diff --git a/examples/C/vard_int.c b/examples/C/vard_int.c
index a74f36a7c..5ff09e357 100644
--- a/examples/C/vard_int.c
+++ b/examples/C/vard_int.c
@@ -210,10 +210,11 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv) {
     err = ncmpi_get_vard_all(ncid, varid0, rec_filetype, buf, bufcount,buftype);
     ERR
 
-    err = ncmpi_close(ncid); ERR
     MPI_Type_free(&rec_filetype);
     MPI_Type_free(&fix_filetype);
 
+    err = ncmpi_close(ncid); ERR
+
     nerrs += pnetcdf_check_mem_usage(MPI_COMM_WORLD);
 
     MPI_Finalize();
diff --git a/examples/CXX/vard_int.cpp b/examples/CXX/vard_int.cpp
index ee64f8924..1f066aaf7 100644
--- a/examples/CXX/vard_int.cpp
+++ b/examples/CXX/vard_int.cpp
@@ -184,15 +184,15 @@ int main(int argc, char** argv)
 
         /* read the fixed-size variable */
         var1.getVard_all(fix_filetype, buf, bufcount, buftype);
+
+        MPI_Type_free(&rec_filetype);
+        MPI_Type_free(&fix_filetype);
     }
     catch(NcmpiException& e) {
        cout << e.what() << " error code=" << e.errorCode() << " Error!\n";
        return 1;
     }
 
-    MPI_Type_free(&rec_filetype);
-    MPI_Type_free(&fix_filetype);
-
     /* check if there is any PnetCDF internal malloc residue */
     MPI_Offset malloc_size, sum_size;
     int err = ncmpi_inq_malloc_size(&malloc_size);
diff --git a/examples/F77/vard_int.f b/examples/F77/vard_int.f
index 9ed9126ef..d534bb217 100644
--- a/examples/F77/vard_int.f
+++ b/examples/F77/vard_int.f
@@ -215,13 +215,13 @@ program main
      +                             bufcount, buftype)
           call check(err, 'In nfmpi_get_vard_all: ')
 
+          call MPI_Type_free(rec_filetype, err)
+          call MPI_Type_free(fix_filetype, err)
+
           ! close the file
           err = nfmpi_close(ncid)
           call check(err, 'In nfmpi_close: ')
 
-          call MPI_Type_free(rec_filetype, err)
-          call MPI_Type_free(fix_filetype, err)
-
           ! check if there is any PnetCDF internal malloc residue
  998      format(A,I13,A)
           err = nfmpi_inq_malloc_size(malloc_size)
diff --git a/examples/F90/vard_int.f90 b/examples/F90/vard_int.f90
index 4ba1321d4..263c24bc2 100644
--- a/examples/F90/vard_int.f90
+++ b/examples/F90/vard_int.f90
@@ -202,13 +202,13 @@ program main
                                      bufcount, buftype)
           call check(err, 'In nf90mpi_get_vard_all: ')
 
+          call MPI_Type_free(rec_filetype, err)
+          call MPI_Type_free(fix_filetype, err)
+
           ! close the file
           err = nf90mpi_close(ncid)
           call check(err, 'In nf90mpi_close: ')
 
-          call MPI_Type_free(rec_filetype, err)
-          call MPI_Type_free(fix_filetype, err)
-
           ! check if there is any PnetCDF internal malloc residue
  998      format(A,I13,A)
           err = nf90mpi_inq_malloc_size(malloc_size)
diff --git a/test/largefile/large_reqs.c b/test/largefile/large_reqs.c
index 300aeb33f..a0d32d9ba 100644
--- a/test/largefile/large_reqs.c
+++ b/test/largefile/large_reqs.c
@@ -259,10 +259,10 @@ int tst_vars(char *filename, MPI_Comm comm)
     err = ncmpi_wait_all(ncid, NC_REQ_ALL, NULL, NULL);
     CHECK_ERR
 
-    err = ncmpi_close(ncid); CHECK_ERR
-
     MPI_Type_free(&buftype);
 
+    err = ncmpi_close(ncid); CHECK_ERR
+
     free(varid);
     free(buf);
 
diff --git a/test/testcases/flexible_api.f b/test/testcases/flexible_api.f
index df67a69c6..96f318b6b 100644
--- a/test/testcases/flexible_api.f
+++ b/test/testcases/flexible_api.f
@@ -273,12 +273,12 @@ program main
           err = nfmpi_wait_all(ncid, 1, req, st)
           call check(err, 'In nfmpi_wait_all:')
 
+          call MPI_Type_free(subarray, err)
+
           ! close the file
           err = nfmpi_close(ncid)
           call check(err, 'In nfmpi_close: ')
 
