diff --git a/arduino_alvik/arduino_alvik.py b/arduino_alvik/arduino_alvik.py
index d83305a..cfb4b74 100644
--- a/arduino_alvik/arduino_alvik.py
+++ b/arduino_alvik/arduino_alvik.py
@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
 import sys
-import gc
 import struct
 from machine import I2C
 import _thread
@@ -84,6 +83,14 @@ def __init__(self):
         self._move_events = _ArduinoAlvikMoveEvents()
         self._timer_events = _ArduinoAlvikTimerEvents(-1)
 
+    def __del__(self):
+        """
+        This method is a stub. __del__ is not implemented in MicroPython (https://docs.micropython.org/en/latest/genrst/core_language.html#special-method-del-not-implemented-for-user-defined-classes)
+        :return:
+        """
+        ...
+        # self.__class__._instance = None
+
     @staticmethod
     def is_on() -> bool:
         """
@@ -377,10 +384,6 @@ def stop(self):
         # stop touch events thread
         self._stop_events_thread()
 
-        # delete _instance
-        del self.__class__._instance
-        gc.collect()
-
     @staticmethod
     def _reset_hw():
         """