# What is "principal controller" (to which accordingly to the docs cycles are returned on deletion)?

**URL:** <https://forum.dfinity.org/t/what-is-principal-controller-to-which-accordingly-to-the-docs-cycles-are-returned-on-deletion/41648>\
**Category:** Developers\
**Created:** [February 26, 2025, 2:08pm UTC](https://forum.dfinity.org/t/what-is-principal-controller-to-which-accordingly-to-the-docs-cycles-are-returned-on-deletion/41648 "2025-02-26T14:08:16Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![qwertytrewq](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex023/user_avatar/forum.dfinity.org/qwertytrewq/32/10423_2.png) [@qwertytrewq](https://forum.dfinity.org/u/qwertytrewq)\
**Post date:** [February 26, 2025, 2:08pm UTC](https://forum.dfinity.org/t/what-is-principal-controller-to-which-accordingly-to-the-docs-cycles-are-returned-on-deletion/41648/1 "2025-02-26T14:08:16Z")

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> [To withdraw cycles from a canister, the canister must be deleted. The cycles will be returned to the canister’s principal controller.](https://internetcomputer.org/docs/current/tutorials/hackathon-prep-course/managing-canisters#getting-cycles-back-from-a-canister)

It seems that there is no such term “principal controller” and it should instead read: The cycles will be returned to the canister that deletes our canister.

Correct?

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**Author:** ![aterga](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex023/user_avatar/forum.dfinity.org/aterga/32/4143_2.png) [@aterga](https://forum.dfinity.org/u/aterga)\
**Post date:** [February 26, 2025, 6:57pm UTC](https://forum.dfinity.org/t/what-is-principal-controller-to-which-accordingly-to-the-docs-cycles-are-returned-on-deletion/41648/2 "2025-02-26T18:57:09Z")

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Hi @qwertytrewq,

I agree that the documentation is not very clear in this case, but it’s not wrong if the user is deleting the canister via dfx.

> The cycles will be returned to the canister that deletes our canister

Almost — the cycles will be sent to a wallet canister that dfx would create and manage automatically for the user. The wallet itself isn’t going to be a controller of the canister being deleted.

We’ll try to clarify the documentation in this regard in the near future.

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**Author:** ![skilesare](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex023/user_avatar/forum.dfinity.org/skilesare/32/5609_2.png) [@skilesare](https://forum.dfinity.org/u/skilesare)\
**Post date:** [February 26, 2025, 8:46pm UTC](https://forum.dfinity.org/t/what-is-principal-controller-to-which-accordingly-to-the-docs-cycles-are-returned-on-deletion/41648/3 "2025-02-26T20:46:48Z")

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It would be great if this just migrated to a deposit on the cycles ledger.

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**Author:** ![qwertytrewq](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex023/user_avatar/forum.dfinity.org/qwertytrewq/32/10423_2.png) [@qwertytrewq](https://forum.dfinity.org/u/qwertytrewq)\
**Post date:** [February 26, 2025, 11:02pm UTC](https://forum.dfinity.org/t/what-is-principal-controller-to-which-accordingly-to-the-docs-cycles-are-returned-on-deletion/41648/4 "2025-02-26T23:02:05Z")

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There is yet another version in this detective:

> [Deleting a canister cannot be undone, any state stored on the canister is permanently deleted and its cycles are discarded.](https://internetcomputer.org/docs/current/references/ic-interface-spec#ic-delete_canister)

^^ About `delete_canister` in management canister.

Are cycles moved to ledger/wallet or discarded?!