diff --git a/src/index.js b/src/index.js
index 69c3cc0c8..a4c876f90 100644
--- a/src/index.js
+++ b/src/index.js
@@ -89,8 +89,22 @@ export default class VueRouter {
 
     this.apps.push(app)
 
-    // main app already initialized.
+    // set up app destroyed handler
+    app.$once('hook:destroyed', () => {
+      // clean out app from this.apps array once destroyed
+      const index = this.apps.indexOf(app)
+      if (index > -1) this.apps.splice(index, 1)
+      // ensure we still have a main app, unless this is the last app left
+      if (this.apps.length > 0) this.app = this.apps[0]
+    })
+
+    // main app previously initialized
     if (this.app) {
+      if (this.app !== this.apps[0]) {
+        // main app had been destroyed, so replace it with this new app
+        this.app = this.apps[0]
+      }
+      // return as we don't need to set up new history listener
       return
     }
 
diff --git a/test/unit/specs/api.spec.js b/test/unit/specs/api.spec.js
index 5fce2e885..75abdb2cd 100644
--- a/test/unit/specs/api.spec.js
+++ b/test/unit/specs/api.spec.js
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import Router from '../../../src/index'
+import Vue from 'vue'
 
 describe('router.onReady', () => {
   it('should work', done => {
@@ -185,3 +186,89 @@ describe('router.push/replace callbacks', () => {
     })
   })
 })
+
+describe('router app destroy handling', () => {
+  Vue.use(Router)
+
+  const router = new Router({
+    mode: 'abstract',
+    routes: [
+      { path: '/', component: { name: 'A' }}
+    ]
+  })
+
+  // Add main app
+  const app1 = new Vue({
+    router,
+    render (h) { return h('div') }
+  })
+
+  // Add 2nd app
+  const app2 = new Vue({
+    router,
+    render (h) { return h('div') }
+  })
+
+  // Add 3rd app
+  const app3 = new Vue({
+    router,
+    render (h) { return h('div') }
+  })
+
+  it('router and apps should be defined', () => {
+    expect(router).toBeDefined()
+    expect(router instanceof Router).toBe(true)
+    expect(app1).toBeDefined()
+    expect(app1 instanceof Vue).toBe(true)
+    expect(app2).toBeDefined()
+    expect(app2 instanceof Vue).toBe(true)
+    expect(app3).toBeDefined()
+    expect(app3 instanceof Vue).toBe(true)
+    expect(app1.$router.apps).toBe(app2.$router.apps)
+    expect(app2.$router.apps).toBe(app3.$router.apps)
+    expect(app1.$router.app).toBe(app2.$router.app)
+    expect(app2.$router.app).toBe(app3.$router.app)
+  })
+
+  it('should have 3 registered apps', () => {
+    expect(app1.$router).toBeDefined()
+    expect(app1.$router.app).toBe(app1)
+    expect(app1.$router.apps.length).toBe(3)
+    expect(app1.$router.apps[0]).toBe(app1)
+    expect(app1.$router.apps[1]).toBe(app2)
+    expect(app1.$router.apps[2]).toBe(app3)
+  })
+
+  it('should remove 2nd destroyed app from this.apps', () => {
+    app2.$destroy()
+    expect(app1.$router).toBeDefined()
+    expect(app1.$router.app).toBeDefined()
+    expect(app1.$router.app).toBe(app1)
+    expect(app1.$router.apps.length).toBe(2)
+    expect(app1.$router.apps[0]).toBe(app1)
+    expect(app1.$router.apps[1]).toBe(app3)
+  })
+
+  it('should remove 1st destroyed app from this.apps and replace this.app', () => {
+    app1.$destroy()
+    expect(app3.$router.app).toBe(app3)
+    expect(app3.$router.apps.length).toBe(1)
+    expect(app3.$router.apps[0]).toBe(app3)
+  })
+
+  it('should remove last destroyed app from this.apps', () => {
+    app3.$destroy()
+    expect(app3.$router.app).toBe(app3)
+    expect(app3.$router.apps.length).toBe(0)
+  })
+
+  it('should replace app with new app', () => {
+    const app4 = new Vue({
+      router,
+      render (h) { return h('div') }
+    })
+    expect(app4.$router.app).toBe(app4)
+    expect(app4.$router.apps.length).toBe(1)
+    expect(app4.$router.apps[0]).toBe(app4)
+  })
+})