diff --git a/src/apps/debugger/BreakpointManager.cpp b/src/apps/debugger/BreakpointManager.cpp
index 2e93531792..1c653bc6d0 100644
--- a/src/apps/debugger/BreakpointManager.cpp
+++ b/src/apps/debugger/BreakpointManager.cpp
@@ -26,11 +26,13 @@ BreakpointManager::BreakpointManager(Team* team,
 	fTeam(team),
 	fDebuggerInterface(debuggerInterface)
 {
+	fDebuggerInterface->AcquireReference();
 }
 
 
 BreakpointManager::~BreakpointManager()
 {
+	fDebuggerInterface->ReleaseReference();
 }
 
 
diff --git a/src/apps/debugger/TeamDebugger.cpp b/src/apps/debugger/TeamDebugger.cpp
index 09031d0b9c..0525e4f98c 100644
--- a/src/apps/debugger/TeamDebugger.cpp
+++ b/src/apps/debugger/TeamDebugger.cpp
@@ -160,8 +160,10 @@ TeamDebugger::~TeamDebugger()
 
 	fTerminating = true;
 
-	if (fDebuggerInterface != NULL)
+	if (fDebuggerInterface != NULL) {
 		fDebuggerInterface->Close(fKillTeamOnQuit);
+		fDebuggerInterface->ReleaseReference();
+	}
 
 	if (fWorker != NULL)
 		fWorker->ShutDown();
@@ -193,7 +195,6 @@ TeamDebugger::~TeamDebugger()
 
 	delete fBreakpointManager;
 	delete fMemoryBlockManager;
-	delete fDebuggerInterface;
 	delete fWorker;
 	delete fTeam;
 	delete fFileManager;
diff --git a/src/apps/debugger/ThreadHandler.cpp b/src/apps/debugger/ThreadHandler.cpp
index c05c18d46c..f5559b6162 100644
--- a/src/apps/debugger/ThreadHandler.cpp
+++ b/src/apps/debugger/ThreadHandler.cpp
@@ -54,12 +54,14 @@ ThreadHandler::ThreadHandler(Thread* thread, Worker* worker,
 	fPreviousInstructionPointer(0),
 	fSingleStepping(false)
 {
+	fDebuggerInterface->AcquireReference();
 }
 
 
 ThreadHandler::~ThreadHandler()
 {
 	_ClearContinuationState();
+	fDebuggerInterface->ReleaseReference();
 }
 
 
diff --git a/src/apps/debugger/debug_info/DebuggerImageDebugInfo.cpp b/src/apps/debugger/debug_info/DebuggerImageDebugInfo.cpp
index a9c761c1a9..490d6a6974 100644
--- a/src/apps/debugger/debug_info/DebuggerImageDebugInfo.cpp
+++ b/src/apps/debugger/debug_info/DebuggerImageDebugInfo.cpp
@@ -24,11 +24,13 @@ DebuggerImageDebugInfo::DebuggerImageDebugInfo(const ImageInfo& imageInfo,
 	fDebuggerInterface(debuggerInterface),
 	fArchitecture(architecture)
 {
+	fDebuggerInterface->AcquireReference();
 }
 
 
 DebuggerImageDebugInfo::~DebuggerImageDebugInfo()
 {
+	fDebuggerInterface->ReleaseReference();
 }
 
 
diff --git a/src/apps/debugger/debug_info/TeamDebugInfo.cpp b/src/apps/debugger/debug_info/TeamDebugInfo.cpp
index 95341dde12..6e1d40727e 100644
--- a/src/apps/debugger/debug_info/TeamDebugInfo.cpp
+++ b/src/apps/debugger/debug_info/TeamDebugInfo.cpp
@@ -262,6 +262,7 @@ TeamDebugInfo::TeamDebugInfo(DebuggerInterface* debuggerInterface,
 	fSourceFiles(NULL),
 	fTypeCache(NULL)
 {
+	fDebuggerInterface->AcquireReference();
 }
 
 
@@ -291,6 +292,8 @@ TeamDebugInfo::~TeamDebugInfo()
 
 		delete fFunctions;
 	}
+
+	fDebuggerInterface->ReleaseReference();
 }