diff --git a/example/old-bugs/remove-when-spiderfied.html b/example/old-bugs/remove-when-spiderfied.html
index c72155dbd..6c674b5d7 100644
--- a/example/old-bugs/remove-when-spiderfied.html
+++ b/example/old-bugs/remove-when-spiderfied.html
@@ -21,9 +21,11 @@
 <body>
 
 	<div id="map"></div>
-	<button id="doit">Remove and add direct to map</button><br/>
+	<button id="doit">Remove and add direct to map</button><button id="doit2">clearLayers</button><br/>
 	<span>Bug <a href="https://github.com/danzel/Leaflet.markercluster/issues/54">#54</a>. Spiderfy the cluster then click the button. Should result in 2 markers right beside each other on the map.</span><br/>
 	<span>Bug <a href="https://github.com/danzel/Leaflet.markercluster/issues/53">#53</a>. Spiderfy the cluster then click the button. Spider lines remain on the map.</span>
+	<span>Bug <a href="https://github.com/danzel/Leaflet.markercluster/issues/49">#49</a>. Spiderfy the cluster then click the second button. Spider lines remain on the map. Click the map to get an error.</span>
+
 	<script type="text/javascript">
 
 		var cloudmadeUrl = 'http://{s}.tile.cloudmade.com/BC9A493B41014CAABB98F0471D759707/997/256/{z}/{x}/{y}.png',
@@ -52,6 +54,9 @@
 			map.addLayer(markersList[0]);
 			map.addLayer(markersList[1]);
 		};
+		L.DomUtil.get('doit2').onclick = function () {
+			markers.clearLayers();
+		};
 
 	</script>
 </body>
diff --git a/src/MarkerClusterGroup.js b/src/MarkerClusterGroup.js
index 702abfd38..a1a2b15bc 100644
--- a/src/MarkerClusterGroup.js
+++ b/src/MarkerClusterGroup.js
@@ -103,6 +103,10 @@ L.MarkerClusterGroup = L.FeatureGroup.extend({
 	clearLayers: function () {
 		//Need our own special implementation as the LayerGroup one doesn't work for us
 
+		if (this._unspiderfy) {
+			this._unspiderfy();
+		}
+
 		//If we aren't on the map yet, just blow away the markers we know of
 		if (!this._map) {
 			this._needsClustering = [];
