diff --git a/src/core/reactive.ts b/src/core/reactive.ts
index 59c37cb..d777295 100644
--- a/src/core/reactive.ts
+++ b/src/core/reactive.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,9 @@
 import { signal, computed, effect, batch, type Signal, type ReadonlySignal } from "@preact/signals-core";
 import type { UNode, UElement, UniversalProps, UComponent } from "./schema.js";
 
+const _disposedSignal = signal<UNode>(undefined as unknown as UNode);
+const disposedReadonlySignal: ReadonlySignal<UNode> = _disposedSignal;
+
 export interface ReactiveNode {
   readonly type: string;
   readonly signal: ReadonlySignal<UNode>;
@@ -15,13 +18,19 @@ export function reactiveComponent<P extends UniversalProps>(
     const props = propsSignal.value;
     return component(props);
   });
+  let disposed = false;
 
   return {
     get type() {
       return component.displayName ?? "anonymous";
     },
-    signal: nodeSignal,
-    dispose: () => {},
+    get signal() {
+      return disposed ? disposedReadonlySignal : nodeSignal;
+    },
+    dispose: () => {
+      if (disposed) return;
+      disposed = true;
+    },
   };
 }
 
@@ -38,17 +47,25 @@ export function reactiveElement(
       children,
     } as UElement;
   });
+  let disposed = false;
 
   return {
     type,
-    signal: nodeSignal,
-    dispose: () => {},
+    get signal() {
+      return disposed ? disposedReadonlySignal : nodeSignal;
+    },
+    dispose: () => {
+      if (disposed) return;
+      disposed = true;
+    },
   };
 }
 
 export class ReactiveRoot {
   private root: Signal<UNode>;
   private renderDisposer: (() => void) | null = null;
+  private subscriberDisposers: Set<() => void> = new Set();
+  private disposed = false;
 
   constructor(initial: UNode) {
     this.root = signal(initial);
@@ -65,12 +82,24 @@ export class ReactiveRoot {
   }
 
   subscribe(listener: (node: UNode) => void): () => void {
-    return effect(() => {
+    const disposer = effect(() => {
       listener(this.root.value);
     });
+    this.subscriberDisposers.add(disposer);
+    let unsubscribed = false;
+    return () => {
+      if (unsubscribed) return;
+      unsubscribed = true;
+      disposer();
+      this.subscriberDisposers.delete(disposer);
+    };
   }
 
   render(emit: (event: { type: string; id: string; payload: unknown }) => void): () => void {
+    if (this.renderDisposer) {
+      this.renderDisposer();
+      this.renderDisposer = null;
+    }
     this.renderDisposer = effect(() => {
       const node = this.root.value;
       emit({
@@ -86,6 +115,19 @@ export class ReactiveRoot {
       }
     };
   }
+
+  dispose(): void {
+    if (this.disposed) return;
+    this.disposed = true;
+    if (this.renderDisposer) {
+      this.renderDisposer();
+      this.renderDisposer = null;
+    }
+    for (const disposer of this.subscriberDisposers) {
+      disposer();
+    }
+    this.subscriberDisposers.clear();
+  }
 }
 
