diff --git a/comphelper/source/container/containermultiplexer.cxx b/comphelper/source/container/containermultiplexer.cxx
index b7e3c93becbe..e80f550bb02e 100644
--- a/comphelper/source/container/containermultiplexer.cxx
+++ b/comphelper/source/container/containermultiplexer.cxx
@@ -29,18 +29,16 @@ namespace comphelper
     using namespace ::com::sun::star::container;
 
     OContainerListener::OContainerListener(::osl::Mutex& _rMutex)
-        :m_pAdapter(nullptr)
-        ,m_rMutex(_rMutex)
+        :m_rMutex(_rMutex)
     {
     }
 
 
     OContainerListener::~OContainerListener()
     {
-        if (m_pAdapter)
+        if (m_xAdapter.is())
         {
-            m_pAdapter->dispose();
-            m_pAdapter = nullptr;
+            m_xAdapter->dispose();
         }
     }
 
@@ -71,19 +69,8 @@ namespace comphelper
 
     void OContainerListener::setAdapter(OContainerListenerAdapter* pAdapter)
     {
-        if (m_pAdapter)
-        {
-            ::osl::MutexGuard aGuard(m_rMutex);
-            m_pAdapter->release();
-            m_pAdapter = nullptr;
-        }
-
-        if (pAdapter)
-        {
-            ::osl::MutexGuard aGuard(m_rMutex);
-            m_pAdapter = pAdapter;
-            m_pAdapter->acquire();
-        }
+        ::osl::MutexGuard aGuard(m_rMutex);
+        m_xAdapter = pAdapter;
     }
 
     OContainerListenerAdapter::OContainerListenerAdapter(OContainerListener* _pListener,
diff --git a/include/comphelper/containermultiplexer.hxx b/include/comphelper/containermultiplexer.hxx
index 946ff698373d..07b044303dbf 100644
--- a/include/comphelper/containermultiplexer.hxx
+++ b/include/comphelper/containermultiplexer.hxx
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@
 #include <cppuhelper/implbase.hxx>
 #include <osl/mutex.hxx>
 #include <comphelper/comphelperdllapi.h>
+#include <rtl/ref.hxx>
 
 
 namespace comphelper
@@ -43,8 +44,8 @@ namespace comphelper
     {
         friend class OContainerListenerAdapter;
     protected:
-        OContainerListenerAdapter*  m_pAdapter;
-        ::osl::Mutex&               m_rMutex;
+        rtl::Reference<OContainerListenerAdapter>  m_xAdapter;
+        ::osl::Mutex&                              m_rMutex;
 
     public:
         OContainerListener(::osl::Mutex& _rMutex);