diff --git a/library/codex_thread_requests/requests/node_lifecycle_request.nim b/library/codex_thread_requests/requests/node_lifecycle_request.nim
index 5f5efbaf..0e462aa0 100644
--- a/library/codex_thread_requests/requests/node_lifecycle_request.nim
+++ b/library/codex_thread_requests/requests/node_lifecycle_request.nim
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ type NodeLifecycleMsgType* = enum
   CREATE_NODE
   START_NODE
   STOP_NODE
-  DESTROY_NODE
+  CLOSE_NODE
 
 proc readValue*[T: InputFile | InputDir | OutPath | OutDir | OutFile](
     r: var JsonReader, val: var T
@@ -82,18 +82,13 @@ proc readValue*(r: var JsonReader, val: var EthAddress) =
 type NodeLifecycleRequest* = object
   operation: NodeLifecycleMsgType
   configJson: cstring
-  onDestroy: proc() {.gcsafe.}
 
 proc createShared*(
-    T: type NodeLifecycleRequest,
-    op: NodeLifecycleMsgType,
-    configJson: cstring = "",
-    onDestroy: proc() {.gcsafe.} = nil,
+    T: type NodeLifecycleRequest, op: NodeLifecycleMsgType, configJson: cstring = ""
 ): ptr type T =
   var ret = createShared(T)
   ret[].operation = op
   ret[].configJson = configJson.alloc()
-  ret[].onDestroy = onDestroy
   return ret
 
 proc destroyShared(self: ptr NodeLifecycleRequest) =
@@ -184,10 +179,9 @@ proc process*(
     except Exception as e:
       error "Failed to STOP_NODE.", error = e.msg
       return err(e.msg)
-  of DESTROY_NODE:
+  of CLOSE_NODE:
     try:
       await codex[].close()
-      self.onDestroy()
     except Exception as e:
       error "Failed to STOP_NODE.", error = e.msg
       return err(e.msg)
diff --git a/library/libcodex.h b/library/libcodex.h
index fa91f67a..e63c2ad1 100644
--- a/library/libcodex.h
+++ b/library/libcodex.h
@@ -180,6 +180,10 @@ int codex_stop(void* ctx,
               CodexCallback callback,
               void* userData);
 
+int codex_close(void* ctx,
+              CodexCallback callback,
+              void* userData);
+
 // Destroys an instance of a codex node created with codex_new
 int codex_destroy(void* ctx,
                   CodexCallback callback,
diff --git a/library/libcodex.nim b/library/libcodex.nim
index da17e81c..839137ba 100644
--- a/library/libcodex.nim
+++ b/library/libcodex.nim
@@ -246,30 +246,28 @@ proc codex_peer_debug(
 
   return callback.okOrError(res, userData)
 
-proc codex_destroy(
+proc codex_close(
     ctx: ptr CodexContext, callback: CodexCallback, userData: pointer
 ): cint {.dynlib, exportc.} =
   initializeLibrary()
   checkLibcodexParams(ctx, callback, userData)
 
-  let destroySignal = ThreadSignalPtr.new().valueOr:
-    return callback.error("failed to create destroy signal", userData)
-
-  proc onDestroy() {.gcsafe.} =
-    discard destroySignal.fireSync()
-
-  let reqContent = NodeLifecycleRequest.createShared(
-    NodeLifecycleMsgType.DESTROY_NODE, onDestroy = onDestroy
-  )
+  let reqContent = NodeLifecycleRequest.createShared(NodeLifecycleMsgType.CLOSE_NODE)
   var res = codex_context.sendRequestToCodexThread(
     ctx, RequestType.LIFECYCLE, reqContent, callback, userData
   )
   if res.isErr:
     return callback.error(res.error, userData)
 
-  discard destroySignal.waitSync()
+  return callback.okOrError(res, userData)
 
-  res = codex_context.destroyCodexContext(ctx)
+proc codex_destroy(
+    ctx: ptr CodexContext, callback: CodexCallback, userData: pointer
+): cint {.dynlib, exportc.} =
+  initializeLibrary()
+  checkLibcodexParams(ctx, callback, userData)
+
+  let res = codex_context.destroyCodexContext(ctx)
   if res.isErr:
     return callback.error(res.error, userData)