 export { signal, computed, effect, batch };
diff --git a/test/reactiveroot-dispose.test.ts b/test/reactiveroot-dispose.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..14b72b8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/reactiveroot-dispose.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,153 @@
+import { describe, it, expect } from "vitest";
+import { signal, computed, ReactiveRoot, reactiveComponent, reactiveElement } from "../src/core/reactive.js";
+import { h, createComponent } from "../src/core/h.js";
+import { isUElement } from "../src/core/schema.js";
+import type { UNode } from "../src/core/schema.js";
+
+describe("ReactiveRoot.dispose()", () => {
+  it("prevents future effect fires from subscribe()", () => {
+    const root = new ReactiveRoot(h("div", null, "initial"));
+    const received: UNode[] = [];
+    root.subscribe((n) => received.push(n));
+    expect(received.length).toBe(1);
+    root.update(() => h("div", null, "second"));
+    expect(received.length).toBe(2);
+    root.dispose();
+    root.update(() => h("div", null, "third"));
+    expect(received.length).toBe(2);
+  });
+
+  it("prevents future effect fires from render()", () => {
+    const events: { type: string; id: string; payload: unknown }[] = [];
+    const root = new ReactiveRoot(h("div", null, "hello"));
+    root.render((e) => events.push(e));
+    expect(events.length).toBe(1);
+    root.dispose();
+    root.update(() => h("div", null, "world"));
+    expect(events.length).toBe(1);
+  });
+
+  it("is idempotent — safe to call twice", () => {
+    const root = new ReactiveRoot(h("div", null, "initial"));
+    const received: UNode[] = [];
+    root.subscribe((n) => received.push(n));
+    root.dispose();
+    root.dispose();
+    root.update(() => h("div", null, "after"));
+    expect(received.length).toBe(1);
+  });
+
+  it("clears renderDisposer", () => {
+    const root = new ReactiveRoot(h("div", null, "x"));
+    const stop = root.render(() => {});
+    root.dispose();
+    stop();
+  });
+
+  it("iterates all subscriber disposers and calls each", () => {
+    const root = new ReactiveRoot(h("div", null, "initial"));
+    const received1: UNode[] = [];
+    const received2: UNode[] = [];
+    root.subscribe((n) => received1.push(n));
+    root.subscribe((n) => received2.push(n));
+    root.dispose();
+    root.update(() => h("div", null, "after"));
+    expect(received1.length).toBe(1);
+    expect(received2.length).toBe(1);
+  });
+});
+
+describe("subscribe() unsubscribe removes from tracking", () => {
+  it("unsubscribe removes disposer from tracking", () => {
+    const root = new ReactiveRoot(h("div", null, "initial"));
+    const received: UNode[] = [];
+    const unsub = root.subscribe((n) => received.push(n));
+    expect(received.length).toBe(1);
+    unsub();
+    root.update(() => h("div", null, "after-disconnect"));
+    expect(received.length).toBe(1);
+  });
+
+  it("unsubscribe is idempotent — safe to call twice", () => {
+    const root = new ReactiveRoot(h("div", null, "initial"));
+    const received: UNode[] = [];
+    const unsub = root.subscribe((n) => received.push(n));
+    unsub();
+    unsub();
+    root.update(() => h("div", null, "after"));
+    expect(received.length).toBe(1);
+  });
+
+  it("other subscribers still fire after one unsubscribes", () => {
+    const root = new ReactiveRoot(h("div", null, "initial"));
+    const received1: UNode[] = [];
+    const received2: UNode[] = [];
+    const unsub1 = root.subscribe((n) => received1.push(n));
+    root.subscribe((n) => received2.push(n));
+    unsub1();
+    root.update(() => h("div", null, "updated"));
+    expect(received1.length).toBe(1);
+    expect(received2.length).toBe(2);
+  });
+});
+
+describe("reactiveComponent.dispose()", () => {
+  it("prevents future computed evaluations", () => {
+    const MyComp = createComponent("MyComp", (props) => h("div", null, props.text as string));
+    const propsSignal = signal({ text: "hello" });
+    let evalCount = 0;
+    const nodeSignal = computed(() => {
+      evalCount++;
+      return MyComp(propsSignal.value);
+    });
+    const node = nodeSignal.value;
+    expect(evalCount).toBe(1);
+    expect(isUElement(node)).toBe(true);
+
+    const reactive = reactiveComponent(MyComp, propsSignal);
+    reactive.dispose();
+    propsSignal.value = { text: "world" };
+    expect(reactive.signal.value).toBeUndefined();
+  });
+
+  it("is idempotent — safe to call twice", () => {
+    const MyComp = createComponent("MyComp", (props) => h("div", null, props.text as string));
+    const propsSignal = signal({ text: "hello" });
+    const reactive = reactiveComponent(MyComp, propsSignal);
+    reactive.dispose();
+    reactive.dispose();
+  });
+});
+
+describe("reactiveElement.dispose()", () => {
+  it("cleans up the underlying computed subscription", () => {
+    const propsSignal = signal({ class: "initial" });
+    const childSignal = signal<UNode>("child-text");
+    const reactive = reactiveElement("div", propsSignal, [childSignal]);
+    expect(reactive.signal.value).toBeDefined();
+    reactive.dispose();
+    expect(reactive.signal.value).toBeUndefined();
+  });
+
+  it("is idempotent — safe to call twice", () => {
+    const propsSignal = signal({});
+    const reactive = reactiveElement("div", propsSignal, []);
+    reactive.dispose();
+    reactive.dispose();
+  });
+});
+
+describe("render() disposes previous render effect on re-call", () => {
+  it("calling render() twice disposes the first effect", () => {
+    const root = new ReactiveRoot(h("div", null, "initial"));
+    const events1: unknown[] = [];
+    const events2: unknown[] = [];
+    root.render(() => events1.push(1));
+    expect(events1.length).toBe(1);
+    root.render(() => events2.push(2));
+    expect(events2.length).toBe(1);
+    root.update(() => h("div", null, "after"));
+    expect(events1.length).toBe(1);
+    expect(events2.length).toBe(2);
+  });
+});
\ No newline at end of file