diff --git a/app/src/processing/mode/java/JavaEditor.java b/app/src/processing/mode/java/JavaEditor.java
index 2b85e99ab..89738e852 100644
--- a/app/src/processing/mode/java/JavaEditor.java
+++ b/app/src/processing/mode/java/JavaEditor.java
@@ -478,7 +478,8 @@ public class JavaEditor extends Editor {
       public void run() {
         prepareRun();
         try {
-          jmode.handleRun(sketch, JavaEditor.this);
+          runtime = jmode.handleRun(sketch, JavaEditor.this);
+//          System.out.println("runtime now " + runtime);
         } catch (Exception e) {
           statusError(e);
         }
@@ -494,7 +495,7 @@ public class JavaEditor extends Editor {
       public void run() {
         prepareRun();
         try {
-          jmode.handlePresent(sketch, JavaEditor.this);
+          runtime = jmode.handlePresent(sketch, JavaEditor.this);
         } catch (Exception e) {
           statusError(e);
         }
@@ -510,7 +511,9 @@ public class JavaEditor extends Editor {
       //jmode.handleStop();
       if (runtime != null) {
         runtime.close();  // kills the window
-        runtime = null; // will this help?
+        runtime = null;
+//      } else {
+//        System.out.println("runtime is null");
       }
     } catch (Exception e) {
       statusError(e);
diff --git a/app/src/processing/mode/java/JavaMode.java b/app/src/processing/mode/java/JavaMode.java
index a1da853a9..b80e03091 100644
--- a/app/src/processing/mode/java/JavaMode.java
+++ b/app/src/processing/mode/java/JavaMode.java
@@ -172,26 +172,34 @@ public class JavaMode extends Mode {
 
   
   public Runner handleRun(Sketch sketch, RunnerListener listener) throws SketchException {
-    Runner runtime = null; 
     JavaBuild build = new JavaBuild(sketch);
     String appletClassName = build.build();
     if (appletClassName != null) {
-      runtime = new Runner(build, listener);
-      runtime.launch(false);
+      final Runner runtime = new Runner(build, listener);
+      new Thread(new Runnable() {
+        public void run() {
+          runtime.launch(false);  // this blocks until finished
+        }
+      }).start();
+      return runtime;
     }
-    return runtime;
+    return null;
   }
 
 
   public Runner handlePresent(Sketch sketch, RunnerListener listener) throws SketchException {
-    Runner runtime = null;
     JavaBuild build = new JavaBuild(sketch);
     String appletClassName = build.build();
     if (appletClassName != null) {
-      runtime = new Runner(build, listener);
-      runtime.launch(true);
+      final Runner runtime = new Runner(build, listener);
+      new Thread(new Runnable() {
+        public void run() {
+          runtime.launch(true);
+        }
+      }).start();
+      return runtime;      
     }
-    return runtime;
+    return null;
   }
 
 
diff --git a/todo.txt b/todo.txt
index a89925d78..ae9bf626b 100644
--- a/todo.txt
+++ b/todo.txt
@@ -16,6 +16,8 @@ o   http://dev.processing.org/bugs/show_bug.cgi?id=20
 X   http://code.google.com/p/processing/issues/detail?id=9
 X shift-indent without selection increases indention
 X   http://code.google.com/p/processing/issues/detail?id=458
+X Running a sketch destroys other running PApplets
+X   http://code.google.com/p/processing/issues/detail?id=567
 
 _ allow more than one sketch to run at a time
 _ help casey re-export all applets for the site