diff --git a/spine-ts/spine-pixi-v7/src/Spine.ts b/spine-ts/spine-pixi-v7/src/Spine.ts
index 08e317a8c..651f77d95 100644
--- a/spine-ts/spine-pixi-v7/src/Spine.ts
+++ b/spine-ts/spine-pixi-v7/src/Spine.ts
@@ -325,6 +325,7 @@ export class Spine extends Container {
 	}
 	/** Sets the ticker to use when {@link autoUpdate} is `true`. If `autoUpdate` is already `true`, the update callback will be moved from the old ticker to the new one. */
 	public set ticker (value: Ticker) {
+		value = value ?? Ticker.shared;
 		if (this._ticker === value) return;
 
 		if (this._autoUpdate) {
@@ -453,6 +454,7 @@ export class Spine extends Container {
 	/** Destroy Spine game object elements, then call the {@link Container.destroy} with the given options */
 	public override destroy (options?: boolean | IDestroyOptions | undefined): void {
 		if (this.autoUpdate) this.autoUpdate = false;
+		(this._ticker as any) = null;
 		for (const [, mesh] of this.meshesCache) {
 			mesh?.destroy();
 		}
diff --git a/spine-ts/spine-pixi-v8/src/Spine.ts b/spine-ts/spine-pixi-v8/src/Spine.ts
index a7084d77f..ae173aa16 100644
--- a/spine-ts/spine-pixi-v8/src/Spine.ts
+++ b/spine-ts/spine-pixi-v8/src/Spine.ts
@@ -380,6 +380,7 @@ export class Spine extends ViewContainer {
 	}
 	/** Sets the ticker to use when {@link autoUpdate} is `true`. If `autoUpdate` is already `true`, the update callback will be moved from the old ticker to the new one. */
 	public set ticker (value: Ticker) {
+		value = value ?? Ticker.shared;
 		if (this._ticker === value) return;
 
 		if (this._autoUpdate) {
@@ -1050,6 +1051,7 @@ export class Spine extends ViewContainer {
 		super.destroy(options);
 
 		this._ticker.remove(this.internalUpdate, this);
+		(this._ticker as any) = null;
 		this.state.clearListeners();
 		this.debug = undefined;
 		this.skeleton = null as any;