-          call MPI_Type_free(subarray, err)
-
           ! check if there is any PnetCDF internal malloc residue
  998      format(A,I13,A)
           err = nfmpi_inq_malloc_size(malloc_size)
diff --git a/test/testcases/flexible_var.c b/test/testcases/flexible_var.c
index 79a6c6dc5..31704f0f9 100644
--- a/test/testcases/flexible_var.c
+++ b/test/testcases/flexible_var.c
@@ -481,10 +481,10 @@ int main(int argc, char** argv)
     /* check the contents of get buffer */
     CHECK_GET_BUF(NY, NX, buf)
 
-    err = ncmpi_close(ncid); CHECK_ERROUT
-
     MPI_Type_free(&subarray);
 
+    err = ncmpi_close(ncid); CHECK_ERROUT
+
     /* check if PnetCDF freed all internal malloc */
     MPI_Offset malloc_size, sum_size;
     err = ncmpi_inq_malloc_size(&malloc_size);
diff --git a/test/testcases/test_vard.c b/test/testcases/test_vard.c
index 92eeeb6eb..9a11288cf 100644
--- a/test/testcases/test_vard.c
+++ b/test/testcases/test_vard.c
@@ -486,8 +486,6 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv) {
     }
     free(schar_buf);
 
-    err = ncmpi_close(ncid); CHECK_ERR
-
     MPI_Type_free(&rec_filetype);
     MPI_Type_free(&fix_filetype);
     MPI_Type_free(&buftype);
@@ -500,6 +498,8 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv) {
     free(flt_buf[0]); free(flt_buf);
     free(dbl_buf[0]); free(dbl_buf);
 
+    err = ncmpi_close(ncid); CHECK_ERR
+
     /* check if PnetCDF freed all internal malloc */
     MPI_Offset malloc_size, sum_size;
     err = ncmpi_inq_malloc_size(&malloc_size);
diff --git a/test/testcases/test_vardf.F b/test/testcases/test_vardf.F
index 80d43875b..ec04c3de3 100644
--- a/test/testcases/test_vardf.F
+++ b/test/testcases/test_vardf.F
@@ -392,15 +392,15 @@ program main
           call get_var_and_verify(ncid, varid1, NX,NY,start, count, buf,
      +                 buftype, ghost_buftype, fix_filetype, nerrs)
 
-          ! close the file
-          err = nfmpi_close(ncid)
-          call check(err, 'In nfmpi_close: ')
-
           call MPI_Type_free(rec_filetype, ierr)
           call MPI_Type_free(fix_filetype, ierr)
           call MPI_Type_free(buftype, ierr)
           call MPI_Type_free(ghost_buftype, ierr)
 
+          ! close the file
+          err = nfmpi_close(ncid)
+          call check(err, 'In nfmpi_close: ')
+
           ! check if there is any PnetCDF internal malloc residue
  998      format(A,I13,A)
           err = nfmpi_inq_malloc_size(malloc_size)
diff --git a/test/testcases/test_vardf90.f90 b/test/testcases/test_vardf90.f90
index efc13e5cc..8a78b3fdf 100644
--- a/test/testcases/test_vardf90.f90
+++ b/test/testcases/test_vardf90.f90
@@ -371,15 +371,15 @@ program main
           call get_var_and_verify(ncid, varid1, NX,NY,start, count, buf, &
                        buftype, ghost_buftype, fix_filetype, nerrs)
 
-          ! close the file
-          err = nf90mpi_close(ncid)
-          call check(err, 'In nf90mpi_close: ')
-
           call MPI_Type_free(rec_filetype, ierr)
           call MPI_Type_free(fix_filetype, ierr)
           call MPI_Type_free(buftype, ierr)
           call MPI_Type_free(ghost_buftype, ierr)
 
+          ! close the file
+          err = nf90mpi_close(ncid)
+          call check(err, 'In nf90mpi_close: ')
+
           ! check if there is any PnetCDF internal malloc residue
  998      format(A,I13,A)
           err = nfmpi_inq_malloc_size(malloc_size)
diff --git a/test/testcases/vectors.c b/test/testcases/vectors.c
index 159785c3c..83759a638 100644
--- a/test/testcases/vectors.c
+++ b/test/testcases/vectors.c
@@ -101,6 +101,9 @@ int main(int argc, char ** argv)
     CHECK_ERR
     err = ncmpi_get_vara(ncid, varid, &start, &acount, cmpbuf, 1, usertype);
     CHECK_ERR
+
+    MPI_Type_free(&usertype);
+
     err = ncmpi_close(ncid);
     CHECK_ERR
 
@@ -116,7 +119,6 @@ int main(int argc, char ** argv)
     nerrs += errs;
     free(userbuf);
     free(cmpbuf);
-    MPI_Type_free(&usertype);
 
     /* check if PnetCDF freed all internal malloc */
     MPI_Offset malloc_size, sum_size;