diff --git a/mininet/net.py b/mininet/net.py
index 91e3542..2b3ce04 100755
--- a/mininet/net.py
+++ b/mininet/net.py
@@ -408,6 +408,9 @@ class Mininet( object ):
             info( '*** Stopping %i terms\n' % len( self.terms ) )
             self.stopXterms()
         info( '*** Stopping %i switches\n' % len( self.switches ) )
+        swclass = type( self.switches[ 0 ] )
+        if False and self.switches and hasattr( swclass, 'batchShutdown' ):
+            swclass.batchShutdown( self.switches )
         for switch in self.switches:
             info( switch.name + ' ' )
             switch.stop()
diff --git a/mininet/node.py b/mininet/node.py
index ffe38b6..46158a1 100644
--- a/mininet/node.py
+++ b/mininet/node.py
@@ -985,6 +985,13 @@ class OVSSwitch( Switch ):
                    '"service openvswitch-switch start".\n' )
             exit( 1 )
 
+    @classmethod
+    def batchShutdown( cls, switches ):
+        "Call ovs-vsctl del-br on all OVSSwitches in a list"
+        quietRun( 'ovs-vsctl ' +
+                  ' -- '.join( '--if-exists del-br %s' % s
+                               for s in switches if type(s) == cls ) )
+
     def dpctl( self, *args ):
         "Run ovs-ofctl command"
         return self.cmd( 'ovs-ofctl', args[ 0 ], self, *args[ 1: ] )