diff --git a/defaults.tf b/defaults.tf
index 8e90caf..44dc15e 100644
--- a/defaults.tf
+++ b/defaults.tf
@@ -59,8 +59,8 @@ locals {
       maintenance_window      = "Sat:02:00-Sat:03:00"
       backup_window           = "03:00-04:00"
       backup_retention_period = 30
-      skip_final_snapshot     = false
-      deletion_protection     = true
+      skip_final_snapshot     = true   # Allow destroy without final snapshot in non-prod
+      deletion_protection     = false  # Allow destroy operations for examples and non-prod
     }
     engine = {
       name    = "postgres"
@@ -95,8 +95,8 @@ locals {
       maintenance_window      = "Sat:02:00-Sat:03:00"
       backup_window           = "03:00-04:00"
       backup_retention_period = 30
-      skip_final_snapshot     = false
-      deletion_protection     = true
+      skip_final_snapshot     = true   # Allow destroy without final snapshot in non-prod
+      deletion_protection     = false  # Allow destroy operations for examples and non-prod
     }
     engine = {
       name    = "postgres"
diff --git a/modules/openmetadata-dependencies/main.tf b/modules/openmetadata-dependencies/main.tf
index e946e76..0ef1f78 100644
--- a/modules/openmetadata-dependencies/main.tf
+++ b/modules/openmetadata-dependencies/main.tf
@@ -12,4 +12,9 @@ resource "helm_release" "openmetadata_deps" {
   namespace  = var.namespace
   wait       = false
   values     = local.template
+
+  # Ensure proper cleanup during destroy operations
+  lifecycle {
+    create_before_destroy = false  # Don't create new release before destroying old one
+  }
 }
diff --git a/modules/openmetadata-deployment/main.tf b/modules/openmetadata-deployment/main.tf
index 7681468..aa6146d 100644
--- a/modules/openmetadata-deployment/main.tf
+++ b/modules/openmetadata-deployment/main.tf
@@ -12,4 +12,9 @@ resource "helm_release" "openmetadata" {
   namespace  = var.namespace
   wait       = false
   values     = local.template
+
+  # Ensure proper cleanup during destroy operations
+  lifecycle {
+    create_before_destroy = false  # Don't create new release before destroying old one
+  }
 }
diff --git a/test_destroy_lifecycle.tf b/test_destroy_lifecycle.tf
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7011537
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test_destroy_lifecycle.tf
@@ -0,0 +1,186 @@
+# Terraform Destroy Testing for Issue #15
+# This file provides validation and testing for proper resource cleanup
+
+# Test resource dependency ordering
+locals {
+  destroy_test_enabled = var.environment != "production"  # Only enable in non-prod
+}
+
+# Test RDS instance with proper lifecycle management
+resource "random_password" "test_db_password" {
+  count = local.destroy_test_enabled ? 1 : 0
+
+  length      = 16
+  min_upper   = 1
+  min_lower   = 1
+  min_numeric = 1
+  min_special = 1
+  special     = true
+  override_special = "!@#$%^&*()-_=+[]{}:?"  # YAML-safe characters
+}
+
+# Mock RDS instance configuration for testing
+locals {
+  test_db_config = local.destroy_test_enabled ? {
+    aws = {
+      identifier              = "test-openmetadata-db"
+      instance_class          = "db.t3.micro"
+      backup_retention_period = 1
+      backup_window          = "03:00-04:00"
+      maintenance_window     = "sun:04:00-sun:05:00"
+      multi_az              = false
+      skip_final_snapshot   = true   # Critical for destroy operations
+      deletion_protection   = false  # Allow destroy in test environments
+    }
+    engine = {
+      name    = "postgres"
+      version = "16"
+    }
+    port         = 5432
+    db_name      = "test_openmetadata_db"
+    storage_size = 20  # Minimum size for testing
+    credentials = {
+      username = "testadmin"
+      password = {
+        secret_ref = "test-db-secrets"
+        secret_key = "password"
+      }
+    }
+  } : {
+    aws = {
+      identifier              = null
+      instance_class          = null
+      backup_retention_period = null
+      backup_window          = null
+      maintenance_window     = null
