diff --git a/include/opendht/node.h b/include/opendht/node.h
index 394b1156..e7845b4c 100644
--- a/include/opendht/node.h
+++ b/include/opendht/node.h
@@ -117,7 +117,7 @@ struct Node {
      */
     Tid openSocket(SocketCb&& cb);
 
-    Socket* getSocket(Tid id);
+    Sp<Socket> getSocket(Tid id);
 
     /**
      * Closes a socket so that no further data will be red on that socket.
@@ -167,7 +167,7 @@ private:
     using TransactionDist = std::uniform_int_distribution<decltype(transaction_id)>;
 
     std::map<Tid, Sp<net::Request>> requests_ {};
-    std::map<Tid, Socket> sockets_;
+    std::map<Tid, Sp<Socket>> sockets_;
 };
 
 }
diff --git a/src/node.cpp b/src/node.cpp
index 8bd17a24..1f9c45e3 100644
--- a/src/node.cpp
+++ b/src/node.cpp
@@ -134,18 +134,18 @@ Node::openSocket(SocketCb&& cb)
     if (++transaction_id == 0)
         transaction_id = 1;
 
-    auto sock = Socket(std::move(cb));
+    auto sock = std::make_shared<Socket>(std::move(cb));
     auto s = sockets_.emplace(transaction_id, std::move(sock));
     if (not s.second)
         s.first->second = std::move(sock);
     return transaction_id;
 }
 
-Socket*
+Sp<Socket>
 Node::getSocket(Tid id)
 {
     auto it = sockets_.find(id);
-    return it == sockets_.end() ? nullptr : &it->second;
+    return it == sockets_.end() ? nullptr : it->second;
 }
 
 void