diff --git a/include/ur_api.h b/include/ur_api.h
index 3f1100b51a..1705515d76 100644
--- a/include/ur_api.h
+++ b/include/ur_api.h
@@ -8314,7 +8314,7 @@ urCommandBufferRetainExp(
 ///     - ::UR_RESULT_ERROR_OUT_OF_HOST_MEMORY
 UR_APIEXPORT ur_result_t UR_APICALL
 urCommandBufferReleaseExp(
-    ur_exp_command_buffer_handle_t hCommandBuffer ///< [in][release] Handle of the command-buffer object.
+    ur_exp_command_buffer_handle_t &hCommandBuffer ///< [in][release] Handle of the command-buffer object.
 );
 
 ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
diff --git a/include/ur_ddi.h b/include/ur_ddi.h
index b90895871d..083f8d6761 100644
--- a/include/ur_ddi.h
+++ b/include/ur_ddi.h
@@ -1904,7 +1904,7 @@ typedef ur_result_t(UR_APICALL *ur_pfnCommandBufferRetainExp_t)(
 ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 /// @brief Function-pointer for urCommandBufferReleaseExp
 typedef ur_result_t(UR_APICALL *ur_pfnCommandBufferReleaseExp_t)(
-    ur_exp_command_buffer_handle_t);
+    ur_exp_command_buffer_handle_t&);
 
 ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 /// @brief Function-pointer for urCommandBufferFinalizeExp
diff --git a/source/adapters/cuda/command_buffer.cpp b/source/adapters/cuda/command_buffer.cpp
index 8d21a93c75..b739d6419c 100644
--- a/source/adapters/cuda/command_buffer.cpp
+++ b/source/adapters/cuda/command_buffer.cpp
@@ -21,12 +21,13 @@
 
 namespace {
 ur_result_t
-commandBufferReleaseInternal(ur_exp_command_buffer_handle_t CommandBuffer) {
+commandBufferReleaseInternal(ur_exp_command_buffer_handle_t &CommandBuffer) {
   if (CommandBuffer->decrementInternalReferenceCount() != 0) {
     return UR_RESULT_SUCCESS;
   }
 
   delete CommandBuffer;
+  CommandBuffer = nullptr;
   return UR_RESULT_SUCCESS;
 }
 
@@ -320,7 +321,7 @@ urCommandBufferRetainExp(ur_exp_command_buffer_handle_t hCommandBuffer) {
 }
 
 UR_APIEXPORT ur_result_t UR_APICALL
-urCommandBufferReleaseExp(ur_exp_command_buffer_handle_t hCommandBuffer) {
+urCommandBufferReleaseExp(ur_exp_command_buffer_handle_t &hCommandBuffer) {
   if (hCommandBuffer->decrementExternalReferenceCount() == 0) {
     // External ref count has reached zero, internal release of created
     // commands.
diff --git a/source/adapters/hip/command_buffer.cpp b/source/adapters/hip/command_buffer.cpp
index d9438eeb9c..14659060df 100644
--- a/source/adapters/hip/command_buffer.cpp
+++ b/source/adapters/hip/command_buffer.cpp
@@ -23,12 +23,13 @@
 
 namespace {
 ur_result_t
-commandBufferReleaseInternal(ur_exp_command_buffer_handle_t CommandBuffer) {
+commandBufferReleaseInternal(ur_exp_command_buffer_handle_t &CommandBuffer) {
   if (CommandBuffer->decrementInternalReferenceCount() != 0) {
     return UR_RESULT_SUCCESS;
   }
 
   delete CommandBuffer;
+  CommandBuffer = nullptr;
   return UR_RESULT_SUCCESS;
 }
 
@@ -303,7 +304,7 @@ urCommandBufferRetainExp(ur_exp_command_buffer_handle_t hCommandBuffer) {
 }
 
