diff --git a/libraries/AP_RCProtocol/AP_RCProtocol.cpp b/libraries/AP_RCProtocol/AP_RCProtocol.cpp
index faa310b92f..85f456ec9f 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_RCProtocol/AP_RCProtocol.cpp
+++ b/libraries/AP_RCProtocol/AP_RCProtocol.cpp
@@ -37,6 +37,17 @@ void AP_RCProtocol::init()
     backend[AP_RCProtocol::ST24] = new AP_RCProtocol_ST24(*this);
 }
 
+AP_RCProtocol::~AP_RCProtocol()
+{
+    for (uint8_t i = 0; i < AP_RCProtocol::NONE; i++) {
+        if (backend[i] != nullptr) {
+            delete backend[i];
+            backend[i] = nullptr;
+        }
+    }
+    instance = nullptr;
+}
+
 void AP_RCProtocol::process_pulse(uint32_t width_s0, uint32_t width_s1)
 {
     uint32_t now = AP_HAL::millis();
diff --git a/libraries/AP_RCProtocol/AP_RCProtocol.h b/libraries/AP_RCProtocol/AP_RCProtocol.h
index 8a4aa840c7..7e3032736b 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_RCProtocol/AP_RCProtocol.h
+++ b/libraries/AP_RCProtocol/AP_RCProtocol.h
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ public:
     AP_RCProtocol() {
         instance = this;
     }
+    ~AP_RCProtocol();
     enum rcprotocol_t {
         PPM = 0,
         SBUS,
diff --git a/libraries/AP_RCProtocol/AP_RCProtocol_Backend.h b/libraries/AP_RCProtocol/AP_RCProtocol_Backend.h
index 3ab3fa40e5..b2efec064a 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_RCProtocol/AP_RCProtocol_Backend.h
+++ b/libraries/AP_RCProtocol/AP_RCProtocol_Backend.h
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ class AP_RCProtocol_Backend {
 
 public:
     AP_RCProtocol_Backend(AP_RCProtocol &_frontend);
+    virtual ~AP_RCProtocol_Backend() {}
     virtual void process_pulse(uint32_t width_s0, uint32_t width_s1) {}
     virtual void process_byte(uint8_t byte, uint32_t baudrate) {}
     uint16_t read(uint8_t chan);