diff --git a/internal/pkg/onuadaptercore/alarm_manager.go b/internal/pkg/onuadaptercore/alarm_manager.go
index 0dbc5b8..2c8690d 100644
--- a/internal/pkg/onuadaptercore/alarm_manager.go
+++ b/internal/pkg/onuadaptercore/alarm_manager.go
@@ -786,3 +786,9 @@
 	am.onuAlarmManagerLock.RUnlock()
 	return value
 }
+
+// PrepareForGarbageCollection - remove references to prepare for garbage collection
+func (am *onuAlarmManager) PrepareForGarbageCollection(ctx context.Context, aDeviceID string) {
+	logger.Debugw(ctx, "prepare for garbage collection", log.Fields{"device-id": aDeviceID})
+	am.pDeviceHandler = nil
+}
diff --git a/internal/pkg/onuadaptercore/device_handler.go b/internal/pkg/onuadaptercore/device_handler.go
index 4a831eb..478df56 100644
--- a/internal/pkg/onuadaptercore/device_handler.go
+++ b/internal/pkg/onuadaptercore/device_handler.go
@@ -3942,3 +3942,50 @@
 	dh.lockVlanConfig.RUnlock()
 	return value
 }
+
+// PrepareForGarbageCollection - remove references to prepare for garbage collection
+func (dh *deviceHandler) PrepareForGarbageCollection(ctx context.Context, aDeviceID string) {
+	logger.Debugw(ctx, "prepare for garbage collection", log.Fields{"device-id": aDeviceID})
+
+	// Note: This function must be called as a goroutine to prevent blocking of further processing!
+	// first let the objects rest for some time to give all asynchronously started
+	// cleanup routines a chance to come to an end
+	time.Sleep(5 * time.Second)
+
+	if dh.pOnuTP != nil {
+		dh.pOnuTP.PrepareForGarbageCollection(ctx, aDeviceID)
+	}
+	if dh.pOnuMetricsMgr != nil {
+		dh.pOnuMetricsMgr.PrepareForGarbageCollection(ctx, aDeviceID)
+	}
+	if dh.pAlarmMgr != nil {
+		dh.pAlarmMgr.PrepareForGarbageCollection(ctx, aDeviceID)
+	}
+	if dh.pSelfTestHdlr != nil {
+		dh.pSelfTestHdlr.PrepareForGarbageCollection(ctx, aDeviceID)
+	}
+	if dh.pLockStateFsm != nil {
+		dh.pLockStateFsm.PrepareForGarbageCollection(ctx, aDeviceID)
+	}
+	if dh.pUnlockStateFsm != nil {
+		dh.pUnlockStateFsm.PrepareForGarbageCollection(ctx, aDeviceID)
+	}
+	if dh.pOnuUpradeFsm != nil {
+		dh.pOnuUpradeFsm.PrepareForGarbageCollection(ctx, aDeviceID)
+	}
+	if dh.pOnuOmciDevice != nil {
+		dh.pOnuOmciDevice.PrepareForGarbageCollection(ctx, aDeviceID)
+	}
+	for k, v := range dh.UniVlanConfigFsmMap {
+		v.PrepareForGarbageCollection(ctx, aDeviceID)
+		delete(dh.UniVlanConfigFsmMap, k)
+	}
+	dh.pOnuOmciDevice = nil
+	dh.pOnuTP = nil
+	dh.pOnuMetricsMgr = nil
+	dh.pAlarmMgr = nil
+	dh.pSelfTestHdlr = nil
+	dh.pLockStateFsm = nil
+	dh.pUnlockStateFsm = nil
+	dh.pOnuUpradeFsm = nil
+}
diff --git a/internal/pkg/onuadaptercore/mib_sync.go b/internal/pkg/onuadaptercore/mib_sync.go
index 208d8cd..3439375 100644
--- a/internal/pkg/onuadaptercore/mib_sync.go
+++ b/internal/pkg/onuadaptercore/mib_sync.go
@@ -418,6 +418,10 @@
 		switch message.Type {
 		case TestMsg:
 			msg, _ := message.Data.(TestMessage)
+			if msg.TestMessageVal == AbortMessageProcessing {
+				logger.Debugw(ctx, "MibSync Msg abort ProcessMsg", log.Fields{"for device-id": oo.deviceID})
+				break loop
+			}
 			oo.handleTestMsg(ctx, msg)
 		case OMCI:
 			msg, _ := message.Data.(OmciMessage)
@@ -1103,8 +1107,16 @@
 	}
 	//the MibSync FSM might be active all the ONU-active time,
 	// hence it must be stopped unconditionally
