diff --git a/plugins/camera/src/CameraDriver.cpp b/plugins/camera/src/CameraDriver.cpp
index 7821ea95a..ace976577 100644
--- a/plugins/camera/src/CameraDriver.cpp
+++ b/plugins/camera/src/CameraDriver.cpp
@@ -148,8 +148,7 @@ bool GazeboYarpCameraDriver::close()
 {
     if (this->m_updateConnection.get())
     {
-        m_camera->DisconnectNewImageFrame(this->m_updateConnection);
-        this->m_updateConnection = gazebo::event::ConnectionPtr();
+        this->m_updateConnection.reset();
         m_parentSensor = NULL;
     }
     
diff --git a/plugins/clock/src/Clock.cc b/plugins/clock/src/Clock.cc
index 6b81b96e6..2499e66b8 100644
--- a/plugins/clock/src/Clock.cc
+++ b/plugins/clock/src/Clock.cc
@@ -40,15 +40,9 @@ namespace gazebo
     
     void GazeboYarpClock::cleanup()
     {
-        if (m_worldCreatedEvent.get()) {
-            gazebo::event::Events::DisconnectWorldCreated(m_worldCreatedEvent);
-            m_worldCreatedEvent = gazebo::event::ConnectionPtr(); //resetting the pointer to NULL. I don't know if boost does it automatically with the above call
-        }
-        if (m_timeUpdateEvent.get()) {
-            gazebo::event::Events::DisconnectWorldUpdateBegin(m_timeUpdateEvent);
-            m_timeUpdateEvent = gazebo::event::ConnectionPtr();
-        }
-        
+        m_worldCreatedEvent.reset();
+        m_timeUpdateEvent.reset();
+
         if (m_clockPort) {
             m_clockPort->close();
             delete m_clockPort; m_clockPort = 0;
@@ -99,10 +93,7 @@ namespace gazebo
     
     void GazeboYarpClock::gazeboYarpClockLoad(std::string world_name)
     {
-        if (m_worldCreatedEvent.get()) {
-            gazebo::event::Events::DisconnectWorldCreated(m_worldCreatedEvent);
-            m_worldCreatedEvent = gazebo::event::ConnectionPtr();
-        }
+        m_worldCreatedEvent.reset();
         
         //Create ports
         m_clockPort = new yarp::os::BufferedPort<yarp::os::Bottle>();
diff --git a/plugins/controlboard/src/ControlBoardDriverDeviceDriver.cpp b/plugins/controlboard/src/ControlBoardDriverDeviceDriver.cpp
index 42e6d4142..80b3a9961 100644
--- a/plugins/controlboard/src/ControlBoardDriverDeviceDriver.cpp
+++ b/plugins/controlboard/src/ControlBoardDriverDeviceDriver.cpp
@@ -33,11 +33,7 @@ bool GazeboYarpControlBoardDriver::open(yarp::os::Searchable& config)
 
 bool GazeboYarpControlBoardDriver::close()
 {
-    //unbinding events
-    if (this->m_updateConnection.get()) {
-        gazebo::event::Events::DisconnectWorldUpdateBegin (this->m_updateConnection);
-        this->m_updateConnection = gazebo::event::ConnectionPtr();
-    }
+    this->m_updateConnection.reset();
 
     delete [] m_controlMode;
     delete [] m_interactionMode;
diff --git a/plugins/depthCamera/src/DepthCameraDriver.cpp b/plugins/depthCamera/src/DepthCameraDriver.cpp
index fa735018a..33bab2291 100644
--- a/plugins/depthCamera/src/DepthCameraDriver.cpp
+++ b/plugins/depthCamera/src/DepthCameraDriver.cpp
@@ -107,36 +107,21 @@ bool GazeboYarpDepthCameraDriver::open(yarp::os::Searchable &config)
 
     m_colorFrameMutex.post();
 
