diff -up ./src/ccid_usb.c.max_cpu_bug ./src/ccid_usb.c
--- ./src/ccid_usb.c.max_cpu_bug	2012-06-22 00:25:20.000000000 -0700
+++ ./src/ccid_usb.c	2016-06-29 17:17:11.284337349 -0700
@@ -154,6 +154,36 @@ status_t OpenUSB(unsigned int reader_ind
 } /* OpenUSB */
 
 
+ /*****************************************************************************
+  *
+  *                                      close_libusb_if_needed
+  *                                      (pulled from upstream ccid_usb)
+  *
+  ****************************************************************************/
+ static void close_libusb_if_needed(void)
+ {
+         int i, to_exit = TRUE;
+ 
+         if (NULL == ctx)
+                 return;
+ 
+         /* if at least 1 reader is still in use we do not exit libusb */
+         for (i=0; i<CCID_DRIVER_MAX_READERS; i++)
+         {
+                 if (usbDevice[i].dev_handle != NULL)
+                         to_exit = FALSE;
+         }
+ 
+         if (to_exit)
+         {
+                 DEBUG_INFO("libusb_exit");
+                 libusb_exit(ctx);
+                 ctx = NULL;
+         }
+} /* close_libusb_if_needed */
+ 
+
+
 /*****************************************************************************
  *
  *					OpenUSBByName
@@ -609,8 +639,8 @@ again:
 end:
 	if (usbDevice[reader_index].dev_handle == NULL)
 	{
-		/* does not work for libusb <= 1.0.8 */
-		/* libusb_exit(ctx); */
+	    close_libusb_if_needed();
+
 		if (claim_failed)
 			return STATUS_COMM_ERROR;
 		return STATUS_NO_SUCH_DEVICE;
@@ -628,6 +658,9 @@ end1:
 	/* free bundle list */
 	bundleRelease(&plist);
 
+	if (return_value != STATUS_SUCCESS)
+		close_libusb_if_needed();
+
 	return return_value;
 } /* OpenUSBByName */
 
@@ -776,13 +809,13 @@ status_t CloseUSB(unsigned int reader_in
 			usbDevice[reader_index].interface);
 		(void)libusb_close(usbDevice[reader_index].dev_handle);
 
-		/* does not work for libusb <= 1.0.8 */
-		/* libusb_exit(ctx); */
 	}
 
 	/* mark the resource unused */
 	usbDevice[reader_index].dev_handle = NULL;
 	usbDevice[reader_index].interface = 0;
+	
+	close_libusb_if_needed();
 
 	return STATUS_SUCCESS;
 } /* CloseUSB */