diff --git a/browser/devtools/inspector/highlighter.js b/browser/devtools/inspector/highlighter.js
index 279c0ab63be..d8a4cdf97fd 100644
--- a/browser/devtools/inspector/highlighter.js
+++ b/browser/devtools/inspector/highlighter.js
@@ -834,6 +834,7 @@ function BasicHighlighter(aTarget, aInspector)
 
 BasicHighlighter.prototype = {
   destroy: function() {
+    this.walker.highlight(null);
     this.selection.off("new-node-front", this.highlight);
     this.walker = null;
     this.selection = null;
diff --git a/browser/devtools/inspector/inspector-panel.js b/browser/devtools/inspector/inspector-panel.js
index d87e8c3a8bd..d72fc2a1684 100644
--- a/browser/devtools/inspector/inspector-panel.js
+++ b/browser/devtools/inspector/inspector-panel.js
@@ -447,6 +447,13 @@ InspectorPanel.prototype = {
     if (this._destroyPromise) {
       return this._destroyPromise;
     }
+
+    if (this.highlighter) {
+      this.highlighter.off("locked", this.onLockStateChanged);
+      this.highlighter.off("unlocked", this.onLockStateChanged);
+      this.highlighter.destroy();
+    }
+
     if (this.walker) {
       this.walker.off("new-root", this.onNewRoot);
       this._destroyPromise = this.walker.release().then(null, console.error);
@@ -464,12 +471,6 @@ InspectorPanel.prototype = {
       this.browser = null;
     }
 
-    if (this.highlighter) {
-      this.highlighter.off("locked", this.onLockStateChanged);
-      this.highlighter.off("unlocked", this.onLockStateChanged);
-      this.highlighter.destroy();
-    }
-
     this.target.off("thread-paused", this.updateDebuggerPausedWarning);
     this.target.off("thread-resumed", this.updateDebuggerPausedWarning);
     this._toolbox.off("select", this.updateDebuggerPausedWarning);
diff --git a/browser/devtools/inspector/test/browser_inspector_basic_highlighter.js b/browser/devtools/inspector/test/browser_inspector_basic_highlighter.js
index d922b7156db..2817383d42b 100644
--- a/browser/devtools/inspector/test/browser_inspector_basic_highlighter.js
+++ b/browser/devtools/inspector/test/browser_inspector_basic_highlighter.js
@@ -35,6 +35,12 @@ function test() {
       yield verifyH1Selected();
       yield deselect();
       yield verifyNoNodeSelected();
+
+      yield selectH1();
+      yield verifyH1Selected();
+      yield destroyInspector();
+      yield verifyNoNodeSelected();
+
       finishUp();
     }).then(null, Cu.reportError);
   }
@@ -66,6 +72,10 @@ function test() {
     return deferred.promise;
   }
 
+  function destroyInspector() {
+    return inspector.destroy();
+  }
+
   function verifyNoNodeSelected() {
     ok(doc.querySelectorAll(":-moz-devtools-highlighted").length === 0, "no node selected");
     return promise.resolve();