-	pMibUlFsm := oo.pMibUploadFsm.pFsm
+	pMibUlFsm := oo.pMibUploadFsm
 	if pMibUlFsm != nil {
-		_ = pMibUlFsm.Event(ulEvStop)
+		// abort running message processing
+		fsmAbortMsg := Message{
+			Type: TestMsg,
+			Data: TestMessage{
+				TestMessageVal: AbortMessageProcessing,
+			},
+		}
+		pMibUlFsm.commChan <- fsmAbortMsg
+		_ = pMibUlFsm.pFsm.Event(ulEvStop)
 	}
 }
diff --git a/internal/pkg/onuadaptercore/omci_ani_config.go b/internal/pkg/onuadaptercore/omci_ani_config.go
index e6f8680..31087be 100644
--- a/internal/pkg/onuadaptercore/omci_ani_config.go
+++ b/internal/pkg/onuadaptercore/omci_ani_config.go
@@ -1760,3 +1760,10 @@
 	oFsm.mutexChanSet.RUnlock()
 	return flagValue
 }
+
+// PrepareForGarbageCollection - remove references to prepare for garbage collection
+func (oFsm *uniPonAniConfigFsm) PrepareForGarbageCollection(ctx context.Context, aDeviceID string) {
+	logger.Debugw(ctx, "prepare for garbage collection", log.Fields{"device-id": oFsm.deviceID})
+	oFsm.pDeviceHandler = nil
+	oFsm.pOmciCC = nil
+}
diff --git a/internal/pkg/onuadaptercore/omci_cc.go b/internal/pkg/onuadaptercore/omci_cc.go
index 4006283..5d28f59 100644
--- a/internal/pkg/onuadaptercore/omci_cc.go
+++ b/internal/pkg/onuadaptercore/omci_cc.go
@@ -3237,3 +3237,10 @@
 		log.Fields{"Err": omciErr.GetError(), "device-id": oo.deviceID, "upstream": upstream, "create": create, "inst-id": strconv.FormatInt(int64(entityID), 16)})
 	return nil, omciErr.GetError()
 }
+
+// PrepareForGarbageCollection - remove references to prepare for garbage collection
+func (oo *omciCC) PrepareForGarbageCollection(ctx context.Context, aDeviceID string) {
+	logger.Debugw(ctx, "prepare for garbage collection", log.Fields{"device-id": aDeviceID})
+	oo.pBaseDeviceHandler = nil
+	oo.pOnuDeviceEntry = nil
+}
diff --git a/internal/pkg/onuadaptercore/omci_onu_upgrade.go b/internal/pkg/onuadaptercore/omci_onu_upgrade.go
index dbdad2b..b9b98af 100644
--- a/internal/pkg/onuadaptercore/omci_onu_upgrade.go
+++ b/internal/pkg/onuadaptercore/omci_onu_upgrade.go
@@ -1910,3 +1910,13 @@
 		oFsm.volthaImageState = voltha.ImageState_IMAGE_UNKNOWN //something like 'IMAGE_DOWNLOAD_ABORTED' would be better (proto)
 	}
 }
+
+// PrepareForGarbageCollection - remove references to prepare for garbage collection
+func (oFsm *OnuUpgradeFsm) PrepareForGarbageCollection(ctx context.Context, aDeviceID string) {
+	logger.Debugw(ctx, "prepare for garbage collection", log.Fields{"device-id": aDeviceID})
+	oFsm.pDeviceHandler = nil
+	oFsm.pDownloadManager = nil
+	oFsm.pFileManager = nil
+	oFsm.pDevEntry = nil
+	oFsm.pOmciCC = nil
+}
diff --git a/internal/pkg/onuadaptercore/omci_self_test_handler.go b/internal/pkg/onuadaptercore/omci_self_test_handler.go
index 2e968fb..2e14b6d 100644
--- a/internal/pkg/onuadaptercore/omci_self_test_handler.go
+++ b/internal/pkg/onuadaptercore/omci_self_test_handler.go
@@ -20,13 +20,14 @@
 import (
 	"context"
 	"fmt"
+	"sync"
+	"time"
+
 	"github.com/looplab/fsm"
 	"github.com/opencord/omci-lib-go"
 	"github.com/opencord/omci-lib-go/generated"
 	"github.com/opencord/voltha-lib-go/v5/pkg/log"
 	"github.com/opencord/voltha-protos/v4/go/extension"
-	"sync"
-	"time"
 )
 
 const (
@@ -379,3 +380,9 @@
 	// If the return from here is NOT nil, the caller shall not wait for async response.
