diff --git a/src/osg/Geometry.cpp b/src/osg/Geometry.cpp
index f16f20343..7e129db8a 100644
--- a/src/osg/Geometry.cpp
+++ b/src/osg/Geometry.cpp
@@ -796,7 +796,7 @@ void Geometry::setUseVertexBufferObjects(bool flag)
 
             VertexBufferObjectList vboList;
             
-            osg::VertexBufferObject* vbo = 0;
+            osg::ref_ptr<osg::VertexBufferObject> vbo;
 
             ArrayList::iterator vitr;
             for(vitr = arrayList.begin();
@@ -814,7 +814,7 @@ void Geometry::setUseVertexBufferObjects(bool flag)
                 ++vitr)
             {
                 osg::Array* array = *vitr;
-                if (!array->getVertexBufferObject()) array->setVertexBufferObject(vbo);
+                if (!array->getVertexBufferObject()) array->setVertexBufferObject(vbo.get());
             }
         }
 
@@ -822,7 +822,7 @@ void Geometry::setUseVertexBufferObjects(bool flag)
         {
             ElementBufferObjectList eboList;
             
-            osg::ElementBufferObject* ebo = 0;
+            osg::ref_ptr<osg::ElementBufferObject> ebo;
 
             DrawElementsList::iterator deitr;
             for(deitr = drawElementsList.begin();
@@ -840,7 +840,7 @@ void Geometry::setUseVertexBufferObjects(bool flag)
                 ++deitr)
             {
                 osg::DrawElements* elements = *deitr;
-                if (!elements->getElementBufferObject()) elements->setElementBufferObject(ebo);
+                if (!elements->getElementBufferObject()) elements->setElementBufferObject(ebo.get());
             }
         }
     }