 UR_APIEXPORT ur_result_t UR_APICALL
-urCommandBufferReleaseExp(ur_exp_command_buffer_handle_t hCommandBuffer) {
+urCommandBufferReleaseExp(ur_exp_command_buffer_handle_t &hCommandBuffer) {
   if (hCommandBuffer->decrementExternalReferenceCount() == 0) {
     // External ref count has reached zero, internal release of created
     // commands.
diff --git a/source/adapters/level_zero/command_buffer.cpp b/source/adapters/level_zero/command_buffer.cpp
index d9dba22970..73795c9ccd 100644
--- a/source/adapters/level_zero/command_buffer.cpp
+++ b/source/adapters/level_zero/command_buffer.cpp
@@ -699,11 +699,12 @@ urCommandBufferRetainExp(ur_exp_command_buffer_handle_t CommandBuffer) {
 }
 
 UR_APIEXPORT ur_result_t UR_APICALL
-urCommandBufferReleaseExp(ur_exp_command_buffer_handle_t CommandBuffer) {
+urCommandBufferReleaseExp(ur_exp_command_buffer_handle_t &CommandBuffer) {
   if (!CommandBuffer->RefCount.decrementAndTest())
     return UR_RESULT_SUCCESS;
 
   delete CommandBuffer;
+  CommandBuffer = nullptr;
   return UR_RESULT_SUCCESS;
 }
 
diff --git a/source/adapters/mock/ur_mockddi.cpp b/source/adapters/mock/ur_mockddi.cpp
index 775ea9ef37..bd919768b5 100644
--- a/source/adapters/mock/ur_mockddi.cpp
+++ b/source/adapters/mock/ur_mockddi.cpp
@@ -8198,7 +8198,7 @@ __urdlllocal ur_result_t UR_APICALL urCommandBufferRetainExp(
 /// @brief Intercept function for urCommandBufferReleaseExp
 __urdlllocal ur_result_t UR_APICALL urCommandBufferReleaseExp(
     ur_exp_command_buffer_handle_t
-        hCommandBuffer ///< [in][release] Handle of the command-buffer object.
+        &hCommandBuffer ///< [in][release] Handle of the command-buffer object.
     ) try {
     ur_result_t result = UR_RESULT_SUCCESS;
 
diff --git a/source/adapters/native_cpu/command_buffer.cpp b/source/adapters/native_cpu/command_buffer.cpp
index fde6c03b86..7db3ce15f0 100644
--- a/source/adapters/native_cpu/command_buffer.cpp
+++ b/source/adapters/native_cpu/command_buffer.cpp
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ urCommandBufferRetainExp(ur_exp_command_buffer_handle_t) {
 }
 
 UR_APIEXPORT ur_result_t UR_APICALL
-urCommandBufferReleaseExp(ur_exp_command_buffer_handle_t) {
+urCommandBufferReleaseExp(ur_exp_command_buffer_handle_t &) {
   detail::ur::die("Experimental Command-buffer feature is not "
                   "implemented for the NativeCPU adapter.");
   return UR_RESULT_ERROR_UNSUPPORTED_FEATURE;
diff --git a/source/adapters/opencl/command_buffer.cpp b/source/adapters/opencl/command_buffer.cpp
index 5698f36928..6a46eb7b84 100644
--- a/source/adapters/opencl/command_buffer.cpp
+++ b/source/adapters/opencl/command_buffer.cpp
@@ -13,12 +13,13 @@
 
 namespace {
 ur_result_t
-commandBufferReleaseInternal(ur_exp_command_buffer_handle_t CommandBuffer) {
+commandBufferReleaseInternal(ur_exp_command_buffer_handle_t &CommandBuffer) {
   if (CommandBuffer->decrementInternalReferenceCount() != 0) {
     return UR_RESULT_SUCCESS;
   }
 
   delete CommandBuffer;
+  CommandBuffer = nullptr;
   return UR_RESULT_SUCCESS;
 }
 
@@ -109,7 +110,7 @@ urCommandBufferRetainExp(ur_exp_command_buffer_handle_t hCommandBuffer) {
 }
 
