diff --git a/degesch.c b/degesch.c
index ce7563b..f0700f2 100644
--- a/degesch.c
+++ b/degesch.c
@@ -1045,6 +1045,7 @@ enum buffer_type
 struct buffer
 {
 	LIST_HEADER (struct buffer)
+	REF_COUNTABLE_HEADER
 
 	enum buffer_type type;              ///< Type of the buffer
 	char *name;                         ///< The name of the buffer
@@ -1074,6 +1075,7 @@ static struct buffer *
 buffer_new (void)
 {
 	struct buffer *self = xcalloc (1, sizeof *self);
+	self->ref_count = 1;
 	self->input_data = input_buffer_new ();
 	return self;
 }
@@ -1095,6 +1097,9 @@ buffer_destroy (struct buffer *self)
 	free (self);
 }
 
+REF_COUNTABLE_METHODS (buffer)
+#define buffer_ref do_not_use_dangerous
+
 // - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
 
 enum transport_io_result
@@ -1143,6 +1148,7 @@ typedef size_t (*irc_strxfrm_fn) (char *, const char *, size_t);
 
 struct server
 {
+	REF_COUNTABLE_HEADER
 	struct app_context *ctx;            ///< Application context
 
 	char *name;                         ///< Server identifier
@@ -1254,10 +1260,11 @@ server_free_specifics (struct server *self)
 	free (self->irc_chanuser_modes);
 }
 
-static void
-server_init (struct server *self, struct poller *poller)
+static struct server *
+server_new (struct poller *poller)
 {
-	memset (self, 0, sizeof *self);
+	struct server *self = xcalloc (1, sizeof *self);
+	self->ref_count = 1;
 
 	self->socket = -1;
 	str_init (&self->read_buffer);
@@ -1289,12 +1296,12 @@ server_init (struct server *self, struct poller *poller)
 
 	str_init (&self->irc_user_mode);
 
-	server_free_specifics (self);
 	server_init_specifics (self);
+	return self;
 }
 
 static void
-server_free (struct server *self)
+server_destroy (struct server *self)
 {
 	free (self->name);
 
@@ -1337,15 +1344,12 @@ server_free (struct server *self)
 	free (self->irc_user_host);
 
 	server_free_specifics (self);
-}
-
-static void
-server_destroy (void *self)
-{
-	server_free (self);
 	free (self);
 }
 
+REF_COUNTABLE_METHODS (server)
+#define server_ref do_not_use_dangerous
+
 // - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
 
 struct app_context
@@ -1441,7 +1445,7 @@ app_context_init (struct app_context *self)
 	poller_init (&self->poller);
 
 	str_map_init (&self->servers);
-	self->servers.free = server_destroy;
+	self->servers.free = (str_map_free_fn) server_unref;
 	self->servers.key_xfrm = tolower_ascii_strxfrm;
 
 	str_map_init (&self->buffers_by_name);
@@ -1491,7 +1495,7 @@ app_context_free (struct app_context *self)
 		input_destroy_buffer (&self->input, iter->input_data);
 		iter->input_data = NULL;
 #endif // HAVE_READLINE
-		buffer_destroy (iter);
+		buffer_unref (iter);
 	}
 	str_map_free (&self->buffers_by_name);
 
@@ -3174,7 +3178,7 @@ buffer_remove (struct app_context *ctx, struct buffer *buffer)
 
 	str_map_set (&ctx->buffers_by_name, buffer->name, NULL);
 	LIST_UNLINK_WITH_TAIL (ctx->buffers, ctx->buffers_tail, buffer);
-	buffer_destroy (buffer);
+	buffer_unref (buffer);
 
 	refresh_prompt (ctx);
 }
@@ -6980,9 +6984,7 @@ server_add (struct app_context *ctx,
 {
 	hard_assert (!str_map_find (&ctx->servers, name));
 
-	struct server *s = xmalloc (sizeof *s);
-	server_init (s, &ctx->poller);
-
+	struct server *s = server_new (&ctx->poller);
 	s->ctx = ctx;
 	s->name = xstrdup (name);
 	str_map_set (&ctx->servers, s->name, s);