diff --git a/include/osg/Texture2D b/include/osg/Texture2D
index d04deb41f..0e9b0da1f 100644
--- a/include/osg/Texture2D
+++ b/include/osg/Texture2D
@@ -93,9 +93,9 @@ class OSG_EXPORT Texture2D : public Texture
                     return texture.textureObjectValid(state);
                 }
 
-                virtual TextureObject* generateTextureObject(const Texture2D& texture, State& state) const
+                virtual osg::ref_ptr<TextureObject> generateTextureObject(const Texture2D& texture, State& state) const
                 {
-                    return osg::Texture::generateTextureObject(&texture, state.getContextID(), GL_TEXTURE_2D).release();
+                    return osg::Texture::generateTextureObject(&texture, state.getContextID(), GL_TEXTURE_2D);
                 }
 
                 virtual void load(const Texture2D& texture,State& state) const = 0;
diff --git a/src/osg/Texture2D.cpp b/src/osg/Texture2D.cpp
index cea45af08..453a6bd24 100644
--- a/src/osg/Texture2D.cpp
+++ b/src/osg/Texture2D.cpp
@@ -220,7 +220,8 @@ void Texture2D::apply(State& state) const
     }
     else if (_subloadCallback.valid())
     {
-        _textureObjectBuffer[contextID] = textureObject = _subloadCallback->generateTextureObject(*this, state);
+        _textureObjectBuffer[contextID] = _subloadCallback->generateTextureObject(*this, state);
+        textureObject = _textureObjectBuffer[contextID].get();
 
         textureObject->bind();