diff --git a/src/app.cpp b/src/app.cpp
index 45f02523e..f1ab41731 100644
--- a/src/app.cpp
+++ b/src/app.cpp
@@ -218,7 +218,7 @@ int App::run()
 
     // Create the list of tabs
     app_rebuild_documents_tabs();
-    app_realloc_recent_list();
+    app_rebuild_recent_list();
 
     /* set current editor */
     set_current_editor(editor);
@@ -393,19 +393,12 @@ void app_update_document_tab(const Document* document)
   tabsbar->setTabText(str.c_str(), const_cast<Document*>(document));
 }
 
-/**
- * Updates the recent list menu.
- *
- * @warning This routine can't be used when a menu callback was
- * called, because, it destroy the menus, you should use
- * schedule_rebuild_recent_list() instead (src/modules/gui.c).
- */
-bool app_realloc_recent_list()
+bool app_rebuild_recent_list()
 {
   MenuItem* list_menuitem = get_recent_list_menuitem();
   MenuItem* menuitem;
 
-  /* update the recent file list menu item */
+  // Update the recent file list menu item
   if (list_menuitem) {
     if (list_menuitem->hasSubmenuOpened())
       return false;
@@ -415,7 +408,7 @@ bool app_realloc_recent_list()
     Menu* submenu = list_menuitem->getSubmenu();
     if (submenu) {
       list_menuitem->setSubmenu(NULL);
-      jwidget_free(submenu);
+      submenu->deferDelete();
     }
 
     // Build the menu of recent files
diff --git a/src/app.h b/src/app.h
index 2e0bc05ff..eae3ffbcf 100644
--- a/src/app.h
+++ b/src/app.h
@@ -92,7 +92,9 @@ void app_refresh_screen(const Document* document);
 
 void app_rebuild_documents_tabs();
 void app_update_document_tab(const Document* document);
-bool app_realloc_recent_list();
+
+// Updates the list of recent files.
+bool app_rebuild_recent_list();
 
 int app_get_current_image_type();
 
diff --git a/src/gui/component.cpp b/src/gui/component.cpp
index 561e608c4..b91a0b3cc 100644
--- a/src/gui/component.cpp
+++ b/src/gui/component.cpp
@@ -4,6 +4,8 @@
 // This source file is ditributed under a BSD-like license, please
 // read LICENSE.txt for more information.
 
+#include "config.h"
+
 #include "base/shared_ptr.h"
 #include "gui/component.h"
 #include "gui/property.h"
diff --git a/src/gui/manager.cpp b/src/gui/manager.cpp
index 9da6ce2de..3e2ab2010 100644
--- a/src/gui/manager.cpp
+++ b/src/gui/manager.cpp
@@ -93,6 +93,7 @@ static std::vector<Timer*> timers; // Registered timers
 
 static JList new_windows;	      // Windows that we should show
 static WidgetsList mouse_widgets_list; // List of widgets to send mouse events
+static WidgetsList garbage;
 static JList msg_queue;		      // Messages queue
 static JList msg_filters[NFILTERS];   // Filters for every enqueued message
 
@@ -138,6 +139,16 @@ static void allegro_window_close_hook()
     want_close_stage = STAGE_WANT_CLOSE;
 }
 
+static void collect_garbage()
+{
+  for (WidgetsList::iterator
+	 it = garbage.begin(),
+	 end = garbage.end(); it != end; ++it) {
+    delete *it;
+  }
+  garbage.clear();
+}
+
 JWidget ji_get_default_manager()
 {
   return default_manager;
@@ -204,6 +215,8 @@ void jmanager_free(JWidget widget)
   /* there are some messages in queue? */
   jmanager_dispatch_messages(widget);
 
