diff --git a/src/tools/imgtool/imgtool.cpp b/src/tools/imgtool/imgtool.cpp
index 5c7f3996e21..8141d2cb656 100644
--- a/src/tools/imgtool/imgtool.cpp
+++ b/src/tools/imgtool/imgtool.cpp
@@ -1024,7 +1024,9 @@ imgtoolerr_t imgtool::image::internal_open(const imgtool_module *module, const c
 		goto done;
 	}
 
-	// we've succeeded - set the output image
+	// we've succeeded - set the output image, and record that
+	// we are "okay to close"
+	image->m_okay_to_close = true;
 	outimg = std::move(image);
 
 done:
@@ -1072,6 +1074,7 @@ imgtool::image::image(const imgtool_module &module, object_pool *pool, void *ext
 	: m_module(module)
 	, m_pool(pool)
 	, m_extra_bytes(extra_bytes)
+	, m_okay_to_close(false)
 {
 }
 
@@ -1082,7 +1085,7 @@ imgtool::image::image(const imgtool_module &module, object_pool *pool, void *ext
 
 imgtool::image::~image()
 {
-	if (module().close)
+	if (m_okay_to_close && module().close)
 		module().close(this);
 	pool_free_lib(m_pool);
 }
diff --git a/src/tools/imgtool/imgtool.h b/src/tools/imgtool/imgtool.h
index ab4d28ab44b..e9da350a050 100644
--- a/src/tools/imgtool/imgtool.h
+++ b/src/tools/imgtool/imgtool.h
@@ -123,6 +123,11 @@ namespace imgtool
 		object_pool *m_pool;
 		void *m_extra_bytes;
 
+		// because of an idiosycracy of how imgtool::image::internal_open() works, we are only "okay to close"
+		// by invoking the module's close function once internal_open() succeeds.  the long term solution is
+		// better C++ adoption (e.g. - std::unique_ptr<>, std:move() etc)
+		bool m_okay_to_close;
+
 		static imgtoolerr_t internal_open(const imgtool_module *module, const char *fname,
 			int read_or_write, util::option_resolution *createopts, imgtool::image::ptr &outimg);
 	};