diff --git a/py/map.c b/py/map.c
index 9f919e06ae..2bae8b28d7 100644
--- a/py/map.c
+++ b/py/map.c
@@ -40,6 +40,17 @@ mp_map_t *mp_map_new(int n) {
     return map;
 }
 
+// Differentiate from mp_map_clear() - semantics is different
+void mp_map_deinit(mp_map_t *map) {
+    m_del(mp_map_elem_t, map->table, map->alloc);
+    map->used = map->alloc = 0;
+}
+
+void mp_map_free(mp_map_t *map) {
+    mp_map_deinit(map);
+    m_del_obj(mp_map_t, map);
+}
+
 void mp_map_clear(mp_map_t *map) {
     map->used = 0;
     map->all_keys_are_qstrs = 1;
diff --git a/py/map.h b/py/map.h
index 2db0ac3ebc..7acb5a98a7 100644
--- a/py/map.h
+++ b/py/map.h
@@ -28,6 +28,8 @@ typedef enum _mp_map_lookup_kind_t {
 int get_doubling_prime_greater_or_equal_to(int x);
 void mp_map_init(mp_map_t *map, int n);
 mp_map_t *mp_map_new(int n);
+void mp_map_deinit(mp_map_t *map);
+void mp_map_free(mp_map_t *map);
 mp_map_elem_t* mp_map_lookup(mp_map_t *map, mp_obj_t index, mp_map_lookup_kind_t lookup_kind);
 void mp_map_clear(mp_map_t *map);