diff --git a/bindings/ruby/directory.c b/bindings/ruby/directory.c
index 36dcb8be..5602c092 100644
--- a/bindings/ruby/directory.c
+++ b/bindings/ruby/directory.c
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@
 #include "defs.h"
 
 /*
- * call-seq: DIR.destroy => nil
+ * call-seq: DIR.destroy! => nil
  *
  * Destroys the directory, freeing all resources allocated for it.
  */
diff --git a/bindings/ruby/filenames.c b/bindings/ruby/filenames.c
index faaa9a0a..f5771730 100644
--- a/bindings/ruby/filenames.c
+++ b/bindings/ruby/filenames.c
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@
 #include "defs.h"
 
 /*
- * call-seq: FILENAMES.destroy => nil
+ * call-seq: FILENAMES.destroy! => nil
  *
  * Destroys the filenames, freeing all resources allocated for it.
  */
diff --git a/bindings/ruby/init.c b/bindings/ruby/init.c
index c33059e2..f5376fda 100644
--- a/bindings/ruby/init.c
+++ b/bindings/ruby/init.c
@@ -193,7 +193,7 @@ Init_notmuch(void)
      */
     notmuch_rb_cDirectory = rb_define_class_under(mod, "Directory", rb_cData);
     rb_undef_method(notmuch_rb_cDirectory, "initialize");
-    rb_define_method(notmuch_rb_cDirectory, "destroy", notmuch_rb_directory_destroy, 0); /* in directory.c */
+    rb_define_method(notmuch_rb_cDirectory, "destroy!", notmuch_rb_directory_destroy, 0); /* in directory.c */
     rb_define_method(notmuch_rb_cDirectory, "mtime", notmuch_rb_directory_get_mtime, 0); /* in directory.c */
     rb_define_method(notmuch_rb_cDirectory, "mtime=", notmuch_rb_directory_set_mtime, 1); /* in directory.c */
     rb_define_method(notmuch_rb_cDirectory, "child_files", notmuch_rb_directory_get_child_files, 0); /* in directory.c */
@@ -206,7 +206,7 @@ Init_notmuch(void)
      */
     notmuch_rb_cFileNames = rb_define_class_under(mod, "FileNames", rb_cData);
     rb_undef_method(notmuch_rb_cFileNames, "initialize");
-    rb_define_method(notmuch_rb_cFileNames, "destroy", notmuch_rb_filenames_destroy, 0); /* in filenames.c */
+    rb_define_method(notmuch_rb_cFileNames, "destroy!", notmuch_rb_filenames_destroy, 0); /* in filenames.c */
     rb_define_method(notmuch_rb_cFileNames, "each", notmuch_rb_filenames_each, 0); /* in filenames.c */
     rb_include_module(notmuch_rb_cFileNames, rb_mEnumerable);
 
@@ -217,7 +217,7 @@ Init_notmuch(void)
      */
     notmuch_rb_cQuery = rb_define_class_under(mod, "Query", rb_cData);
     rb_undef_method(notmuch_rb_cQuery, "initialize");
-    rb_define_method(notmuch_rb_cQuery, "destroy", notmuch_rb_query_destroy, 0); /* in query.c */
+    rb_define_method(notmuch_rb_cQuery, "destroy!", notmuch_rb_query_destroy, 0); /* in query.c */
     rb_define_method(notmuch_rb_cQuery, "sort", notmuch_rb_query_get_sort, 0); /* in query.c */
     rb_define_method(notmuch_rb_cQuery, "sort=", notmuch_rb_query_set_sort, 1); /* in query.c */
     rb_define_method(notmuch_rb_cQuery, "to_s", notmuch_rb_query_get_string, 0); /* in query.c */
@@ -231,7 +231,7 @@ Init_notmuch(void)
      */
     notmuch_rb_cThreads = rb_define_class_under(mod, "Threads", rb_cData);
     rb_undef_method(notmuch_rb_cThreads, "initialize");
-    rb_define_method(notmuch_rb_cThreads, "destroy", notmuch_rb_threads_destroy, 0); /* in threads.c */
+    rb_define_method(notmuch_rb_cThreads, "destroy!", notmuch_rb_threads_destroy, 0); /* in threads.c */
     rb_define_method(notmuch_rb_cThreads, "each", notmuch_rb_threads_each, 0); /* in threads.c */
     rb_include_module(notmuch_rb_cThreads, rb_mEnumerable);
 