 	return selfTestCb.initiateNewSelfTestFsm(ctx, reqMsg, commChan, meClassID, respChan)
 }
+
+// PrepareForGarbageCollection - remove references to prepare for garbage collection
+func (selfTestCb *selfTestControlBlock) PrepareForGarbageCollection(ctx context.Context, aDeviceID string) {
+	logger.Debugw(ctx, "prepare for garbage collection", log.Fields{"device-id": aDeviceID})
+	selfTestCb.pDeviceHandler = nil
+}
diff --git a/internal/pkg/onuadaptercore/omci_vlan_config.go b/internal/pkg/onuadaptercore/omci_vlan_config.go
index daa4473..5311952 100644
--- a/internal/pkg/onuadaptercore/omci_vlan_config.go
+++ b/internal/pkg/onuadaptercore/omci_vlan_config.go
@@ -3156,3 +3156,10 @@
 		oFsm.numVlanFilterEntries++
 	}
 }
+
+// PrepareForGarbageCollection - remove references to prepare for garbage collection
+func (oFsm *UniVlanConfigFsm) PrepareForGarbageCollection(ctx context.Context, aDeviceID string) {
+	logger.Debugw(ctx, "prepare for garbage collection", log.Fields{"device-id": aDeviceID})
+	oFsm.pDeviceHandler = nil
+	oFsm.pOmciCC = nil
+}
diff --git a/internal/pkg/onuadaptercore/onu_device_entry.go b/internal/pkg/onuadaptercore/onu_device_entry.go
index e7fc201..5de76bc 100644
--- a/internal/pkg/onuadaptercore/onu_device_entry.go
+++ b/internal/pkg/onuadaptercore/onu_device_entry.go
@@ -980,3 +980,13 @@
 	defer oo.mutexPersOnuConfig.Unlock()
 	delete(oo.sOnuPersistentData.PersTcontMap, allocID)
 }
+
+// PrepareForGarbageCollection - remove references to prepare for garbage collection
+func (oo *OnuDeviceEntry) PrepareForGarbageCollection(ctx context.Context, aDeviceID string) {
+	logger.Debugw(ctx, "prepare for garbage collection", log.Fields{"device-id": aDeviceID})
+	oo.baseDeviceHandler = nil
+	if oo.PDevOmciCC != nil {
+		oo.PDevOmciCC.PrepareForGarbageCollection(ctx, aDeviceID)
+	}
+	oo.PDevOmciCC = nil
+}
diff --git a/internal/pkg/onuadaptercore/onu_metrics_manager.go b/internal/pkg/onuadaptercore/onu_metrics_manager.go
index ab3000c..baa783b 100644
--- a/internal/pkg/onuadaptercore/onu_metrics_manager.go
+++ b/internal/pkg/onuadaptercore/onu_metrics_manager.go
@@ -3670,3 +3670,9 @@
 	controlBlock[7] = 0
 	return controlBlock
 }
+
+// PrepareForGarbageCollection - remove references to prepare for garbage collection
+func (mm *onuMetricsManager) PrepareForGarbageCollection(ctx context.Context, aDeviceID string) {
+	logger.Debugw(ctx, "prepare for garbage collection", log.Fields{"device-id": aDeviceID})
+	mm.pDeviceHandler = nil
+}
diff --git a/internal/pkg/onuadaptercore/onu_uni_tp.go b/internal/pkg/onuadaptercore/onu_uni_tp.go
index 6e365ab..94e8598 100644
--- a/internal/pkg/onuadaptercore/onu_uni_tp.go
+++ b/internal/pkg/onuadaptercore/onu_uni_tp.go
@@ -1003,3 +1003,13 @@
 	}
 	return false
 }
+
