diff --git a/src/apps/deskbar/BarMenuTitle.cpp b/src/apps/deskbar/BarMenuTitle.cpp
index bd589f496c..c45fb21fea 100644
--- a/src/apps/deskbar/BarMenuTitle.cpp
+++ b/src/apps/deskbar/BarMenuTitle.cpp
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ All rights reserved.
 #include "BarMenuTitle.h"
 
 #include <algorithm>
+#include <new>
 
 #include <Bitmap.h>
 #include <ControlLook.h>
@@ -155,7 +156,6 @@ TBarMenuTitle::Invoke(BMessage* message)
 void
 TBarMenuTitle::SetIcon(const BBitmap* icon)
 {
-	delete fIcon;
 	fIcon = icon;
 }
 
@@ -177,6 +177,20 @@ TDeskbarMenuTitle::TDeskbarMenuTitle(float width, float height,
 }
 
 
+TDeskbarMenuTitle::~TDeskbarMenuTitle()
+{
+	delete fIcon;
+}
+
+
+void
+TDeskbarMenuTitle::SetIcon(const BBitmap* icon)
+{
+	delete fIcon;
+	fIcon = icon;
+}
+
+
 void
 TDeskbarMenuTitle::DrawContent()
 {
@@ -212,16 +226,21 @@ TDeskbarMenuTitle::FetchIcon()
 	}
 
 	float width = CalcIconWidth();
-	BBitmap* icon = new BBitmap(BRect(0, 0, width - 1, width - 1),
+	BBitmap* icon = new(std::nothrow) BBitmap(BRect(0, 0, width - 1, width - 1),
 		B_RGBA32);
-	if (fVectorIconData != NULL && fVectorIconSize > 0
+	if (fVectorIconData != NULL && fVectorIconSize > 0 && icon != NULL
 		&& BIconUtils::GetVectorIcon(fVectorIconData, fVectorIconSize, icon)
 			== B_OK) {
 		// rasterized vector icon into a bitmap
-		fIcon = icon;
+		SetIcon(icon);
 	} else {
 		// fetched bitmap instead
-		fIcon = AppResSet()->FindBitmap(B_MESSAGE_TYPE, R_LeafLogoBitmap);
+		const BBitmap* leaf = AppResSet()->FindBitmap(B_MESSAGE_TYPE,
+			R_LeafLogoBitmap);
+		// make a copy of the leaf bitmap that we can safely delete
+		BBitmap* leafCopy = new BBitmap(leaf->Bounds(), leaf->ColorSpace());
+		leafCopy->ImportBits(leaf);
+		SetIcon(leafCopy);
 		// TODO: scale the bitmap into icon
 		delete icon;
 	}
diff --git a/src/apps/deskbar/BarMenuTitle.h b/src/apps/deskbar/BarMenuTitle.h
index a4f68cd14d..7522283ffb 100644
--- a/src/apps/deskbar/BarMenuTitle.h
+++ b/src/apps/deskbar/BarMenuTitle.h
@@ -76,6 +76,9 @@ class TDeskbarMenuTitle : public TBarMenuTitle {
 public:
 								TDeskbarMenuTitle(float width, float height,
 									const BBitmap* icon, BMenu* menu);
+	virtual						~TDeskbarMenuTitle();
+
+	virtual	void				SetIcon(const BBitmap* icon);
 
 	virtual	void				DrawContent();