diff --git a/simgear/canvas/layout/BoxLayout.hxx b/simgear/canvas/layout/BoxLayout.hxx
index 9fc41415..01c3077c 100644
--- a/simgear/canvas/layout/BoxLayout.hxx
+++ b/simgear/canvas/layout/BoxLayout.hxx
@@ -106,6 +106,8 @@ namespace canvas
       VBoxLayout();
   };
 
+  typedef SGSharedPtr<BoxLayout> BoxLayoutRef;
+
 } // namespace canvas
 } // namespace simgear