diff --git a/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/api/Git.java b/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/api/Git.java
index 01306f412..64314772b 100644
--- a/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/api/Git.java
+++ b/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/api/Git.java
@@ -18,6 +18,8 @@ import java.io.IOException;
 import org.eclipse.jgit.lib.Repository;
 import org.eclipse.jgit.lib.RepositoryBuilder;
 import org.eclipse.jgit.lib.RepositoryCache;
+import org.eclipse.jgit.lib.internal.WorkQueue;
+import org.eclipse.jgit.nls.NLS;
 import org.eclipse.jgit.util.FS;
 
 /**
@@ -170,6 +172,15 @@ public class Git implements AutoCloseable {
 		return new InitCommand();
 	}
 
+	/**
+	 * Shutdown JGit and release resources it holds like NLS and thread pools
+	 * @since 5.8
+	 */
+	public static void shutdown() {
+		WorkQueue.getExecutor().shutdownNow();
+		NLS.clear();
+	}
+
 	/**
 	 * Construct a new {@link org.eclipse.jgit.api.Git} object which can
 	 * interact with the specified git repository.
diff --git a/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/nls/GlobalBundleCache.java b/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/nls/GlobalBundleCache.java
index 6d4437f4c..9b556393e 100644
--- a/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/nls/GlobalBundleCache.java
+++ b/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/nls/GlobalBundleCache.java
@@ -70,4 +70,8 @@ class GlobalBundleCache {
 			throw new Error(e);
 		}
 	}
+
+	static void clear() {
+		cachedBundles.clear();
+	}
 }
diff --git a/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/nls/NLS.java b/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/nls/NLS.java
index daa039d34..d7dd3bee5 100644
--- a/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/nls/NLS.java
+++ b/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/nls/NLS.java
@@ -100,6 +100,15 @@ public class NLS {
 		return b.get(type);
 	}
 
+	/**
+	 * Release resources held by NLS
+	 * @since 5.8
+	 */
+	public static void clear() {
+		local.remove();
+		GlobalBundleCache.clear();
+	}
+
 	private final Locale locale;
 	private final ConcurrentHashMap<Class, TranslationBundle> map = new ConcurrentHashMap<>();