diff --git a/interface/src/avatar/Avatar.cpp b/interface/src/avatar/Avatar.cpp
index 31e1ee43fb..2359ea2460 100755
--- a/interface/src/avatar/Avatar.cpp
+++ b/interface/src/avatar/Avatar.cpp
@@ -255,6 +255,11 @@ Avatar::~Avatar() {
     delete _balls;
 }
 
+void Avatar::deleteOrDeleteLater() {
+    this->deleteLater();
+}
+
+
 void Avatar::init() {
     _head.init();
     _hand.init();
diff --git a/interface/src/avatar/Avatar.h b/interface/src/avatar/Avatar.h
index b3c373009f..4258ce6f14 100755
--- a/interface/src/avatar/Avatar.h
+++ b/interface/src/avatar/Avatar.h
@@ -134,6 +134,7 @@ public:
     
     Avatar(Node* owningNode = NULL);
     ~Avatar();
+    void deleteOrDeleteLater();
     
     void init();
     void simulate(float deltaTime, Transmitter* transmitter);
diff --git a/libraries/shared/src/Node.cpp b/libraries/shared/src/Node.cpp
index dcdc0eacca..d4bd8a084a 100644
--- a/libraries/shared/src/Node.cpp
+++ b/libraries/shared/src/Node.cpp
@@ -21,7 +21,6 @@
 #include "SharedUtil.h"
 #include "UDPSocket.h"
 
-#include <QtCore/QCoreApplication>
 #include <QtCore/QDebug>
 
 Node::Node(const QUuid& uuid, char type, sockaddr* publicSocket, sockaddr* localSocket) :
@@ -44,14 +43,8 @@ Node::~Node() {
     delete _publicSocket;
     delete _localSocket;
     
-    if (QCoreApplication::instance()) {
-        // even if we have a QCoreApplication instance we don't get here unless it's been exec'ed
-        // which is only currently the case for interface
-        if (_linkedData) {
-            _linkedData->deleteLater();
-        }
-    } else {
-        delete _linkedData;
+    if (_linkedData) {
+        _linkedData->deleteOrDeleteLater();
     }
     
     delete _bytesReceivedMovingAverage;
diff --git a/libraries/shared/src/NodeData.cpp b/libraries/shared/src/NodeData.cpp
index 45e8357d4f..6ab7f2242b 100644
--- a/libraries/shared/src/NodeData.cpp
+++ b/libraries/shared/src/NodeData.cpp
@@ -16,4 +16,8 @@ NodeData::NodeData(Node* owningNode) :
 
 NodeData::~NodeData() {
 
+}
+
+void NodeData::deleteOrDeleteLater() {
+    delete this;
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/libraries/shared/src/NodeData.h b/libraries/shared/src/NodeData.h
index e92656f977..0a2ba3b514 100644
--- a/libraries/shared/src/NodeData.h
+++ b/libraries/shared/src/NodeData.h
@@ -21,6 +21,8 @@ public:
     virtual ~NodeData() = 0;
     virtual int parseData(unsigned char* sourceBuffer, int numBytes) = 0;
     
+    virtual void deleteOrDeleteLater();
+    
     Node* getOwningNode() { return _owningNode; }
 protected:
     Node* _owningNode;