diff --git a/degesch.c b/degesch.c
index f2d5b4e..12850ed 100644
--- a/degesch.c
+++ b/degesch.c
@@ -144,6 +144,8 @@ struct user_channel
 {
 	LIST_HEADER (struct user_channel)
 
+	// FIXME: this should be a weak reference to destroy a cycle
+
 	struct channel *channel;            ///< Reference to channel
 };
 
@@ -541,16 +543,17 @@ app_context_free (struct app_context *self)
 	free (self->irc_user_mode);
 	free (self->irc_user_host);
 
+	// FIXME: this doesn't free the history state
+	LIST_FOR_EACH (struct buffer, iter, self->buffers)
+		buffer_destroy (iter);
+	str_map_free (&self->buffers_by_name);
+
 	str_map_free (&self->irc_users);
 	str_map_free (&self->irc_channels);
 	str_map_free (&self->irc_buffer_map);
 
 	poller_free (&self->poller);
 
-	LIST_FOR_EACH (struct buffer, iter, self->buffers)
-		buffer_destroy (iter);
-	str_map_free (&self->buffers_by_name);
-
 	iconv_close (self->latin1_to_utf8);
 	iconv_close (self->term_from_utf8);
 	iconv_close (self->term_to_utf8);
@@ -1051,6 +1054,7 @@ buffer_remove (struct app_context *ctx, struct buffer *buffer)
 		HISTORY_STATE *state = history_get_history_state ();
 
 		history_set_history_state (buffer->history);
+		free (buffer->history);
 		rl_clear_history ();
 
 		history_set_history_state (state);
@@ -1310,12 +1314,14 @@ irc_get_or_make_user_buffer (struct app_context *ctx, const char *nickname)
 	struct user *user = str_map_find (&ctx->irc_users, nickname);
 	if (!user)
 		user = irc_make_user (ctx, xstrdup (nickname));
+	else
+		user = user_ref (user);
 
 	// Open a new buffer for the user
 	buffer = buffer_new ();
 	buffer->type = BUFFER_PM;
 	buffer->name = xstrdup (nickname);
-	buffer->user = user_ref (user);
+	buffer->user = user;
 	LIST_APPEND_WITH_TAIL (ctx->buffers, ctx->buffers_tail, buffer);
 	str_map_set (&ctx->irc_buffer_map, user->nickname, buffer);
 	return buffer;
@@ -1911,12 +1917,11 @@ irc_handle_join (struct app_context *ctx, const struct irc_message *msg)
 	// We've joined a new channel
 	if (!channel && irc_is_this_us (ctx, msg->prefix))
 	{
-		channel = irc_make_channel (ctx, xstrdup (channel_name));
-
 		buffer = buffer_new ();
 		buffer->type = BUFFER_CHANNEL;
 		buffer->name = xstrdup (channel_name);
-		buffer->channel = channel_ref (channel);
+		buffer->channel = channel =
+			irc_make_channel (ctx, xstrdup (channel_name));
 		LIST_APPEND_WITH_TAIL (ctx->buffers, ctx->buffers_tail, buffer);
 		str_map_set (&ctx->irc_buffer_map, channel->name, buffer);
 
@@ -1933,7 +1938,10 @@ irc_handle_join (struct app_context *ctx, const struct irc_message *msg)
 	if (!user)
 		user = irc_make_user (ctx, nickname);
 	else
+	{
+		user = user_ref (user);
 		free (nickname);
+	}
 
 	// Link the user with the channel
 	struct user_channel *user_channel = user_channel_new ();
@@ -1941,7 +1949,7 @@ irc_handle_join (struct app_context *ctx, const struct irc_message *msg)
 	LIST_PREPEND (user->channels, user_channel);
 
 	struct channel_user *channel_user = channel_user_new ();
-	channel_user->user = user_ref (user);
+	channel_user->user = user;
 	channel_user->modes = xstrdup ("");
 	LIST_PREPEND (channel->users, channel_user);
 
@@ -2018,7 +2026,7 @@ irc_handle_nick (struct app_context *ctx, const struct irc_message *msg)
 		str_map_find (&ctx->irc_buffer_map, user->nickname);
 	if (pm_buffer)
 	{
-		str_map_set (&ctx->irc_buffer_map, new_nickname, user_ref (user));
+		str_map_set (&ctx->irc_buffer_map, new_nickname, pm_buffer);
 		str_map_set (&ctx->irc_buffer_map, user->nickname, NULL);
 
 		buffer_send (ctx, pm_buffer, BUFFER_LINE_NICK, 0,
@@ -3143,7 +3151,6 @@ on_irc_disconnected (struct app_context *ctx)
 	ctx->irc_fd = -1;
 	ctx->irc_ready = false;
 
-	str_map_set (&ctx->irc_users, ctx->irc_user->nickname, NULL);
 	user_unref (ctx->irc_user);
 	ctx->irc_user = NULL;