diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/testing/decorators.py b/lib/matplotlib/testing/decorators.py
index 7e9621cb3b1d..c258574dca11 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/testing/decorators.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/testing/decorators.py
@@ -389,18 +389,22 @@ def decorator(func):
 
         @pytest.mark.parametrize("ext", extensions)
         def wrapper(*args, ext, **kwargs):
-            fig_test = plt.figure("test")
-            fig_ref = plt.figure("reference")
-            func(*args, fig_test=fig_test, fig_ref=fig_ref, **kwargs)
-            test_image_path = result_dir / (func.__name__ + "." + ext)
-            ref_image_path = result_dir / (
-                func.__name__ + "-expected." + ext
-            )
-            fig_test.savefig(test_image_path)
-            fig_ref.savefig(ref_image_path)
-            _raise_on_image_difference(
-                ref_image_path, test_image_path, tol=tol
-            )
+            try:
+                fig_test = plt.figure("test")
+                fig_ref = plt.figure("reference")
+                func(*args, fig_test=fig_test, fig_ref=fig_ref, **kwargs)
+                test_image_path = result_dir / (func.__name__ + "." + ext)
+                ref_image_path = result_dir / (
+                    func.__name__ + "-expected." + ext
+                )
+                fig_test.savefig(test_image_path)
+                fig_ref.savefig(ref_image_path)
+                _raise_on_image_difference(
+                    ref_image_path, test_image_path, tol=tol
+                )
+            finally:
+                plt.close(fig_test)
+                plt.close(fig_ref)
 
         sig = inspect.signature(func)
         new_sig = sig.replace(