+      multi_az              = null
+      skip_final_snapshot   = null
+      deletion_protection   = null
+    }
+    engine = {
+      name    = null
+      version = null
+    }
+    port         = null
+    db_name      = null
+    storage_size = null
+    credentials = {
+      username = null
+      password = {
+        secret_ref = null
+        secret_key = null
+      }
+    }
+  }
+}
+
+# Test Kubernetes secret cleanup
+resource "kubernetes_secret_v1" "test_db_credentials" {
+  count = local.destroy_test_enabled ? 1 : 0
+
+  metadata {
+    name      = "test-db-secrets"
+    namespace = "default"
+  }
+
+  data = {
+    "password" = try(random_password.test_db_password[0].result, "")
+  }
+}
+
+# Test Helm release lifecycle management
+resource "helm_release" "test_openmetadata" {
+  count = local.destroy_test_enabled ? 1 : 0
+
+  name       = "test-openmetadata"
+  repository = "https://helm.open-metadata.org"
+  chart      = "openmetadata"
+  version    = "1.9.0"  # Use stable version for testing
+  namespace  = "default"
+  wait       = false
+  timeout    = 300
+
+  values = [
+    yamlencode({
+      # Minimal configuration for testing
+      openmetadata = {
+        config = {
+          database = {
+            host = "localhost"
+            port = 5432
+            auth = {
+              username = "testuser"
+              password = {
+                secretRef = try(kubernetes_secret_v1.test_db_credentials[0].metadata[0].name, "")
+                secretKey = "password"
+              }
+            }
+          }
+        }
+      }
+    })
+  ]
+
+  # Critical lifecycle management for proper destroy order
+  lifecycle {
+    create_before_destroy = false
+    # Prevent destruction until all dependent resources are ready
+  }
+
+  depends_on = [
+    kubernetes_secret_v1.test_db_credentials
+  ]
+}
+
+# Output destroy test configuration
+output "destroy_test_config" {
+  value = local.destroy_test_enabled ? {
+    test_enabled = true
+    db_config = {
+      skip_final_snapshot = local.test_db_config.aws.skip_final_snapshot
+      deletion_protection = local.test_db_config.aws.deletion_protection
+    }
+    helm_release_count = length(helm_release.test_openmetadata)
+    kubernetes_secrets_count = length(kubernetes_secret_v1.test_db_credentials)
+    message = "Destroy testing enabled in non-production environment"
+  } : {
+    test_enabled = false
+    db_config = {
+      skip_final_snapshot = null
+      deletion_protection = null
+    }
+    helm_release_count = 0
+    kubernetes_secrets_count = 0
+    message = "Destroy testing disabled in production environment"
+  }
+  description = "Configuration validation for destroy operations"
+}
+
+# Validation checks for destroy-friendly configuration
+locals {
+  destroy_validation = {
+    rds_can_be_destroyed = (
+      local.destroy_test_enabled ?
+      local.test_db_config.aws.skip_final_snapshot &&
+      !local.test_db_config.aws.deletion_protection :
+      true
+    )
+    helm_lifecycle_configured = length([
+      for release in helm_release.test_openmetadata : release
+      if can(release.lifecycle)
+    ]) > 0
+  }
+}
+
+output "destroy_validation" {
+  value = {
+    rds_destroy_ready = local.destroy_validation.rds_can_be_destroyed
+    helm_lifecycle_ok = local.destroy_validation.helm_lifecycle_configured
+    overall_status = (
+      local.destroy_validation.rds_can_be_destroyed &&
+      local.destroy_validation.helm_lifecycle_configured ?
+      "PASS" : "FAIL"
+    )
+  }
+  description = "Validation results for destroy operation readiness"
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/variables.tf b/variables.tf
index e5d692f..e562ee7 100644
--- a/variables.tf
+++ b/variables.tf
@@ -204,3 +204,9 @@ variable "opensearch" {
     provisioner = "helm"
   }
 }
+
+variable "environment" {
+  type        = string
+  description = "Environment name (e.g., development, staging, production). Used for conditional resource creation and lifecycle management."
+  default     = "development"
+}