diff --git a/async_substrate_interface/sync_substrate.py b/async_substrate_interface/sync_substrate.py
index 91986a8..01f5fdb 100644
--- a/async_substrate_interface/sync_substrate.py
+++ b/async_substrate_interface/sync_substrate.py
@@ -532,8 +532,10 @@ def __enter__(self):
         return self
 
     def __del__(self):
-        self.ws.close()
-        print("DELETING SUBSTATE")
+        try:
+            self.ws.close()
+        except AttributeError:
+            pass
         # self.ws.protocol.fail(code=1006)  # ABNORMAL_CLOSURE
 
     def initialize(self):