diff --git a/include/verilated_save.cpp b/include/verilated_save.cpp
index f2c80363d..a4dd64562 100644
--- a/include/verilated_save.cpp
+++ b/include/verilated_save.cpp
@@ -172,18 +172,18 @@ void VerilatedRestore::open(const char* filenamep) VL_MT_UNSAFE_ONE {
     header();
 }
 
-void VerilatedSave::close() VL_MT_UNSAFE_ONE {
+void VerilatedSave::closeImp() VL_MT_UNSAFE_ONE {
     if (!isOpen()) return;
     trailer();
-    flush();
+    flushImp();
     m_isOpen = false;
     ::close(m_fd);  // May get error, just ignore it
 }
 
-void VerilatedRestore::close() VL_MT_UNSAFE_ONE {
+void VerilatedRestore::closeImp() VL_MT_UNSAFE_ONE {
     if (!isOpen()) return;
     trailer();
-    flush();
+    flushImp();
     m_isOpen = false;
     ::close(m_fd);  // May get error, just ignore it
 }
@@ -191,7 +191,7 @@ void VerilatedRestore::close() VL_MT_UNSAFE_ONE {
 //=============================================================================
 // Buffer management
 
-void VerilatedSave::flush() VL_MT_UNSAFE_ONE {
+void VerilatedSave::flushImp() VL_MT_UNSAFE_ONE {
     m_assertOne.check();
     if (VL_UNLIKELY(!isOpen())) return;
     const uint8_t* wp = m_bufp;
diff --git a/include/verilated_save.h b/include/verilated_save.h
index 71d01fa49..5b3385b1e 100644
--- a/include/verilated_save.h
+++ b/include/verilated_save.h
@@ -62,9 +62,9 @@ public:
         m_bufp = new uint8_t[bufferSize()];
         m_cp = m_bufp;
     }
-    /// Flish, close, and destruct
+    /// Flush, close, and destruct
     virtual ~VerilatedSerialize() {
-        close();
+        // Child classes will need to typically call closeImp() in destructors
         if (m_bufp) VL_DO_CLEAR(delete[] m_bufp, m_bufp = nullptr);
     }
     // METHODS
@@ -137,7 +137,7 @@ public:
     }
     /// Destruct
     virtual ~VerilatedDeserialize() {
-        close();
+        // Child classes will need to typically call closeImp() in destructors
         if (m_bufp) VL_DO_CLEAR(delete[] m_bufp, m_bufp = nullptr);
     }
     // METHODS
@@ -190,21 +190,24 @@ class VerilatedSave final : public VerilatedSerialize {
 private:
     int m_fd = -1;  // File descriptor we're writing to
 
+    void closeImp() VL_MT_UNSAFE_ONE;
+    void flushImp() VL_MT_UNSAFE_ONE;
+
 public:
     // CONSTRUCTORS
     /// Construct new object
     VerilatedSave() = default;
     /// Flush, close and destruct
-    ~VerilatedSave() override { close(); }
+    ~VerilatedSave() override { closeImp(); }
     // METHODS
     /// Open the file; call isOpen() to see if errors
     void open(const char* filenamep) VL_MT_UNSAFE_ONE;
     /// Open the file; call isOpen() to see if errors
     void open(const std::string& filename) VL_MT_UNSAFE_ONE { open(filename.c_str()); }
     /// Flush and close the file
-    void close() override VL_MT_UNSAFE_ONE;
+    void close() override VL_MT_UNSAFE_ONE { closeImp(); }
     /// Flush data to file
-    void flush() override VL_MT_UNSAFE_ONE;
+    void flush() override VL_MT_UNSAFE_ONE { flushImp(); }
 };
 
 //=============================================================================
@@ -217,12 +220,15 @@ class VerilatedRestore final : public VerilatedDeserialize {
 private:
     int m_fd = -1;  // File descriptor we're writing to
 
+    void closeImp() VL_MT_UNSAFE_ONE;
+    void flushImp() VL_MT_UNSAFE_ONE {}
+
 public:
     // CONSTRUCTORS
     /// Construct new object
     VerilatedRestore() = default;
     /// Flush, close and destruct
-    ~VerilatedRestore() override { close(); }
+    ~VerilatedRestore() override { closeImp(); }
 
     // METHODS
     /// Open the file; call isOpen() to see if errors
@@ -230,8 +236,8 @@ public:
     /// Open the file; call isOpen() to see if errors
     void open(const std::string& filename) VL_MT_UNSAFE_ONE { open(filename.c_str()); }
     /// Close the file
-    void close() override VL_MT_UNSAFE_ONE;
-    void flush() override VL_MT_UNSAFE_ONE {}
+    void close() override VL_MT_UNSAFE_ONE { closeImp(); }
+    void flush() override VL_MT_UNSAFE_ONE { flushImp(); }
     void fill() override VL_MT_UNSAFE_ONE;
 };