 UR_APIEXPORT ur_result_t UR_APICALL
-urCommandBufferReleaseExp(ur_exp_command_buffer_handle_t hCommandBuffer) {
+urCommandBufferReleaseExp(ur_exp_command_buffer_handle_t &hCommandBuffer) {
   if (hCommandBuffer->decrementExternalReferenceCount() == 0) {
     // External ref count has reached zero, internal release of created
     // commands.
diff --git a/source/loader/layers/tracing/ur_trcddi.cpp b/source/loader/layers/tracing/ur_trcddi.cpp
index ff0491e1d1..c7c9fddb55 100644
--- a/source/loader/layers/tracing/ur_trcddi.cpp
+++ b/source/loader/layers/tracing/ur_trcddi.cpp
@@ -6367,7 +6367,7 @@ __urdlllocal ur_result_t UR_APICALL urCommandBufferRetainExp(
 /// @brief Intercept function for urCommandBufferReleaseExp
 __urdlllocal ur_result_t UR_APICALL urCommandBufferReleaseExp(
     ur_exp_command_buffer_handle_t
-        hCommandBuffer ///< [in][release] Handle of the command-buffer object.
+        &hCommandBuffer ///< [in][release] Handle of the command-buffer object.
 ) {
     auto pfnReleaseExp =
         getContext()->urDdiTable.CommandBufferExp.pfnReleaseExp;
diff --git a/source/loader/layers/validation/ur_valddi.cpp b/source/loader/layers/validation/ur_valddi.cpp
index 09c038edcc..f7c29a04fa 100644
--- a/source/loader/layers/validation/ur_valddi.cpp
+++ b/source/loader/layers/validation/ur_valddi.cpp
@@ -7892,7 +7892,7 @@ __urdlllocal ur_result_t UR_APICALL urCommandBufferRetainExp(
 /// @brief Intercept function for urCommandBufferReleaseExp
 __urdlllocal ur_result_t UR_APICALL urCommandBufferReleaseExp(
     ur_exp_command_buffer_handle_t
-        hCommandBuffer ///< [in][release] Handle of the command-buffer object.
+        &hCommandBuffer ///< [in][release] Handle of the command-buffer object.
 ) {
     auto pfnReleaseExp =
         getContext()->urDdiTable.CommandBufferExp.pfnReleaseExp;
diff --git a/source/loader/ur_ldrddi.cpp b/source/loader/ur_ldrddi.cpp
index 274072431f..a71cb63e48 100644
--- a/source/loader/ur_ldrddi.cpp
+++ b/source/loader/ur_ldrddi.cpp
@@ -6996,7 +6996,7 @@ __urdlllocal ur_result_t UR_APICALL urCommandBufferRetainExp(
 /// @brief Intercept function for urCommandBufferReleaseExp
 __urdlllocal ur_result_t UR_APICALL urCommandBufferReleaseExp(
     ur_exp_command_buffer_handle_t
-        hCommandBuffer ///< [in][release] Handle of the command-buffer object.
+        &hCommandBuffer ///< [in][release] Handle of the command-buffer object.
 ) {
     ur_result_t result = UR_RESULT_SUCCESS;
 
diff --git a/source/loader/ur_libapi.cpp b/source/loader/ur_libapi.cpp
index 50c52f252a..ec528aca90 100644
--- a/source/loader/ur_libapi.cpp
+++ b/source/loader/ur_libapi.cpp
@@ -7418,7 +7418,7 @@ ur_result_t UR_APICALL urCommandBufferRetainExp(
 ///     - ::UR_RESULT_ERROR_OUT_OF_HOST_MEMORY
 ur_result_t UR_APICALL urCommandBufferReleaseExp(
     ur_exp_command_buffer_handle_t
-        hCommandBuffer ///< [in][release] Handle of the command-buffer object.
+        &hCommandBuffer ///< [in][release] Handle of the command-buffer object.
     ) try {
     auto pfnReleaseExp =
         ur_lib::getContext()->urDdiTable.CommandBufferExp.pfnReleaseExp;
diff --git a/source/ur_api.cpp b/source/ur_api.cpp
index 2831123d96..05ad9eb988 100644
--- a/source/ur_api.cpp
+++ b/source/ur_api.cpp
@@ -6299,7 +6299,7 @@ ur_result_t UR_APICALL urCommandBufferRetainExp(
 ///     - ::UR_RESULT_ERROR_OUT_OF_HOST_MEMORY
 ur_result_t UR_APICALL urCommandBufferReleaseExp(
     ur_exp_command_buffer_handle_t
-        hCommandBuffer ///< [in][release] Handle of the command-buffer object.
+        &hCommandBuffer ///< [in][release] Handle of the command-buffer object.
 ) {
     ur_result_t result = UR_RESULT_SUCCESS;
     return result;