diff --git a/src/core/flameshot.cpp b/src/core/flameshot.cpp
index cdc2c4d0..cf112d79 100644
--- a/src/core/flameshot.cpp
+++ b/src/core/flameshot.cpp
@@ -37,7 +37,6 @@
 
 Flameshot::Flameshot()
   : m_captureWindow(nullptr)
-  , m_have_external_widgets(false)
 #if defined(Q_OS_MACOS)
   , m_HotkeyScreenshotCapture(nullptr)
   , m_HotkeyScreenshotHistory(nullptr)
@@ -412,13 +411,12 @@ void Flameshot::exportCapture(QPixmap capture,
     if (!(tasks & CR::UPLOAD)) {
         emit captureTaken(capture);
     }
-    if (!m_have_external_widgets)
-        qApp->quit();
-}
-
-void Flameshot::setExternalWidgets()
-{
-    m_have_external_widgets = true;
+    // hacks: close a window to trigger qt's quitOnLastWindowClose
+    // if not create tmp_window and close, the `flameshot gui` won't exit after
+    // click copy button
+    QWidget* tmp = new QWidget();
+    tmp->show();
+    tmp->close();
 }
 
 // STATIC ATTRIBUTES
diff --git a/src/core/flameshot.h b/src/core/flameshot.h
index 3519ea11..ec8ce98c 100644
--- a/src/core/flameshot.h
+++ b/src/core/flameshot.h
@@ -47,7 +47,6 @@ public slots:
 public:
     static void setOrigin(Origin origin);
     static Origin origin();
-    void setExternalWidgets();
 
 signals:
     void captureTaken(QPixmap p);
@@ -60,7 +59,6 @@ public slots:
 private:
     Flameshot();
     bool resolveAnyConfigErrors();
-    bool m_have_external_widgets;
 
     // class members
     static Origin m_origin;
diff --git a/src/widgets/capture/capturewidget.cpp b/src/widgets/capture/capturewidget.cpp
index 92cf10cc..1f2bc24a 100644
--- a/src/widgets/capture/capturewidget.cpp
+++ b/src/widgets/capture/capturewidget.cpp
@@ -1200,7 +1200,6 @@ void CaptureWidget::handleToolSignal(CaptureTool::Request r)
                 w->setAttribute(Qt::WA_DeleteOnClose);
                 w->activateWindow();
                 w->show();
-                Flameshot::instance()->setExternalWidgets();
             }
             break;
         case CaptureTool::REQ_INCREASE_TOOL_SIZE: