diff --git a/packages/reacord/library.new/discord-js.ts b/packages/reacord/library.new/discord-js.ts
index e1e00a0..084bfa0 100644
--- a/packages/reacord/library.new/discord-js.ts
+++ b/packages/reacord/library.new/discord-js.ts
@@ -18,13 +18,18 @@ export function createReacordDiscordJs(
   const manager = createReacordInstanceManager(options)
   return {
     send(channelId: string, initialContent?: ReactNode) {
-      const messageUpdater = createMessageUpdater()
-      return manager.createInstance(initialContent, async (tree) => {
-        const messageOptions: MessageOptions & MessageEditOptions = {
-          content: tree.children.map((child) => child.text).join(""),
-        }
-        const channel = await getTextChannel(client, channelId)
-        await messageUpdater.update(messageOptions, channel)
+      const handler = createMessageHandler()
+      return manager.createInstance({
+        initialContent,
+        update: async (tree) => {
+          const messageOptions: MessageOptions & MessageEditOptions = {
+            content: tree.children.map((child) => child.text).join(""),
+          }
+          const channel = await getTextChannel(client, channelId)
+          await handler.update(messageOptions, channel)
+        },
+        destroy: () => handler.destroy(),
+        deactivate: () => handler.deactivate(),
       })
     },
 
@@ -34,8 +39,9 @@ export function createReacordDiscordJs(
   }
 }
 
-function createMessageUpdater() {
+function createMessageHandler() {
   let message: Message | undefined
+  let active = true
   const queue = createAsyncQueue()
 
   async function update(
@@ -43,6 +49,7 @@ function createMessageUpdater() {
     channel: TextBasedChannel,
   ) {
     return queue.add(async () => {
+      if (!active) return
       if (message) {
         await message.edit(options)
       } else {
@@ -51,10 +58,27 @@ function createMessageUpdater() {
     })
   }
 
-  return { update }
+  async function destroy() {
+    return queue.add(async () => {
+      active = false
+      await message?.delete()
+    })
+  }
+
+  async function deactivate() {
+    return queue.add(async () => {
+      active = false
+      // TODO: disable message components
+    })
+  }
+
+  return { update, destroy, deactivate }
 }
 
-async function getTextChannel(client: Client<boolean>, channelId: string) {
+async function getTextChannel(
+  client: Client<boolean>,
+  channelId: string,
+): Promise<TextBasedChannel> {
   let channel = client.channels.cache.get(channelId)
   if (!channel) {
     channel = (await client.channels.fetch(channelId)) ?? undefined
diff --git a/packages/reacord/library.new/reacord.ts b/packages/reacord/library.new/reacord.ts
index 0fd18c7..63a6ac7 100644
--- a/packages/reacord/library.new/reacord.ts
+++ b/packages/reacord/library.new/reacord.ts
@@ -24,13 +24,31 @@ export type ReacordInstance = {
   deactivate: () => void
 }
 
+type ReacordInstanceOptions = {
+  initialContent: ReactNode
+  update: (tree: MessageTree) => unknown
+  deactivate: () => unknown
+  destroy: () => unknown
+}
+
 export function createReacordInstanceManager({
   maxInstances = 50,
 }: ReacordOptions) {
   const instances: ReacordInstance[] = []
 
-  function createInstance(...args: Parameters<typeof createReacordInstance>) {
-    const instance = createReacordInstance(...args)
+  function createInstance(options: ReacordInstanceOptions) {
+    const instance = createReacordInstance({
+      ...options,
+      deactivate() {
+        instances.splice(instances.indexOf(instance), 1)
+        return options.deactivate()
+      },
+      destroy() {
+        instances.splice(instances.indexOf(instance), 1)
+        return options.destroy()
+      },
+    })
+
     instances.push(instance)
 
     if (instances.length > maxInstances) {
@@ -44,14 +62,13 @@ export function createReacordInstanceManager({
 }
 
 function createReacordInstance(
-  initialContent: ReactNode,
-  render: (tree: MessageTree) => unknown,
+  options: ReacordInstanceOptions,
 ): ReacordInstance {
   const tree: MessageTree = {
     children: [],
     render: async () => {
       try {
-        await render(tree)
+        await options.update(tree)
       } catch (error) {
         console.error(
           "Reacord encountered an error while updating the message.",
@@ -79,12 +96,30 @@ function createReacordInstance(
     render(content: ReactNode) {
       reconciler.updateContainer(content, container)
     },
-    destroy() {},
-    deactivate() {},
+    async deactivate() {
+      try {
+        await options.deactivate()
+      } catch (error) {
+        console.error(
+          "Reacord encountered an error while deactivating an instance.",
+          error,
+        )
+      }
+    },
+    async destroy() {
+      try {
+        await options.destroy()
+      } catch (error) {
+        console.error(
+          "Reacord encountered an error while destroying an instance.",
+          error,
+        )
+      }
+    },
   }
 
-  if (initialContent !== undefined) {
-    instance.render(initialContent)
+  if (options.initialContent !== undefined) {
+    instance.render(options.initialContent)
   }
 
   return instance
diff --git a/packages/reacord/scripts/discordjs-manual-test.tsx b/packages/reacord/scripts/discordjs-manual-test.tsx
index c9cd146..7f363a1 100644
--- a/packages/reacord/scripts/discordjs-manual-test.tsx
+++ b/packages/reacord/scripts/discordjs-manual-test.tsx
@@ -3,6 +3,8 @@ import { ChannelType, Client, IntentsBitField } from "discord.js"
 import "dotenv/config"
 import { kebabCase } from "lodash-es"
 import React, { useEffect, useState } from "react"
+import { raise } from "../helpers/raise"
+import { waitFor } from "../helpers/wait-for"
 import { createReacordDiscordJs } from "../library.new/discord-js"
 
 const client = new Client({ intents: IntentsBitField.Flags.Guilds })
@@ -26,6 +28,7 @@ for (const [, channel] of category.children.cache) {
 let prefix = 0
 const createTest = async (
   name: string,
+  description: string,
   block: (channel: TextChannel) => void | Promise<unknown>,
 ) => {
   prefix += 1
@@ -33,10 +36,11 @@ const createTest = async (
     type: ChannelType.GuildText,
     name: `${String(prefix).padStart(3, "0")}-${kebabCase(name)}`,
   })
+  await channel.edit({ topic: description })
   await block(channel)
 }
 
-await createTest("basic", (channel) => {
+await createTest("basic", "should update over time", (channel) => {
   function Timer() {
     const [count, setCount] = useState(0)
 
@@ -53,8 +57,40 @@ await createTest("basic", (channel) => {
   reacord.send(channel.id, <Timer />)
 })
 
-await createTest("immediate renders", async (channel) => {
-  const instance = reacord.send(channel.id)
-  instance.render("hi world")
-  instance.render("hi moon")
-})
+await createTest(
+  "immediate renders",
+  `should process renders in sequence; this should show "hi moon"`,
+  async (channel) => {
+    const instance = reacord.send(channel.id)
+    instance.render("hi world")
+    instance.render("hi moon")
+  },
+)
+
+await createTest(
+  "destroy",
+  "should remove the message; this channel should be empty",
+  async (channel) => {
+    const instance = reacord.send(channel.id)
+    instance.render("hi world")
+    instance.render("hi moon")
+    await waitFor(async () => {
+      const messages = await channel.messages.fetch({ limit: 1 })
+      if (messages.first()?.content !== "hi moon") {
+        raise("not ready")
+      }
+    })
+    instance.destroy()
+  },
+)
+
+await createTest(
+  "immediate destroy",
+  "should never show if called immediately; this channel should be empty",
+  async (channel) => {
+    const instance = reacord.send(channel.id)
+    instance.render("hi world")
+    instance.render("hi moon")
+    instance.destroy()
+  },
+)