diff --git a/shared-module/displayio/I2CDisplay.c b/shared-module/displayio/I2CDisplay.c
index 8fae5d31fd32..f38e4d629679 100644
--- a/shared-module/displayio/I2CDisplay.c
+++ b/shared-module/displayio/I2CDisplay.c
@@ -54,6 +54,7 @@ void common_hal_displayio_i2cdisplay_construct(displayio_i2cdisplay_obj_t *self,
     // Probe the bus to see if a device acknowledges the given address.
     if (!common_hal_busio_i2c_probe(i2c, device_address)) {
         self->base.type = &mp_type_NoneType;
+        common_hal_displayio_i2cdisplay_deinit(self);
         mp_raise_ValueError_varg(translate("Unable to find I2C Display at %x"), device_address);
     }