-
-
     //Connect the driver to the gazebo simulation
     auto imageConnectionBind = boost::bind(&GazeboYarpDepthCameraDriver::OnNewImageFrame, this, _1, _2, _3, _4, _5);
     auto depthConnectionBind = boost::bind(&GazeboYarpDepthCameraDriver::OnNewDepthFrame, this, _1, _2, _3, _4, _5);
 
     this->m_updateImageFrame_Connection = m_depthCameraPtr->ConnectNewImageFrame(imageConnectionBind);
     this->m_updateDepthFrame_Connection = m_depthCameraPtr->ConnectNewDepthFrame(depthConnectionBind);
+
     return true;
 }
 
 bool GazeboYarpDepthCameraDriver::close()
 {
-    if (this->m_updateImageFrame_Connection.get())
-    {
-        m_depthCameraPtr->DisconnectNewImageFrame(this->m_updateImageFrame_Connection);
-        this->m_updateImageFrame_Connection = gazebo::event::ConnectionPtr();
-    }
-
-    if (this->m_updateRGBPointCloud_Connection.get())
-    {
-        m_depthCameraPtr->DisconnectNewImageFrame(this->m_updateRGBPointCloud_Connection);
-        this->m_updateRGBPointCloud_Connection = gazebo::event::ConnectionPtr();
-    }
-
-    if (this->m_updateDepthFrame_Connection.get())
-    {
-        m_depthCameraPtr->DisconnectNewImageFrame(this->m_updateDepthFrame_Connection);
-        this->m_updateDepthFrame_Connection = gazebo::event::ConnectionPtr();
-    }
+    this->m_updateImageFrame_Connection.reset();
+    this->m_updateRGBPointCloud_Connection.reset();
+    this->m_updateDepthFrame_Connection.reset();
 
     m_depthCameraSensorPtr = NULL;
 
diff --git a/plugins/externalwrench/src/ApplyExternalWrench.cc b/plugins/externalwrench/src/ApplyExternalWrench.cc
index 2844d81c8..eba60fc43 100644
--- a/plugins/externalwrench/src/ApplyExternalWrench.cc
+++ b/plugins/externalwrench/src/ApplyExternalWrench.cc
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ ApplyExternalWrench::ApplyExternalWrench()
 ApplyExternalWrench::~ApplyExternalWrench()
 {
     m_rpcThread.stop();
-    gazebo::event::Events::DisconnectWorldUpdateBegin ( this->m_updateConnection );
+    this->m_updateConnection.reset();
 }
 
 void ApplyExternalWrench::UpdateChild()
diff --git a/plugins/forcetorque/src/ForceTorqueDriver.cpp b/plugins/forcetorque/src/ForceTorqueDriver.cpp
index 643db2b2e..8c607eaae 100644
--- a/plugins/forcetorque/src/ForceTorqueDriver.cpp
+++ b/plugins/forcetorque/src/ForceTorqueDriver.cpp
@@ -86,10 +86,7 @@ bool GazeboYarpForceTorqueDriver::open(yarp::os::Searchable& config)
 
 bool GazeboYarpForceTorqueDriver::close()
 {
-    if (this->m_updateConnection.get()) {
-        gazebo::event::Events::DisconnectWorldUpdateBegin(this->m_updateConnection);
-        this->m_updateConnection = gazebo::event::ConnectionPtr();
-    }
+    this->m_updateConnection.reset();
     return true;
 }
 
diff --git a/plugins/imu/src/IMUDriver.cpp b/plugins/imu/src/IMUDriver.cpp
index a3cb56320..85be8750a 100644
--- a/plugins/imu/src/IMUDriver.cpp
+++ b/plugins/imu/src/IMUDriver.cpp
@@ -95,10 +95,7 @@ bool GazeboYarpIMUDriver::open(yarp::os::Searchable& config)
 
 bool GazeboYarpIMUDriver::close()
 {
-    if (this->m_updateConnection.get()) {
-        gazebo::event::Events::DisconnectWorldUpdateBegin(this->m_updateConnection);
-        this->m_updateConnection = gazebo::event::ConnectionPtr();
-    }
+    this->m_updateConnection.reset();
     return true;
 }
 
diff --git a/plugins/jointsensors/src/JointSensorsDriver.cpp b/plugins/jointsensors/src/JointSensorsDriver.cpp
index d880ef553..19aceb449 100644
--- a/plugins/jointsensors/src/JointSensorsDriver.cpp
+++ b/plugins/jointsensors/src/JointSensorsDriver.cpp
@@ -181,7 +181,7 @@ bool GazeboYarpJointSensorsDriver::setJointSensorsType(yarp::os::Property & plug
 
