diff --git a/examples/fluids/navierstokes.c b/examples/fluids/navierstokes.c
index 74beee5d5e..64875ca72e 100644
--- a/examples/fluids/navierstokes.c
+++ b/examples/fluids/navierstokes.c
@@ -259,6 +259,7 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv) {
   PetscCall(SgsDDDataDestroy(user->sgs_dd_data));
   PetscCall(DifferentialFilterDataDestroy(user->diff_filter));
   PetscCall(SGS_DD_TrainingDataDestroy(user->sgs_dd_train));
+  PetscCall(SmartSimDataDestroy(user->smartsim));
 
   // -- Vectors
   PetscCallCeed(ceed, CeedVectorDestroy(&ceed_data->x_coord));
diff --git a/examples/fluids/navierstokes.h b/examples/fluids/navierstokes.h
index eae2561bad..1e493c73f1 100644
--- a/examples/fluids/navierstokes.h
+++ b/examples/fluids/navierstokes.h
@@ -513,6 +513,7 @@ PetscErrorCode DifferentialFilterMmsICSetup(ProblemData *problem);
 // SGS Data-Driven Training via SmartSim
 // -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 PetscErrorCode SmartSimSetup(User user);
+PetscErrorCode SmartSimDataDestroy(SmartSimData smartsim);
 PetscErrorCode SGS_DD_TrainingSetup(Ceed ceed, User user, CeedData ceed_data, ProblemData *problem);
 PetscErrorCode TSMonitor_SGS_DD_Training(TS ts, PetscInt step_num, PetscReal solution_time, Vec Q, void *ctx);
 PetscErrorCode TSPostStep_SGS_DD_Training(TS ts);
diff --git a/examples/fluids/src/smartsim/smartsim.c b/examples/fluids/src/smartsim/smartsim.c
index 9228a8cc27..2fcbc22141 100644
--- a/examples/fluids/src/smartsim/smartsim.c
+++ b/examples/fluids/src/smartsim/smartsim.c
@@ -64,3 +64,13 @@ PetscErrorCode SmartSimSetup(User user) {
   PetscCall(SmartSimTrainingSetup(user));
   PetscFunctionReturn(0);
 }
+
+PetscErrorCode SmartSimDataDestroy(SmartSimData smartsim) {
+  PetscFunctionBeginUser;
+  if (!smartsim) PetscFunctionReturn(PETSC_SUCCESS);
+
+  SmartRedisCall(DeleteCClient(&smartsim->client));
+  PetscCall(PetscFree(smartsim));
+
+  PetscFunctionReturn(PETSC_SUCCESS);
+}
diff --git a/examples/fluids/src/smartsim_weak.c b/examples/fluids/src/smartsim_weak.c
index 3a1c5cd001..bf3031c959 100644
--- a/examples/fluids/src/smartsim_weak.c
+++ b/examples/fluids/src/smartsim_weak.c
@@ -35,3 +35,12 @@ PetscErrorCode TSPostStep_SGS_DD_Training(TS ts) {
   PetscFunctionBeginUser;
   SETERRQ(PETSC_COMM_WORLD, PETSC_ERR_SUP, "Must build with SMARTREDIS_DIR set to run %s", __func__);
 };
+
+PetscErrorCode SmartSimDataDestroy(SmartSimData smartsim) __attribute__((weak));
+PetscErrorCode SmartSimDataDestroy(SmartSimData smartsim) {
+  PetscFunctionBeginUser;
+  if (!smartsim) PetscFunctionReturn(PETSC_SUCCESS);
+  PetscCall(PetscPrintf(PETSC_COMM_WORLD, "Warning: SmartSimData struct should not be initialized if SMARTREDIS_DIR isn't set on build..."));
+
+  PetscFunctionReturn(PETSC_SUCCESS);
+}