diff --git a/src/nrnpython/grids.h b/src/nrnpython/grids.h
index 1f5e9f1042..0d43a3f1fe 100644
--- a/src/nrnpython/grids.h
+++ b/src/nrnpython/grids.h
@@ -11,11 +11,6 @@ and Flux_pair structs and their respective functions
 #include "nrn_pyhocobject.h"
 #include "nrnwrap_Python.h"
 
-#define SAFE_FREE(ptr)     \
-    {                      \
-        if ((ptr) != NULL) \
-            free(ptr);     \
-    }
 #define IDX(x, y, z)    ((z) + (y) *g->size_z + (x) *g->size_z * g->size_y)
 #define INDEX(x, y, z)  ((z) + (y) *grid->size_z + (x) *grid->size_z * grid->size_y)
 #define ALPHA(x, y, z)  (g->get_alpha(g->alpha, IDX(x, y, z)))
diff --git a/src/nrnpython/rxd.cpp b/src/nrnpython/rxd.cpp
index c4dea01f55..04f123e1e2 100644
--- a/src/nrnpython/rxd.cpp
+++ b/src/nrnpython/rxd.cpp
@@ -988,10 +988,10 @@ extern "C" void clear_rates() {
         }
 
         free(react->state_idx);
-        SAFE_FREE(react->ecs_state);
+        free(react->ecs_state);
         prev = react;
         react = react->next;
-        SAFE_FREE(prev);
+        free(prev);
     }
     _reactions = NULL;
     /*clear extracellular reactions*/
diff --git a/src/nrnpython/rxd_extracellular.cpp b/src/nrnpython/rxd_extracellular.cpp
index c297b65be8..6c4e910800 100644
--- a/src/nrnpython/rxd_extracellular.cpp
+++ b/src/nrnpython/rxd_extracellular.cpp
@@ -35,10 +35,10 @@ static void ecs_refresh_reactions(const int n) {
     int k;
     if (threaded_reactions_tasks != NULL) {
         for (k = 0; k < NUM_THREADS; k++) {
-            SAFE_FREE(threaded_reactions_tasks[k].onset);
-            SAFE_FREE(threaded_reactions_tasks[k].offset);
+            free(threaded_reactions_tasks[k].onset);
+            free(threaded_reactions_tasks[k].offset);
         }
-        SAFE_FREE(threaded_reactions_tasks);
+        free(threaded_reactions_tasks);
     }
     threaded_reactions_tasks = create_threaded_reactions(n);
 }
@@ -61,13 +61,13 @@ void clear_rates_ecs(void) {
     ECS_Grid_node* g;
 
     for (r = ecs_reactions; r != NULL; r = tmp) {
-        SAFE_FREE(r->species_states);
+        free(r->species_states);
         if (r->subregion) {
-            SAFE_FREE(r->subregion);
+            free(r->subregion);
         }
 
         tmp = r->next;
-        SAFE_FREE(r);
+        free(r);
     }
     ecs_reactions = NULL;
 
@@ -416,12 +416,12 @@ void* ecs_do_reactions(void* dataptr) {
                     }
                 }
 
-                SAFE_FREE(states_cache);
-                SAFE_FREE(states_cache_dx);
-                SAFE_FREE(params_cache);
-                SAFE_FREE(results_array);
-                SAFE_FREE(results_array_dx);
-                SAFE_FREE(mc_mults_array);
+                free(states_cache);
+                free(states_cache_dx);
+                free(params_cache);
+                free(results_array);
+                free(results_array_dx);
+                free(mc_mults_array);
 
                 if (stop)
                     return NULL;
@@ -537,11 +537,11 @@ void* ecs_do_reactions(void* dataptr) {
                     }
                 }
 
-                SAFE_FREE(states_cache);
-                SAFE_FREE(states_cache_dx);
-                SAFE_FREE(params_cache);
-                SAFE_FREE(results_array);
-                SAFE_FREE(results_array_dx);
+                free(states_cache);
+                free(states_cache_dx);
+                free(params_cache);
+                free(results_array);
+                free(results_array_dx);
 
                 if (stop)
                     return NULL;