@@ -242,7 +242,7 @@ Init_notmuch(void)
      */
     notmuch_rb_cMessages = rb_define_class_under(mod, "Messages", rb_cData);
     rb_undef_method(notmuch_rb_cMessages, "initialize");
-    rb_define_method(notmuch_rb_cMessages, "destroy", notmuch_rb_messages_destroy, 0); /* in messages.c */
+    rb_define_method(notmuch_rb_cMessages, "destroy!", notmuch_rb_messages_destroy, 0); /* in messages.c */
     rb_define_method(notmuch_rb_cMessages, "each", notmuch_rb_messages_each, 0); /* in messages.c */
     rb_define_method(notmuch_rb_cMessages, "tags", notmuch_rb_messages_collect_tags, 0); /* in messages.c */
     rb_include_module(notmuch_rb_cMessages, rb_mEnumerable);
@@ -254,7 +254,7 @@ Init_notmuch(void)
      */
     notmuch_rb_cThread = rb_define_class_under(mod, "Thread", rb_cData);
     rb_undef_method(notmuch_rb_cThread, "initialize");
-    rb_define_method(notmuch_rb_cThread, "destroy", notmuch_rb_thread_destroy, 0); /* in thread.c */
+    rb_define_method(notmuch_rb_cThread, "destroy!", notmuch_rb_thread_destroy, 0); /* in thread.c */
     rb_define_method(notmuch_rb_cThread, "thread_id", notmuch_rb_thread_get_thread_id, 0); /* in thread.c */
     rb_define_method(notmuch_rb_cThread, "total_messages", notmuch_rb_thread_get_total_messages, 0); /* in thread.c */
     rb_define_method(notmuch_rb_cThread, "toplevel_messages", notmuch_rb_thread_get_toplevel_messages, 0); /* in thread.c */
@@ -272,7 +272,7 @@ Init_notmuch(void)
      */
     notmuch_rb_cMessage = rb_define_class_under(mod, "Message", rb_cData);
     rb_undef_method(notmuch_rb_cMessage, "initialize");
-    rb_define_method(notmuch_rb_cMessage, "destroy", notmuch_rb_message_destroy, 0); /* in message.c */
+    rb_define_method(notmuch_rb_cMessage, "destroy!", notmuch_rb_message_destroy, 0); /* in message.c */
     rb_define_method(notmuch_rb_cMessage, "message_id", notmuch_rb_message_get_message_id, 0); /* in message.c */
     rb_define_method(notmuch_rb_cMessage, "thread_id", notmuch_rb_message_get_thread_id, 0); /* in message.c */
     rb_define_method(notmuch_rb_cMessage, "replies", notmuch_rb_message_get_replies, 0); /* in message.c */
@@ -300,7 +300,7 @@ Init_notmuch(void)
      */
     notmuch_rb_cTags = rb_define_class_under(mod, "Tags", rb_cData);
     rb_undef_method(notmuch_rb_cTags, "initialize");
-    rb_define_method(notmuch_rb_cTags, "destroy", notmuch_rb_tags_destroy, 0); /* in tags.c */
+    rb_define_method(notmuch_rb_cTags, "destroy!", notmuch_rb_tags_destroy, 0); /* in tags.c */
     rb_define_method(notmuch_rb_cTags, "each", notmuch_rb_tags_each, 0); /* in tags.c */
     rb_include_module(notmuch_rb_cTags, rb_mEnumerable);
 }
diff --git a/bindings/ruby/message.c b/bindings/ruby/message.c
index 49dbace3..f84ed925 100644
--- a/bindings/ruby/message.c
+++ b/bindings/ruby/message.c
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@
 #include "defs.h"
 
 /*
- * call-seq: MESSAGE.destroy => nil
+ * call-seq: MESSAGE.destroy! => nil
  *
  * Destroys the message, freeing all resources allocated for it.
  */
diff --git a/bindings/ruby/messages.c b/bindings/ruby/messages.c
index 35b5d146..faf41a3b 100644
--- a/bindings/ruby/messages.c
+++ b/bindings/ruby/messages.c
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@
 #include "defs.h"
 
 /*
- * call-seq: MESSAGES.destroy => nil
+ * call-seq: MESSAGES.destroy! => nil
  *
  * Destroys the messages, freeing all resources allocated for it.
  */
diff --git a/bindings/ruby/query.c b/bindings/ruby/query.c
index ef9e1a07..6a70f192 100644
--- a/bindings/ruby/query.c
+++ b/bindings/ruby/query.c
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@
 #include "defs.h"
 
 /*
- * call-seq: QUERY.destroy => nil
+ * call-seq: QUERY.destroy! => nil
  *
  * Destroys the query, freeing all resources allocated for it.
  */
diff --git a/bindings/ruby/tags.c b/bindings/ruby/tags.c
index d7cd941d..f0a2f45e 100644
--- a/bindings/ruby/tags.c
+++ b/bindings/ruby/tags.c
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@
 #include "defs.h"
 
 /*
- * call-seq: TAGS.destroy => nil
+ * call-seq: TAGS.destroy! => nil
  *
  * Destroys the tags, freeing all resources allocated for it.
  */
diff --git a/bindings/ruby/thread.c b/bindings/ruby/thread.c
index e5c87366..d10c924d 100644
--- a/bindings/ruby/thread.c
+++ b/bindings/ruby/thread.c
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@
 #include "defs.h"
 
 /*
- * call-seq: THREAD.destroy => nil
+ * call-seq: THREAD.destroy! => nil
  *
  * Destroys the thread, freeing all resources allocated for it.
  */
diff --git a/bindings/ruby/threads.c b/bindings/ruby/threads.c
index abd51212..ccf59f8e 100644
--- a/bindings/ruby/threads.c
+++ b/bindings/ruby/threads.c
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@
 #include "defs.h"
 
 /*
- * call-seq: THREADS.destroy => nil
+ * call-seq: THREADS.destroy! => nil
  *
  * Destroys the threads, freeing all resources allocated for it.
  */