShowBase(DirectObject.DirectObject):
         if self.windowType != 'none':
             self.__doStartDirect()
 
+
+        self._wantGcTask = config.GetBool('want-garbage-collect-task', 1)
+        self._gcTask = None
+        if self._wantGcTask:
+            # manual garbage-collect task
+            self._gcTask = taskMgr.add(self._garbageCollect, self.GarbageCollectTaskName, 200)
+
         # Start IGLOOP
         self.restart()
         
@@ -407,6 +417,10 @@ class ShowBase(DirectObject.DirectObject):
 
         This function is designed to be safe to call multiple times."""
 
+        if self._gcTask:
+            self._gcTask.remove()
+            self._gcTask = None
+
         taskMgr.destroy()
 
         if getattr(self, 'musicManager', None):
@@ -2273,6 +2287,19 @@ class ShowBase(DirectObject.DirectObject):
     def run(self):
         self.taskMgr.run()
 
+    def _garbageCollect(self, task=None):
+        # enable automatic garbage collection
+        gc.enable()
+        # creating an object with gc enabled causes garbage collection to trigger if appropriate
+        gct = GCTrigger()
+        # disable the automatic garbage collect during the rest of the frame
+        gc.disable()
+        return Task.cont
+
+class GCTrigger:
+    # used to trigger garbage collection
+    pass
+
 
 # A class to encapsulate information necessary for multiwindow support.
 class WindowControls:
diff --git a/direct/src/task/TaskOrig.py b/direct/src/task/TaskOrig.py
index 9776964652..e566e4f2e4 100644
--- a/direct/src/task/TaskOrig.py
+++ b/direct/src/task/TaskOrig.py
@@ -29,7 +29,6 @@ except:
     Dtool_PreloadDLL("libheapq")
     from libheapq import heappush, heappop, heapify
 import types
-import gc
 
 if __debug__:
     # For pstats
@@ -362,10 +361,6 @@ class TaskSortList(list):
             self[self.__emptyIndex-1] = None
             self.__emptyIndex -= 1
 
-class GCTrigger:
-    # used to trigger garbage collection
-    pass
-
 class TaskManager:
 
     # These class vars are generally overwritten by Config variables which
@@ -383,8 +378,6 @@ class TaskManager:
 
     OsdPrefix = 'task.'
 
-    GarbageCollectTaskName = "allowGarbageCollect"
-
     # multiple of average frame duration
     DefTaskDurationWarningThreshold = 40.
 
@@ -443,13 +436,7 @@ class TaskManager:
         # A default task.
         self._doLaterTask = self.add(self.__doLaterProcessor, "doLaterProcessor", -10)
 
-        # start this when config is available
-        self._gcTask = None
-        self._wantGcTask = None
-
     def destroy(self):
-        if self._gcTask:
-            self._gcTask.remove()
         if self._doLaterTask:
             self._doLaterTask.remove()
         if self._taskProfiler:
@@ -571,15 +558,6 @@ class TaskManager:
             # TaskManager.notify.debug("filtered %s removed doLaters" % numRemoved)
         return cont
 
-    def _garbageCollect(self, task=None):
-        # enable automatic garbage collection
-        gc.enable()
-        # creating an object with gc enabled causes garbage collection to trigger if appropriate
-        gct = GCTrigger()
-        # disable the automatic garbage collect during the rest of the frame
-        gc.disable()
-        return cont
-
     def doMethodLater(self, delayTime, funcOrTask, name, extraArgs = None,
                       sort = None, priority = None, taskChain = None,
                       uponDeath = None, appendTask = False, owner = None):
@@ -1143,13 +1121,6 @@ class TaskManager:
             TaskManager._DidTests = True
             self._runTests()
 
-        if not self._gcTask:
-            if self._wantGcTask is None:
-                self._wantGcTask = config.GetBool('want-garbage-collect-task', 1)
-            if self._wantGcTask:
-                # manual garbage-collect task
-                self._gcTask = self.add(self._garbageCollect, TaskManager.GarbageCollectTaskName, 200)
-
         if not self._profileTasks:
             if 'base' in __builtins__ or \
                'simbase' in __builtins__: