diff --git a/doc/man/man3/notcurses_selector.3.md b/doc/man/man3/notcurses_selector.3.md
index 528d14dbd..44a1fe0eb 100644
--- a/doc/man/man3/notcurses_selector.3.md
+++ b/doc/man/man3/notcurses_selector.3.md
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ typedef struct ncselector_options {
 
 **bool ncselector_offer_input(struct ncselector* ***n***, const ncinput* ***nc***);**
 
-**void ncselector_destroy(struct ncselector* ***n***);**
+**void ncselector_destroy(struct ncselector* ***n***, char** ***item***);**
 
 # DESCRIPTION
 
diff --git a/include/ncpp/Selector.hh b/include/ncpp/Selector.hh
index e63f0e41f..342c6fb44 100644
--- a/include/ncpp/Selector.hh
+++ b/include/ncpp/Selector.hh
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ namespace ncpp
 		~Selector ()
 		{
 			if (!is_notcurses_stopped ())
-				ncselector_destroy (selector);
+				ncselector_destroy (selector, nullptr);
 		}
 
 		int additem (const ncselector_item *item) const NOEXCEPT_MAYBE
diff --git a/include/notcurses/notcurses.h b/include/notcurses/notcurses.h
index 0db32f303..fde08460c 100644
--- a/include/notcurses/notcurses.h
+++ b/include/notcurses/notcurses.h
@@ -3609,7 +3609,7 @@ API bool ncselector_offer_input(struct ncselector* n, const ncinput* nc)
   __attribute__ ((nonnull (1, 2)));
 
 // Destroy the ncselector.
-API void ncselector_destroy(struct ncselector* n);
+API void ncselector_destroy(struct ncselector* n, char** item);
 
 struct ncmselector_item {
   const char* option;
diff --git a/src/demo/zoo.c b/src/demo/zoo.c
index 93c991271..39883b66e 100644
--- a/src/demo/zoo.c
+++ b/src/demo/zoo.c
@@ -429,7 +429,7 @@ reader_demo(struct notcurses* nc){
   }
 
 done:
-  ncselector_destroy(selector);
+  ncselector_destroy(selector, NULL);
   ncmultiselector_destroy(mselector);
   ncplane_destroy(rp);
   return ret;
diff --git a/src/lib/reader.c b/src/lib/reader.c
index 57f4e8659..4e34fa35e 100644
--- a/src/lib/reader.c
+++ b/src/lib/reader.c
@@ -1,5 +1,26 @@
 #include "internal.h"
 
+static void
+ncreader_destroy_internal(ncreader* n){
+  if(n){
+    if(n->manage_cursor){
+      notcurses_cursor_disable(ncplane_notcurses(n->ncp));
+    }
+    ncplane_destroy(n->textarea);
+    ncplane_destroy(n->ncp);
+    free(n);
+  }
+}
+
+void ncreader_destroy(ncreader* n, char** contents){
+  if(n){
+    if(contents){
+      *contents = ncreader_contents(n);
+    }
+    ncreader_destroy_internal(n);
+  }
+}
+
 ncreader* ncreader_create(ncplane* n, const ncreader_options* opts){
   ncreader_options zeroed = {};
   if(!opts){
@@ -37,6 +58,12 @@ ncreader* ncreader_create(ncplane* n, const ncreader_options* opts){
   nr->manage_cursor = opts->flags & NCREADER_OPTION_CURSOR;
   ncplane_set_channels(nr->ncp, opts->tchannels);
   ncplane_set_styles(nr->ncp, opts->tattrword);
+  if(ncplane_set_widget(n, nr, (void(*)(void*))ncreader_destroy_internal)){
+    ncplane_destroy(nr->textarea);
+    ncplane_destroy(nr->ncp);
+    free(nr);
+    return NULL;
+  }
   return nr;
 }
 
@@ -383,17 +410,3 @@ bool ncreader_offer_input(ncreader* n, const ncinput* ni){
 char* ncreader_contents(const ncreader* n){
   return ncplane_contents(n->ncp, 0, 0, 0, 0);
 }
-
-void ncreader_destroy(ncreader* n, char** contents){
-  if(n){
-    if(contents){
-      *contents = ncreader_contents(n);
-    }
-    if(n->manage_cursor){
-      notcurses_cursor_disable(ncplane_notcurses(n->ncp));
-    }
-    ncplane_destroy(n->textarea);
-    ncplane_destroy(n->ncp);
-    free(n);
-  }
-}
diff --git a/src/lib/selector.c b/src/lib/selector.c
index 2d5aa8aee..999a801b9 100644
--- a/src/lib/selector.c
+++ b/src/lib/selector.c
@@ -249,6 +249,34 @@ ncselector_dim_yx(const ncselector* n, unsigned* ncdimy, unsigned* ncdimx){
   *ncdimx = cols;
 }
 
+static void
+ncselector_destroy_internal(ncselector* n){
+  if(n){
+    while(n->itemcount--){
+      free(n->items[n->itemcount].option);
+      free(n->items[n->itemcount].desc);
+    }
+    if(ncplane_set_widget(n->ncp, NULL, NULL) == 0){
+      ncplane_destroy(n->ncp);
+    }
+    free(n->items);
+    free(n->title);
+    free(n->secondary);
+    free(n->footer);
+    free(n);
+  }
+}
+
+void ncselector_destroy(ncselector* n, char** item){
+  if(n){
+    if(item){
+      *item = n->items[n->selected].option;
+      n->items[n->selected].option = NULL;
+    }
+    ncselector_destroy_internal(n);
+  }
+}
+
 ncselector* ncselector_create(ncplane* n, const ncselector_options* opts){
   if(n == notcurses_stdplane(ncplane_notcurses(n))){
     logerror("won't use the standard plane\n"); // would fail later on resize
@@ -269,13 +297,11 @@ ncselector* ncselector_create(ncplane* n, const ncselector_options* opts){
   }
   ncselector* ns = malloc(sizeof(*ns));
   if(ns == NULL){
-fprintf(stderr, "SHIT -3\n");
     return NULL;
   }
   memset(ns, 0, sizeof(*ns));
   if(opts->defidx && opts->defidx >= itemcount){
     logerror("default index %u too large (%u items)\n", opts->defidx, itemcount);
-fprintf(stderr, "SHIT -2\n");
     goto freeitems;
   }
   ns->title = opts->title ? strdup(opts->title) : NULL;
@@ -305,7 +331,6 @@ fprintf(stderr, "SHIT -2\n");
   ns->darrowy = ns->uarrowy = ns->arrowx = -1;
   if(itemcount){
     if(!(ns->items = malloc(sizeof(*ns->items) * itemcount))){
-fprintf(stderr, "SHIT -1\n");
       goto freeitems;
     }
   }else{
@@ -315,7 +340,6 @@ fprintf(stderr, "SHIT -1\n");
     const struct ncselector_item* src = &opts->items[ns->itemcount];
     int unsafe = ncstrwidth(src->option);
     if(unsafe < 0){
-fprintf(stderr, "SHIT 0\n");
       goto freeitems;
     }
     unsigned cols = unsafe;
@@ -326,7 +350,6 @@ fprintf(stderr, "SHIT 0\n");
     const char *desc = src->desc ? src->desc : "";
     unsafe = ncstrwidth(desc);
     if(unsafe < 0){
-fprintf(stderr, "SHIT 1\n");
       goto freeitems;
     }
     cols = unsafe;
@@ -337,7 +360,6 @@ fprintf(stderr, "SHIT 1\n");
     ns->items[ns->itemcount].option = strdup(src->option);
     ns->items[ns->itemcount].desc = strdup(desc);
     if(!(ns->items[ns->itemcount].desc && ns->items[ns->itemcount].option)){
-fprintf(stderr, "SHIT 2\n");
       free(ns->items[ns->itemcount].option);
       free(ns->items[ns->itemcount].desc);
       goto freeitems;
@@ -347,15 +369,12 @@ fprintf(stderr, "SHIT 2\n");
   ns->ncp = n;
   ncselector_dim_yx(ns, &dimy, &dimx);
   if(ncplane_resize_simple(n, dimy, dimx)){
-fprintf(stderr, "SHIT 3\n");
     goto freeitems;
   }
-  if(ncplane_set_widget(ns->ncp, ns, (void(*)(void*))ncselector_destroy)){
-fprintf(stderr, "SHIT 4\n");
+  if(ncplane_set_widget(ns->ncp, ns, (void(*)(void*))ncselector_destroy_internal)){
     goto freeitems;
   }
   ncselector_draw(ns); // deal with error here?
-fprintf(stderr, "RETURNING %p\n", ns);
   return ns;
 
 freeitems:
@@ -367,7 +386,6 @@ freeitems:
   free(ns->title); free(ns->secondary); free(ns->footer);
   free(ns);
   ncplane_destroy(n);
-fprintf(stderr, "RETURNING %p\n", NULL);
   return NULL;
 }
 
@@ -565,23 +583,6 @@ bool ncselector_offer_input(ncselector* n, const ncinput* nc){
   return false;
 }
 
-void ncselector_destroy(ncselector* n){
-  if(n){
-    while(n->itemcount--){
-      free(n->items[n->itemcount].option);
-      free(n->items[n->itemcount].desc);
-    }
-    if(ncplane_set_widget(n->ncp, NULL, NULL) == 0){
-      ncplane_destroy(n->ncp);
-    }
-    free(n->items);
-    free(n->title);
-    free(n->secondary);
-    free(n->footer);
-    free(n);
-  }
-}
-
 ncplane* ncmultiselector_plane(ncmultiselector* n){
   return n->ncp;
 }
diff --git a/src/poc/selector.c b/src/poc/selector.c
index 1f14b236c..138ce7750 100644
--- a/src/poc/selector.c
+++ b/src/poc/selector.c
@@ -39,8 +39,8 @@ run_selector(struct notcurses* nc, struct ncselector* ns){
         continue;
       }
       switch(keypress){
-        case NCKEY_ENTER: ncselector_destroy(ns); return;
-        case 'M': case 'J': if(ni.ctrl){ ncselector_destroy(ns); return; }
+        case NCKEY_ENTER: ncselector_destroy(ns, NULL); return;
+        case 'M': case 'J': if(ni.ctrl){ ncselector_destroy(ns, NULL); return; }
       }
       if(keypress == 'q'){
         break;
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ run_selector(struct notcurses* nc, struct ncselector* ns){
     }
     notcurses_render(nc);
   }
-  ncselector_destroy(ns);
+  ncselector_destroy(ns, NULL);
 }
 
 int main(void){
diff --git a/src/tests/selector.cpp b/src/tests/selector.cpp
index f86c0d6fc..46a1da3e3 100644
--- a/src/tests/selector.cpp
+++ b/src/tests/selector.cpp
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ TEST_CASE("Selectors") {
     ncplane_dim_yx(ncsp, &dimy, &dimx);
     CHECK(4 == dimy);
     CHECK(5 == dimx);
-    ncselector_destroy(ncs);
+    ncselector_destroy(ncs, nullptr);
   }
 
   SUBCASE("TitledSelector") {
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ TEST_CASE("Selectors") {
     ncplane_dim_yx(ncsp, &dimy, &dimx);
     CHECK(6 == dimy);
     CHECK(strlen(opts.title) + 4 == dimx);
-    ncselector_destroy(ncs);
+    ncselector_destroy(ncs, nullptr);
   }
 
   SUBCASE("SecondarySelector") {
@@ -107,7 +107,7 @@ TEST_CASE("Selectors") {
     ncplane_dim_yx(ncsp, &dimy, &dimx);
     CHECK(4 == dimy);
     CHECK(strlen(opts.secondary) + 2 == dimx);
-    ncselector_destroy(ncs);
+    ncselector_destroy(ncs, nullptr);
   }
 
   SUBCASE("FooterSelector") {
@@ -128,7 +128,7 @@ TEST_CASE("Selectors") {
     ncplane_dim_yx(ncsp, &dimy, &dimx);
     CHECK(4 == dimy);
     CHECK(strlen(opts.footer) + 2 == dimx);
-    ncselector_destroy(ncs);
+    ncselector_destroy(ncs, nullptr);
   }
 
   SUBCASE("PopulatedSelector") {
@@ -136,7 +136,7 @@ TEST_CASE("Selectors") {
       { "op1", "this is option 1", },
       { "2ndop", "this is option #2", },
       { "tres", "option the third", },
-      { NULL, NULL, },
+      { nullptr, nullptr, },
     };
     struct ncselector_options opts{};
     opts.items = items;
@@ -154,7 +154,7 @@ TEST_CASE("Selectors") {
     ncplane_dim_yx(ncsp, &dimy, &dimx);
     CHECK(7 == dimy);
     CHECK(15 < dimx);
-    ncselector_destroy(ncs);
+    ncselector_destroy(ncs, nullptr);
   }
 
   SUBCASE("EmptySelectorMovement") {
@@ -175,7 +175,7 @@ TEST_CASE("Selectors") {
     sel = ncselector_previtem(ncs);
     REQUIRE(nullptr == sel);
     CHECK(0 == notcurses_render(nc_));
-    ncselector_destroy(ncs);
+    ncselector_destroy(ncs, nullptr);
   }
 
   SUBCASE("SelectorMovement") {
@@ -183,7 +183,7 @@ TEST_CASE("Selectors") {
       { "op1", "this is option 1", },
       { "2ndop", "this is option #2", },
       { "tres", "option the third", },
-      { NULL, NULL, },
+      { nullptr, nullptr, },
     };
     struct ncselector_options opts{};
     opts.items = items;
@@ -216,7 +216,7 @@ TEST_CASE("Selectors") {
     REQUIRE(nullptr != sel);
     CHECK(0 == strcmp(sel, items[0].option));
     CHECK(0 == notcurses_render(nc_));
-    ncselector_destroy(ncs);
+    ncselector_destroy(ncs, nullptr);
   }
 
   // Provide three items, limited to 1 shown at a time
@@ -225,7 +225,7 @@ TEST_CASE("Selectors") {
       { "op1", "this is option 1", },
       { "2ndop", "this is option #2", },
       { "tres", "option the third", },
-      { NULL, NULL, },
+      { nullptr, nullptr, },
     };
     struct ncselector_options opts{};
     opts.maxdisplay = 1;
@@ -264,7 +264,7 @@ TEST_CASE("Selectors") {
     unsigned dimy, dimx;
     ncplane_dim_yx(ncsp, &dimy, &dimx);
     CHECK(5 == dimy);
-    ncselector_destroy(ncs);
+    ncselector_destroy(ncs, nullptr);
   }
 
   // Provide three items, limited to 2 shown at a time
@@ -273,7 +273,7 @@ TEST_CASE("Selectors") {
       { "op1", "this is option 1", },
       { "2ndop", "this is option #2", },
       { "tres", "option the third", },
-      { NULL, NULL, },
+      { nullptr, nullptr, },
     };
     struct ncselector_options opts{};
     opts.maxdisplay = 2;
@@ -311,7 +311,7 @@ TEST_CASE("Selectors") {
     unsigned dimy, dimx;
     ncplane_dim_yx(ncsp, &dimy, &dimx);
     CHECK(6 == dimy);
-    ncselector_destroy(ncs);
+    ncselector_destroy(ncs, nullptr);
   }
 
   CHECK(0 == notcurses_stop(nc_));