diff --git a/TactilityKernel/include/tactility/service/service_instance.h b/TactilityKernel/include/tactility/service/service_instance.h
index b8c528f3d..87dc1d681 100644
--- a/TactilityKernel/include/tactility/service/service_instance.h
+++ b/TactilityKernel/include/tactility/service/service_instance.h
@@ -86,19 +86,6 @@ void* service_instance_get_data(struct ServiceInstance* instance);
  */
 ServiceState service_instance_get_state(struct ServiceInstance* instance);
 
-/**
- * @brief Try to claim usage for this service instance. Increases reference count internally.
- * @param instance non-null service instance pointer
- * @return true when the instance is started and ref count was increased.
- */
-bool service_instance_try_get(struct ServiceInstance* instance);
-
-/**
- * @brief Release a claim for usage of this service instance. Decreases reference count internally.
- * @param instance non-null service instance pointer
- */
-void service_instance_put(struct ServiceInstance* instance);
-
 #ifdef __cplusplus
 }
 #endif
diff --git a/TactilityKernel/include/tactility/service/service_manager.h b/TactilityKernel/include/tactility/service/service_manager.h
index 69c1f6336..d4cfc74b7 100644
--- a/TactilityKernel/include/tactility/service/service_manager.h
+++ b/TactilityKernel/include/tactility/service/service_manager.h
@@ -31,6 +31,13 @@ extern "C" {
  */
 error_t service_manager_remove(const char* id);
 
+/**
+ * @brief Find a registered manifest by id.
+ * @param[in] id non-null service id
+ * @return the manifest, or NULL if not found
+ */
+const struct ServiceManifest* service_manager_find_manifest(const char* id);
+
 /**
  * @brief Start a registered service by id.
  * @param[in] id non-null service id
@@ -56,13 +63,6 @@ error_t service_manager_stop(const char* id);
  */
 ServiceState service_manager_get_state(const char* id);
 
-/**
- * @brief Find a registered manifest by id.
- * @param[in] id non-null service id
- * @return the manifest, or NULL if not found
- */
-const struct ServiceManifest* service_manager_find_manifest(const char* id);
-
 /**
  * @brief Find the context of a running service by id.
  * @param[in] id non-null service id
diff --git a/TactilityKernel/source/service/service_instance.cpp b/TactilityKernel/source/service/service_instance.cpp
index 05e100927..768c78f32 100644
--- a/TactilityKernel/source/service/service_instance.cpp
+++ b/TactilityKernel/source/service/service_instance.cpp
@@ -12,7 +12,6 @@
 struct ServiceInstanceInternal {
     Mutex mutex {};
     ServiceState state = SERVICE_STATE_STOPPED;
-    uint32_t use_count = 0;
 };
 
 extern "C" {
@@ -84,22 +83,4 @@ const ServiceManifest* service_context_get_manifest(ServiceContext* context) {
     return service_instance_get_manifest(context);
 }
 
-bool service_instance_try_get(struct ServiceInstance* instance) {
-    mutex_lock(&instance->internal->mutex);
-    bool acquired = instance->internal->state == SERVICE_STATE_STARTED;
-    if (acquired) {
-        instance->internal->use_count++;
-    }
-    mutex_unlock(&instance->internal->mutex);
-    return acquired;
-}
-
-void service_instance_put(struct ServiceInstance* instance) {
-    mutex_lock(&instance->internal->mutex);
-    if (instance->internal->use_count > 0) {
-        instance->internal->use_count--;
-    }
-    mutex_unlock(&instance->internal->mutex);
-}
-
 } // extern "C"
diff --git a/Tests/TactilityKernel/Source/ServiceTest.cpp b/Tests/TactilityKernel/Source/ServiceTest.cpp
index 96e6456c8..5917e8cd2 100644
--- a/Tests/TactilityKernel/Source/ServiceTest.cpp
+++ b/Tests/TactilityKernel/Source/ServiceTest.cpp
@@ -68,35 +68,6 @@ TEST_CASE("ServiceInstance construction and destruction") {
     CHECK_EQ(last_destroy_context, &context_marker);
 }
 
-TEST_CASE("service_instance_try_get/put reference counting") {
-    reset_counters();
-
-    static const ServiceManifest manifest = {
-        .id = "refcount-test",
-        .create_service = test_create_service,
-        .destroy_service = test_destroy_service
-    };
-
-    ServiceInstance instance = { .manifest = nullptr, .data = nullptr, .on_start = nullptr, .on_stop = nullptr, .internal = nullptr };
-    CHECK_EQ(service_instance_construct(&instance, &manifest), ERROR_NONE);
-
-    // Not started yet: claiming usage should fail
-    CHECK_FALSE(service_instance_try_get(&instance));
-
-    service_instance_set_state(&instance, SERVICE_STATE_STARTED);
-
-    CHECK(service_instance_try_get(&instance));
-    CHECK(service_instance_try_get(&instance));
-    service_instance_put(&instance);
-    service_instance_put(&instance);
-
-    // Extra put beyond the claimed count should not underflow
-    service_instance_put(&instance);
-
-    service_instance_set_state(&instance, SERVICE_STATE_STOPPED);
-    CHECK_EQ(service_instance_destruct(&instance), ERROR_NONE);
-}
-
 TEST_CASE("service_manager_add rejects duplicate ids") {
     reset_counters();