 bool GazeboYarpJointSensorsDriver::close()
 {
-    gazebo::event::Events::DisconnectWorldUpdateBegin(this->updateConnection);
+    this->updateConnection.reset();
     return true;
 }
 
diff --git a/plugins/lasersensor/src/LaserSensorDriver.cpp b/plugins/lasersensor/src/LaserSensorDriver.cpp
index 5d403f507..056c61151 100644
--- a/plugins/lasersensor/src/LaserSensorDriver.cpp
+++ b/plugins/lasersensor/src/LaserSensorDriver.cpp
@@ -144,11 +144,8 @@ bool GazeboYarpLaserSensorDriver::open(yarp::os::Searchable& config)
 
 bool GazeboYarpLaserSensorDriver::close()
 {
-    if (this->m_updateConnection.get())
-    {
-        gazebo::event::Events::DisconnectWorldUpdateBegin(this->m_updateConnection);
-        this->m_updateConnection = gazebo::event::ConnectionPtr();
-    }
+    this->m_updateConnection.reset();
+
     return true;
 }
 
diff --git a/plugins/maissensor/src/MaisSensorDeviceDriver.cpp b/plugins/maissensor/src/MaisSensorDeviceDriver.cpp
index 582790987..299348e14 100644
--- a/plugins/maissensor/src/MaisSensorDeviceDriver.cpp
+++ b/plugins/maissensor/src/MaisSensorDeviceDriver.cpp
@@ -40,11 +40,7 @@ bool GazeboYarpMaisSensorDriver::open(yarp::os::Searchable& config)
 
 bool GazeboYarpMaisSensorDriver::close()
 {
-    //unbinding events
-    if (this->m_updateConnection.get()) {
-        gazebo::event::Events::DisconnectWorldUpdateBegin (this->m_updateConnection);
-        this->m_updateConnection = gazebo::event::ConnectionPtr();
-    }
+    this->m_updateConnection.reset();
 
     return true;
 }
diff --git a/plugins/multicamera/src/MultiCameraDriver.cpp b/plugins/multicamera/src/MultiCameraDriver.cpp
index 12861c79e..4285cdc40 100644
--- a/plugins/multicamera/src/MultiCameraDriver.cpp
+++ b/plugins/multicamera/src/MultiCameraDriver.cpp
@@ -145,12 +145,8 @@ bool yarp::dev::GazeboYarpMultiCameraDriver::open(yarp::os::Searchable& config)
 bool yarp::dev::GazeboYarpMultiCameraDriver::close()
 {
     for (unsigned int i = 0; i < m_camera_count; ++i) {
-        if (this->m_updateConnection[i].get())
-        {
-            m_camera[i]->DisconnectNewImageFrame(this->m_updateConnection[i]);
-            this->m_updateConnection[i] = gazebo::event::ConnectionPtr();
-            m_parentSensor = NULL;
-        }
+        this->m_updateConnection[i].reset();
+        m_parentSensor = NULL;
         delete[] m_imageBuffer[i];
         m_imageBuffer[i] = 0;
         delete m_dataMutex[i];
diff --git a/plugins/showmodelcom/src/ShowModelCoM.cc b/plugins/showmodelcom/src/ShowModelCoM.cc
index 11a36fcd3..3414d5a12 100644
--- a/plugins/showmodelcom/src/ShowModelCoM.cc
+++ b/plugins/showmodelcom/src/ShowModelCoM.cc
@@ -40,7 +40,8 @@ namespace gazebo
             delete m_comOutputPort;
             m_comOutputPort = 0;
         }
-        gazebo::event::Events::DisconnectWorldUpdateBegin(this->m_updateConnection);
+
+        m_updateConnection.reset();
         yarp::os::Network::fini();
     }
 
diff --git a/plugins/videotexture/src/VideoTexture.cc b/plugins/videotexture/src/VideoTexture.cc
index 3dac52442..e79ac0fb9 100644
--- a/plugins/videotexture/src/VideoTexture.cc
+++ b/plugins/videotexture/src/VideoTexture.cc
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ namespace gazebo
 
   VideoTexture::~VideoTexture()
   {
-      event::Events::DisconnectPreRender(m_connection);
+      m_connection.reset();
       if (m_network)
       {
         delete m_network;