+  collect_garbage();
+
   /* finish with main manager */
   if (default_manager == widget) {
     /* no more cursor */
@@ -243,8 +256,12 @@ void jmanager_free(JWidget widget)
 void jmanager_run(JWidget widget)
 {
   while (!jlist_empty(widget->children)) {
-    if (jmanager_generate_messages(widget))
+    if (jmanager_generate_messages(widget)) {
       jmanager_dispatch_messages(widget);
+    }
+    else if (!garbage.empty()) {
+      collect_garbage();
+    }
   }
 }
 
@@ -571,6 +588,11 @@ void jmanager_dispatch_messages(JWidget manager)
   manager_pump_queue(manager);
 }
 
+void jmanager_add_to_garbage(Widget* widget)
+{
+  garbage.push_back(widget);
+}
+
 /**
  * Adds a timer event for the specified widget.
  *
@@ -1078,13 +1100,6 @@ static bool manager_msg_proc(JWidget widget, Message* msg)
 {
   switch (msg->type) {
 
-    case JM_DEFERREDFREE:
-      ASSERT_VALID_WIDGET(msg->deffree.widget_to_free);
-      ASSERT(msg->deffree.widget_to_free != widget);
-
-      jwidget_free(msg->deffree.widget_to_free);
-      return true;
-
     case JM_REQSIZE:
       manager_request_size(widget, &msg->reqsize.w, &msg->reqsize.h);
       return true;
diff --git a/src/gui/manager.h b/src/gui/manager.h
index de54a544c..157ac58f2 100644
--- a/src/gui/manager.h
+++ b/src/gui/manager.h
@@ -18,6 +18,8 @@ void jmanager_run(JWidget manager);
 bool jmanager_generate_messages(JWidget manager);
 void jmanager_dispatch_messages(JWidget manager);
 
+void jmanager_add_to_garbage(Widget* widget);
+
 /* timers */
 
 int jmanager_add_timer(JWidget widget, int interval);
diff --git a/src/gui/menu.cpp b/src/gui/menu.cpp
index ad9249632..e675147fe 100644
--- a/src/gui/menu.cpp
+++ b/src/gui/menu.cpp
@@ -1220,7 +1220,7 @@ static bool window_msg_proc(Widget* widget, Message* msg)
   switch (msg->type) {
 
     case JM_CLOSE:
-      jwidget_free_deferred(widget);
+      widget->deferDelete();
       break;
 
   }
diff --git a/src/gui/message.h b/src/gui/message.h
index e102406ae..aad17105e 100644
--- a/src/gui/message.h
+++ b/src/gui/message.h
@@ -28,12 +28,6 @@ struct MessageAny
   int shifts;		/* key shifts pressed when message was created */
 };
 
-struct MessageDefFree		/* deferred jwidget_free call */
-{
-  MessageAny any;
-  JWidget widget_to_free;
-};
-
 struct MessageKey
 {
   MessageAny any;
@@ -104,7 +98,6 @@ union Message
 {
   int type;
   MessageAny any;
-  MessageDefFree deffree;
   MessageKey key;
   MessageDraw draw;
   MessageMouse mouse;
diff --git a/src/gui/widget.cpp b/src/gui/widget.cpp
index 80d6dba80..bff86b920 100644
--- a/src/gui/widget.cpp
+++ b/src/gui/widget.cpp
@@ -34,7 +34,6 @@ static inline void mark_dirty_flag(Widget* widget)
     widget = widget->parent;
   }
 }
-  
 
 int ji_register_widget_type()
 {
@@ -140,17 +139,9 @@ Widget::~Widget()
   _ji_remove_widget(this);
 }
 
-void jwidget_free_deferred(JWidget widget)
+void Widget::deferDelete()
 {
-  Message* msg;
-
-  ASSERT_VALID_WIDGET(widget);
-
-  msg = jmessage_new(JM_DEFERREDFREE);
-  msg->deffree.widget_to_free = widget;
-  /* TODO use the manager of 'widget' */
-  jmessage_add_dest(msg, ji_get_default_manager());
-  jmanager_enqueue_message(msg);
+  jmanager_add_to_garbage(this);
 }
 
 void Widget::initTheme()
diff --git a/src/gui/widget.h b/src/gui/widget.h
index abad9335a..4c98c0205 100644
--- a/src/gui/widget.h
+++ b/src/gui/widget.h
@@ -35,7 +35,6 @@ typedef std::vector<Widget*> WidgetsList;
 int ji_register_widget_type();
 
 void jwidget_free(JWidget widget);
-void jwidget_free_deferred(JWidget widget);
 
