diff --git a/libraries/AP_Notify/SITL_SFML_LED.cpp b/libraries/AP_Notify/SITL_SFML_LED.cpp
index c270c0041e..6bb96be714 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_Notify/SITL_SFML_LED.cpp
+++ b/libraries/AP_Notify/SITL_SFML_LED.cpp
@@ -25,14 +25,6 @@
 
 #include "SITL_SFML_LED.h"
 
-SITL_SFML_LED::SITL_SFML_LED():
-    RGBLed((uint8_t)brightness::LED_OFF,
-           (uint8_t)brightness::LED_HIGH,
-           (uint8_t)brightness::LED_MEDIUM,
-           (uint8_t)brightness::LED_LOW)
-{
-}
-
 /*
   return layout size for a LED layout scheme
  */
@@ -176,37 +168,9 @@ void SITL_SFML_LED::update_serial_LEDs()
 
 void SITL_SFML_LED::update_thread(void)
 {
-    sf::RenderWindow *w = nullptr;
-    {
-        WITH_SEMAPHORE(AP::notify().sf_window_mutex);
-        w = new sf::RenderWindow(sf::VideoMode(width, height), "LED");
-    }
-
-    if (!w) {
-        AP_HAL::panic("Unable to create RGBLed window");
-    }
-
     while (true) {
         {
             WITH_SEMAPHORE(AP::notify().sf_window_mutex);
-            sf::Event event;
-            while (w->pollEvent(event)) {
-                if (event.type == sf::Event::Closed) {
-                    w->close();
-                    break;
-                }
-            }
-            if (!w->isOpen()) {
-                break;
-            }
-            const uint32_t colour = red<<16 | green<<8 | blue;
-            if (colour != last_colour) {
-                last_colour = colour;
-
-                w->clear(sf::Color(red, green, blue, 255));
-                w->display();
-            }
-
             update_serial_LEDs();
         }
         usleep(10000);
@@ -227,12 +191,9 @@ bool SITL_SFML_LED::init()
     return true;
 }
 
-bool SITL_SFML_LED::hw_set_rgb(uint8_t _red, uint8_t _green, uint8_t _blue)
+void SITL_SFML_LED::update()
 {
-    red = _red;
-    green = _green;
-    blue = _blue;
-
-    return true;
+    // all updates are done in the thread
 }
+
 #endif
diff --git a/libraries/AP_Notify/SITL_SFML_LED.h b/libraries/AP_Notify/SITL_SFML_LED.h
index 2e45c5bf5d..cd1fd61848 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_Notify/SITL_SFML_LED.h
+++ b/libraries/AP_Notify/SITL_SFML_LED.h
@@ -31,22 +31,18 @@
 
 #ifdef WITH_SITL_RGBLED
 
-#include "RGBLed.h"
-
 #ifdef HAVE_SFML_GRAPHICS_H
 #include <SFML/Graphics.h>
 #else
 #include <SFML/Graphics.hpp>
 #endif
 
-class SITL_SFML_LED: public RGBLed
+class SITL_SFML_LED : public NotifyDevice
 {
 public:
-    SITL_SFML_LED();
+    SITL_SFML_LED() {}
     bool init(void) override;
-
-protected:
-    bool hw_set_rgb(uint8_t r, uint8_t g, uint8_t b) override;
+    void update() override;
 
 private:
 
@@ -55,24 +51,8 @@ private:
     void update_serial_LEDs(void);
     static void *update_thread_start(void *obj);
 
-    static constexpr uint8_t height = 50;
-    static constexpr uint8_t width = height;
-
     static constexpr uint8_t serialLED_size = 16;
 
-    enum class brightness {
-        LED_LOW    = 0x33,
-        LED_MEDIUM = 0x7F,
-        LED_HIGH   = 0xFF,
-        LED_OFF    = 0x00
-    };
-
-    uint32_t last_colour;
-
-    uint8_t red;
-    uint8_t green;
-    uint8_t blue;
-
     static const uint8_t MAX_LEDS = 64;
 
     // LED layout control