+// PrepareForGarbageCollection - remove references to prepare for garbage collection
+func (onuTP *onuUniTechProf) PrepareForGarbageCollection(ctx context.Context, aDeviceID string) {
+	logger.Debugw(ctx, "prepare for garbage collection", log.Fields{"device-id": aDeviceID})
+	onuTP.baseDeviceHandler = nil
+	for k, v := range onuTP.pAniConfigFsm {
+		v.PrepareForGarbageCollection(ctx, aDeviceID)
+		delete(onuTP.pAniConfigFsm, k)
+	}
+}
diff --git a/internal/pkg/onuadaptercore/openonu.go b/internal/pkg/onuadaptercore/openonu.go
index f31b04f..4859493 100644
--- a/internal/pkg/onuadaptercore/openonu.go
+++ b/internal/pkg/onuadaptercore/openonu.go
@@ -409,20 +409,12 @@
 		handler.deletionInProgress = true
 		handler.mutexDeletionInProgressFlag.Unlock()
 
-		if err := handler.deleteDevicePersistencyData(ctx); err != nil {
+		if err := handler.resetFsms(ctx, true); err != nil {
 			errorsList = append(errorsList, err)
 		}
-		select {
-		case handler.stopCollector <- true: // stop the metric collector routine
-			logger.Debugw(ctx, "sent stop signal to metric collector routine", log.Fields{"device-id": device.Id})
-		default:
-			logger.Warnw(ctx, "metric collector routine not waiting on stop signal", log.Fields{"device-id": device.Id})
-		}
-		select {
-		case handler.stopAlarmManager <- true: //stop the alarm manager.
-			logger.Debugw(ctx, "sent stop signal to alarm manager", log.Fields{"device-id": device.Id})
-		default:
-			logger.Warnw(ctx, "alarm manager not waiting on stop signal", log.Fields{"device-id": device.Id})
+
+		if err := handler.deleteDevicePersistencyData(ctx); err != nil {
+			errorsList = append(errorsList, err)
 		}
 		if handler.pOnuMetricsMgr != nil {
 			if err := handler.pOnuMetricsMgr.clearAllPmData(ctx); err != nil {
@@ -437,6 +429,7 @@
 		}
 		//don't leave any garbage - even in error case
 		oo.deleteDeviceHandlerToMap(handler)
+		go handler.PrepareForGarbageCollection(ctx, device.Id)
 		if len(errorsList) > 0 {
 			logger.Errorw(ctx, "one-or-more-error-during-device-delete", log.Fields{"device-id": device.Id})
 			return fmt.Errorf("one-or-more-error-during-device-delete, errors:%v", errorsList)
diff --git a/internal/pkg/onuadaptercore/uniportadmin.go b/internal/pkg/onuadaptercore/uniportadmin.go
index 4b829d5..090e2fe 100644
--- a/internal/pkg/onuadaptercore/uniportadmin.go
+++ b/internal/pkg/onuadaptercore/uniportadmin.go
@@ -531,3 +531,10 @@
 		return fmt.Errorf("lockStateFsm uni-set responseError for device-id %s", oFsm.deviceID)
 	}
 }
+
+// PrepareForGarbageCollection - remove references to prepare for garbage collection
+func (oFsm *lockStateFsm) PrepareForGarbageCollection(ctx context.Context, aDeviceID string) {
+	logger.Debugw(ctx, "prepare for garbage collection", log.Fields{"device-id": aDeviceID})
+	oFsm.pDeviceHandler = nil
+	oFsm.pOmciCC = nil
+}