diff --git a/mythtv/programs/mythbackend/filetransfer.cpp b/mythtv/programs/mythbackend/filetransfer.cpp
index 7c9d173b36a..7bbfb2955a2 100644
--- a/mythtv/programs/mythbackend/filetransfer.cpp
+++ b/mythtv/programs/mythbackend/filetransfer.cpp
@@ -11,10 +11,11 @@
 
 FileTransfer::FileTransfer(QString &filename, MythSocket *remote,
                            bool usereadahead, int timeout_ms) :
+    ReferenceCounter(QString("FileTransfer:%1").arg(filename)),
     readthreadlive(true), readsLocked(false),
     rbuffer(RingBuffer::Create(filename, false, usereadahead, timeout_ms, true)),
     sock(remote), ateof(false), lock(QMutex::NonRecursive),
-    refLock(QMutex::NonRecursive), refCount(0), writemode(false)
+    writemode(false)
 {
     pginfo = new ProgramInfo(filename);
     pginfo->MarkAsInUse(true, kFileTransferInUseID);
@@ -22,10 +23,11 @@ FileTransfer::FileTransfer(QString &filename, MythSocket *remote,
 }
 
 FileTransfer::FileTransfer(QString &filename, MythSocket *remote, bool write) :
+    ReferenceCounter(QString("FileTransfer:%1").arg(filename)),
     readthreadlive(true), readsLocked(false),
     rbuffer(RingBuffer::Create(filename, write)),
     sock(remote), ateof(false), lock(QMutex::NonRecursive),
-    refLock(QMutex::NonRecursive), refCount(0), writemode(write)
+    writemode(write)
 {
     pginfo = new ProgramInfo(filename);
     pginfo->MarkAsInUse(true, kFileTransferInUseID);
@@ -52,26 +54,6 @@ FileTransfer::~FileTransfer()
     }
 }
 
-void FileTransfer::UpRef(void)
-{
-    QMutexLocker locker(&refLock);
-    refCount++;
-}
-
-bool FileTransfer::DownRef(void)
-{
-    int count = 0;
-    {
-        QMutexLocker locker(&refLock);
-        count = --refCount;
-    }
-
-    if (count < 0)
-        delete this;
-    
-    return (count < 0);
-}
-
 bool FileTransfer::isOpen(void)
 {
     if (rbuffer && rbuffer->IsOpen())
diff --git a/mythtv/programs/mythbackend/filetransfer.h b/mythtv/programs/mythbackend/filetransfer.h
index 39fb6aec98c..8112652f764 100644
--- a/mythtv/programs/mythbackend/filetransfer.h
+++ b/mythtv/programs/mythbackend/filetransfer.h
@@ -12,12 +12,15 @@ using namespace std;
 #include <QMutex>
 #include <QWaitCondition>
 
+// MythTV headers
+#include "referencecounter.h"
+
 class ProgramInfo;
 class RingBuffer;
 class MythSocket;
 class QString;
 
-class FileTransfer
+class FileTransfer : public ReferenceCounter
 {
     friend class QObject; // quiet OSX gcc warning
 
@@ -33,9 +36,6 @@ class FileTransfer
 
     void Stop(void);
 
-    void UpRef(void);
-    bool DownRef(void);
-
     void Pause(void);
     void Unpause(void);
     int RequestBlock(int size);
diff --git a/mythtv/programs/mythbackend/mainserver.cpp b/mythtv/programs/mythbackend/mainserver.cpp
index a691069f3b0..6fe4639b0bd 100644
--- a/mythtv/programs/mythbackend/mainserver.cpp
+++ b/mythtv/programs/mythbackend/mainserver.cpp
@@ -1571,16 +1571,20 @@ void MainServer::HandleAnnounce(QStringList &slist, QStringList commands,
             ft = new FileTransfer(filename, socket, writemode);
         }
         else
+        {
             ft = new FileTransfer(filename, socket, usereadahead, timeout_ms);
+        }
+
+        ft->IncrRef();
 
         sockListLock.lockForWrite();
         fileTransferList.push_back(ft);
         sockListLock.unlock();
 
         retlist << QString::number(socket->socket());
-        ft->UpRef();
         retlist << QString::number(ft->GetFileSize());
-        ft->DownRef();
+
+        ft->DecrRef();
 
         if (checkfiles.size())
         {
@@ -5023,7 +5027,7 @@ void MainServer::HandleFileTransferQuery(QStringList &slist,
         return;
     }
 
-    ft->UpRef();
+    ft->IncrRef();
     sockListLock.unlock();
 
     if (command == "IS_OPEN")
@@ -5074,7 +5078,7 @@ void MainServer::HandleFileTransferQuery(QStringList &slist,
         retlist << "ok";
     }
 
-    ft->DownRef();
+    ft->DecrRef();
 
     SendResponse(pbssock, retlist);
 }
@@ -5775,7 +5779,7 @@ void MainServer::connectionClosed(MythSocket *socket)
         MythSocket *sock = (*ft)->getSocket();
         if (sock == socket)
         {
-            (*ft)->DownRef();
+            (*ft)->DecrRef();
             fileTransferList.erase(ft);
             sockListLock.unlock();
             return;