diff --git a/include/rc522/guards.h b/include/rc522/guards.h
deleted file mode 100644
index e0c824d9..00000000
--- a/include/rc522/guards.h
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,126 +0,0 @@
-#pragma once
-
-#include <esp_err.h>
-
-/**
- * @brief Label for success guard gate in macros.
- *        Used as a goto label to handle successful execution paths in macros.
- */
-#define SUCCESS_GUARD_GATE __success_guard_gate
-
-/**
- * @brief Label for error guard gate in macros.
- *        Used as a goto label to handle error paths in macros.
- */
-#define ERROR_GUARD_GATE __error_guard_gate
-
-/**
- * @brief Label for exit guard gate in macros.
- *        Used as a goto label to mark the end of execution paths in macros.
- */
-#define EXIT_GUARD_GATE __exit_guard_gate
-
-/**
- * @brief Macro to create jump points for success and error handling.
- *        This macro defines labels for success and error handling, and a common exit point.
- * @param on_error Code to execute on error.
- * @param on_success Code to execute on success.
- */
-#define JMP_GUARD_GATES(on_error, on_success) \
-    goto SUCCESS_GUARD_GATE;                  \
-    ERROR_GUARD_GATE: {                       \
-        on_error;                             \
-        goto EXIT_GUARD_GATE;                 \
-    };                                        \
-    SUCCESS_GUARD_GATE: {                     \
-        on_success;                           \
-        goto EXIT_GUARD_GATE;                 \
-    };                                        \
-    EXIT_GUARD_GATE: {                        \
-    };
-
-/**
- * @brief Macro guard for jumping to an error handler on ESP error.
- *        Checks the result of EXP and if it's not ESP_OK, jumps to ERROR_GUARD_GATE.
- * @param EXP Expression that returns an esp_err_t value.
- */
-#define ESP_ERR_JMP_GUARD(EXP)     \
-    if ((err = (EXP)) != ESP_OK) { \
-        goto ERROR_GUARD_GATE;     \
-    }
-
-/**
- * @brief Macro for logging an error message and jumping to an error handler on ESP error.
- *        If EXP is not ESP_OK, logs the provided message and jumps to ERROR_GUARD_GATE.
- * @param EXP Expression that returns an esp_err_t value.
- * @param message The message to log on error.
- */
-#define ESP_ERR_LOG_AND_JMP_GUARD(EXP, message) \
-    if ((err = (EXP)) != ESP_OK) {              \
-        ESP_LOGE(TAG, message);                 \
-        goto ERROR_GUARD_GATE;                  \
-    }
-
-/**
- * @brief Macro for conditionally logging an error message and jumping to an error handler.
- *        If EXP evaluates to true, logs the provided message and jumps to ERROR_GUARD_GATE.
- * @param EXP Boolean expression to evaluate.
- * @param message The message to log if EXP is true.
- */
-#define CONDITION_LOG_AND_JMP_GUARD(EXP, message) \
-    if (EXP) {                                    \
-        ESP_LOGE(TAG, message);                   \
-        goto ERROR_GUARD_GATE;                    \
-    }
-
-/**
- * @brief Macro guard for memory allocation with jump to error handling.
- *        This macro checks if a memory allocation expression (EXP) fails (i.e., returns NULL).
- *        If the allocation fails, it jumps to the ERROR_GUARD_GATE label.
- *        This is typically used in functions where error handling is centralized
- *        at a specific label (ERROR_GUARD_GATE) for cleaner and more manageable code.
- *        It helps in avoiding deep nesting of error checks after each allocation.
- * @param EXP Memory allocation expression (e.g., a call to malloc).
- */
-#define ALLOC_JMP_GUARD(EXP)   \
-    if ((EXP) == NULL) {       \
-        err = ESP_ERR_NO_MEM;  \
-        goto ERROR_GUARD_GATE; \
-    }
-
-/**
- * @brief Macro guard for memory allocation functions.
- *        This macro ensures that if a memory allocation expression fails (returns NULL),
- *        the function in which this macro is used will immediately return with ESP_ERR_NO_MEM.
- *        It's useful for handling memory allocation failures gracefully in functions.
- * @param EXP Memory allocation expression (e.g., a call to malloc).
- * @return Exits the caller function with ESP_ERR_NO_MEM if EXP evaluates to NULL.
- */
-#define ALLOC_RET_GUARD(EXP)   \
-    if ((EXP) == NULL) {       \
-        return ESP_ERR_NO_MEM; \
-    }
-
-/**
- * @brief Macro guard for ESP error handling.
- *        This macro checks if the result of EXP is not ESP_OK and, if so, returns the error code.
- * @param EXP Expression that returns an esp_err_t value.
- * @return Returns the error code if EXP is not ESP_OK.
- */
-#define ESP_ERR_RET_GUARD(EXP)     \
-    if ((err = (EXP)) != ESP_OK) { \
-        return err;                \
-    }
-
-/**
- * @brief Macro for safely freeing memory.
- *        This macro checks if the pointer is not NULL before calling the free function.
- *        After freeing the memory, it sets the pointer to NULL to prevent dangling pointer issues.
- *        This helps in avoiding double free errors and improves the safety of memory management.
- * @param ptr Pointer to the memory to be freed.
- */
-#define FREE(ptr)   \
-    if (ptr) {      \
-        free(ptr);  \
-        ptr = NULL; \
-    }
diff --git a/src/rc522.c b/src/rc522.c
index 71b5fc01..5ccb2db6 100644
--- a/src/rc522.c
+++ b/src/rc522.c
@@ -6,7 +6,6 @@
 #include <esp_check.h>
 
 #include "rc522.h"
-#include "rc522/guards.h"
 #include "rc522/registers.h"
 
 static const char *TAG = "RC522";
@@ -31,6 +30,12 @@ struct rc522
     bool tag_was_present_last_time;
 };
 
+#define FREE(ptr)        \
+    if ((ptr) != NULL) { \
+        free(ptr);       \
+        (ptr) = NULL;    \
+    }
+
 static void rc522_task(void *arg);
 
 static esp_err_t rc522_write_n(rc522_handle_t rc522, uint8_t addr, uint8_t n, uint8_t *data)