diff --git a/src/managers/ProtocolManager.cpp b/src/managers/ProtocolManager.cpp
index 74cebd0c..80b4554a 100644
--- a/src/managers/ProtocolManager.cpp
+++ b/src/managers/ProtocolManager.cpp
@@ -58,8 +58,7 @@ void CProtocolManager::onMonitorModeChange(CMonitor* pMonitor) {
     else if (!ISMIRROR && (!PROTO::outputs.contains(pMonitor->szName) || PROTO::outputs.at(pMonitor->szName)->isDefunct())) {
         if (PROTO::outputs.contains(pMonitor->szName))
             PROTO::outputs.erase(pMonitor->szName);
-        PROTO::outputs.emplace(pMonitor->szName,
-                               std::make_unique<CWLOutputProtocol>(&wl_output_interface, 4, std::format("WLOutput ({})", pMonitor->szName), pMonitor->self.lock()));
+        PROTO::outputs.emplace(pMonitor->szName, makeShared<CWLOutputProtocol>(&wl_output_interface, 4, std::format("WLOutput ({})", pMonitor->szName), pMonitor->self.lock()));
     }
 }
 
@@ -76,7 +75,10 @@ CProtocolManager::CProtocolManager() {
 
         if (PROTO::outputs.contains(M->szName))
             PROTO::outputs.erase(M->szName);
-        PROTO::outputs.emplace(M->szName, std::make_unique<CWLOutputProtocol>(&wl_output_interface, 4, std::format("WLOutput ({})", M->szName), M->self.lock()));
+
+        auto ref = makeShared<CWLOutputProtocol>(&wl_output_interface, 4, std::format("WLOutput ({})", M->szName), M->self.lock());
+        PROTO::outputs.emplace(M->szName, ref);
+        ref->self = ref;
 
         m_mModeChangeListeners[M->szName] = M->events.modeChanged.registerListener([M, this](std::any d) { onMonitorModeChange(M); });
     });
diff --git a/src/protocols/core/Output.cpp b/src/protocols/core/Output.cpp
index 10daa15e..abf8d55f 100644
--- a/src/protocols/core/Output.cpp
+++ b/src/protocols/core/Output.cpp
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ SP<CWlOutput> CWLOutputResource::getResource() {
 }
 
 void CWLOutputResource::updateState() {
-    if (!monitor)
+    if (!monitor || (owner && owner->defunct))
         return;
 
     if (resource->version() >= 2)
@@ -83,7 +83,8 @@ void CWLOutputProtocol::bindManager(wl_client* client, void* data, uint32_t ver,
         return;
     }
 
-    RESOURCE->self = RESOURCE;
+    RESOURCE->self  = RESOURCE;
+    RESOURCE->owner = self;
 }
 
 void CWLOutputProtocol::destroyResource(CWLOutputResource* resource) {
diff --git a/src/protocols/core/Output.hpp b/src/protocols/core/Output.hpp
index 46981635..64edd7dc 100644
--- a/src/protocols/core/Output.hpp
+++ b/src/protocols/core/Output.hpp
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
 #include "../../helpers/signal/Signal.hpp"
 
 class CMonitor;
+class CWLOutputProtocol;
 
 class CWLOutputResource {
   public:
@@ -20,7 +21,7 @@ class CWLOutputResource {
     void                         updateState();
 
     WP<CMonitor>                 monitor;
-
+    WP<CWLOutputProtocol>        owner;
     WP<CWLOutputResource>        self;
 
   private:
@@ -37,6 +38,7 @@ class CWLOutputProtocol : public IWaylandProtocol {
     SP<CWLOutputResource> outputResourceFrom(wl_client* client);
 
     WP<CMonitor>          monitor;
+    WP<CWLOutputProtocol> self;
 
     // will mark the protocol for removal, will be removed when no. of bound outputs is 0 (or when overwritten by a new global)
     void remove();
@@ -58,5 +60,5 @@ class CWLOutputProtocol : public IWaylandProtocol {
 };
 
 namespace PROTO {
-    inline std::unordered_map<std::string, UP<CWLOutputProtocol>> outputs;
+    inline std::unordered_map<std::string, SP<CWLOutputProtocol>> outputs;
 };