 /* hooks */
 
@@ -150,6 +149,10 @@ public:
   Widget(int type);
   virtual ~Widget();
 
+  // Safe way to delete a widget when it is not in the manager message
+  // queue anymore.
+  void deferDelete();
+
   // main properties
 
   int getType();
diff --git a/src/modules/gui.cpp b/src/modules/gui.cpp
index 139e94b9c..45ea25f9a 100644
--- a/src/modules/gui.cpp
+++ b/src/modules/gui.cpp
@@ -57,9 +57,8 @@
 #include "widgets/toolbar.h"
 #include "xml_widgets.h"
 
-#define REBUILD_RECENT_LIST	2
-#define REFRESH_FULL_SCREEN	4
-#define SYSTEM_WINDOW_RESIZE    8
+#define REFRESH_FULL_SCREEN	1
+#define SYSTEM_WINDOW_RESIZE    2
 
 #define MONITOR_TIMER_MSECS	100
 
@@ -466,12 +465,6 @@ void gui_feedback()
     jmanager_refresh_screen();
   }
 
-  // Menu stuff
-  if (next_idle_flags & REBUILD_RECENT_LIST) {
-    if (app_realloc_recent_list())
-      next_idle_flags ^= REBUILD_RECENT_LIST;
-  }
-
   if (next_idle_flags & REFRESH_FULL_SCREEN) {
     next_idle_flags ^= REFRESH_FULL_SCREEN;
 
@@ -659,11 +652,6 @@ JWidget find_widget(JWidget widget, const char *name)
   return child;
 }
 
-void schedule_rebuild_recent_list()
-{
-  next_idle_flags |= REBUILD_RECENT_LIST;
-}
-
 //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 // Hook signals
 
diff --git a/src/modules/gui.h b/src/modules/gui.h
index dfe7d2e2e..ac8a4bcc4 100644
--- a/src/modules/gui.h
+++ b/src/modules/gui.h
@@ -85,8 +85,6 @@ void save_window_pos(Widget* window, const char *section);
 Widget* load_widget(const char *filename, const char *name);
 Widget* find_widget(Widget* widget, const char *name);
 
-void schedule_rebuild_recent_list();
-
 void hook_signal(Widget* widget,
 		 int signal_num,
 		 bool (*signal_handler)(Widget* widget, void *data),
diff --git a/src/recent_files.cpp b/src/recent_files.cpp
index 61077550a..a8caa0819 100644
--- a/src/recent_files.cpp
+++ b/src/recent_files.cpp
@@ -24,7 +24,6 @@
 
 #include "app.h"
 #include "core/cfg.h"
-#include "modules/gui.h"
 #include "recent_files.h"
 
 RecentFiles::RecentFiles()
@@ -77,7 +76,8 @@ void RecentFiles::addRecentFile(const char* filename)
     // Move it to the first position
     m_files.erase(it);
     m_files.insert(m_files.begin(), filename);
-    schedule_rebuild_recent_list();
+
+    app_rebuild_recent_list();
     return;
   }
 
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ void RecentFiles::addRecentFile(const char* filename)
   }
 
   m_files.insert(m_files.begin(), filename);
-  schedule_rebuild_recent_list();
+  app_rebuild_recent_list();
 }
 
 void RecentFiles::removeRecentFile(const char* filename)
@@ -99,7 +99,6 @@ void RecentFiles::removeRecentFile(const char* filename)
 
   if (it != m_files.end()) {
     m_files.erase(it);
-
-    schedule_rebuild_recent_list();
+    app_rebuild_recent_list();
   }
 }