diff --git a/skimage/viewer/viewers/core.py b/skimage/viewer/viewers/core.py
index b6c1db69..6ef83d27 100644
--- a/skimage/viewer/viewers/core.py
+++ b/skimage/viewer/viewers/core.py
@@ -104,6 +104,8 @@ class ImageViewer(QtGui.QMainWindow):
         self.close()
 
     def show(self):
+        for p in self.plugins:
+            p.show()
         super(ImageViewer, self).show()
         sys.exit(qApp.exec_())
 
diff --git a/viewer_examples/plugins/canny.py b/viewer_examples/plugins/canny.py
index d5e858ec..e84a8270 100644
--- a/viewer_examples/plugins/canny.py
+++ b/viewer_examples/plugins/canny.py
@@ -5,6 +5,5 @@ from skimage.viewer.plugins.canny import CannyPlugin
 
 image = data.camera()
 viewer = ImageViewer(image)
-p = CannyPlugin(viewer)
-p.show()
+CannyPlugin(viewer)
 viewer.show()
diff --git a/viewer_examples/plugins/lineprofile.py b/viewer_examples/plugins/lineprofile.py
index cecb2539..310c23e4 100644
--- a/viewer_examples/plugins/lineprofile.py
+++ b/viewer_examples/plugins/lineprofile.py
@@ -5,6 +5,5 @@ from skimage.viewer.plugins.lineprofile import LineProfile
 
 image = data.camera()
 viewer = ImageViewer(image)
-p = LineProfile(viewer)
-p.show()
+LineProfile(viewer)
 viewer.show()