diff --git a/src/servers/app/drawing/BitmapDrawingEngine.cpp b/src/servers/app/drawing/BitmapDrawingEngine.cpp
index 3c360b143b..eee10c82be 100644
--- a/src/servers/app/drawing/BitmapDrawingEngine.cpp
+++ b/src/servers/app/drawing/BitmapDrawingEngine.cpp
@@ -56,8 +56,7 @@ BitmapDrawingEngine::SetSize(int32 newWidth, int32 newHeight)
 		fHWInterface = NULL;
 	}
 
-	delete fBitmap;
-	fBitmap = NULL;
+	fBitmap.Unset();
 
 	if (newWidth <= 0 || newHeight <= 0)
 		return B_OK;
diff --git a/src/servers/app/drawing/BitmapDrawingEngine.h b/src/servers/app/drawing/BitmapDrawingEngine.h
index 11e5b814bd..ae054cbf59 100644
--- a/src/servers/app/drawing/BitmapDrawingEngine.h
+++ b/src/servers/app/drawing/BitmapDrawingEngine.h
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ virtual							~BitmapDrawingEngine();
 private:
 			color_space			fColorSpace;
 			BitmapHWInterface*	fHWInterface;
-			UtilityBitmap*		fBitmap;
+			BReference<UtilityBitmap> fBitmap;
 			BRegion				fClipping;
 };