diff --git a/include/qb/qbipcs.h b/include/qb/qbipcs.h
index b1dc6d9..f8df928 100644
--- a/include/qb/qbipcs.h
+++ b/include/qb/qbipcs.h
@@ -33,7 +33,9 @@ extern "C" {
 #endif
 /* *INDENT-ON* */
 
-typedef qb_handle_t qb_ipcs_connection_handle_t;
+struct qb_ipcs_connection;
+typedef struct qb_ipcs_connection qb_ipcs_connection_t;
+
 typedef qb_handle_t qb_ipcs_service_pt;
 
 typedef int32_t (*qb_ipcs_dispatch_fn_t) (qb_ipcs_service_pt s, int32_t fd, int32_t revents,
@@ -56,21 +58,21 @@ struct qb_ipcs_poll_handlers {
  * or process resource constraints.
  * @return 0 to accept or -errno to indicate a failure (sent back to the client)
  */
-typedef int32_t (*qb_ipcs_connection_accept_fn) (qb_ipcs_connection_handle_t c, uid_t uid, gid_t gid);
+typedef int32_t (*qb_ipcs_connection_accept_fn) (qb_ipcs_connection_t *c, uid_t uid, gid_t gid);
 
 /**
  * This is called after a new connection has been created.
  */
-typedef void (*qb_ipcs_connection_created_fn) (qb_ipcs_connection_handle_t c);
+typedef void (*qb_ipcs_connection_created_fn) (qb_ipcs_connection_t *c);
 /**
  * This is called after a connection has been destroyed.
  */
-typedef void (*qb_ipcs_connection_destroyed_fn) (qb_ipcs_connection_handle_t c);
+typedef void (*qb_ipcs_connection_destroyed_fn) (qb_ipcs_connection_t *c);
 /**
  * This is the message processing calback.
  * It is called with the message data.
  */
-typedef void (*qb_ipcs_msg_process_fn) (qb_ipcs_connection_handle_t c,
+typedef void (*qb_ipcs_msg_process_fn) (qb_ipcs_connection_t *c,
 		void *data, size_t size);
 
 struct qb_ipcs_service_handlers {
@@ -108,12 +110,24 @@ void qb_ipcs_destroy(qb_ipcs_service_pt s);
 /**
  * send a response to a incomming request.
  */
-ssize_t qb_ipcs_response_send(qb_ipcs_connection_handle_t c, void *data, size_t size);
+ssize_t qb_ipcs_response_send(qb_ipcs_connection_t *c, void *data, size_t size);
 
 /**
  * Send an asyncronous event message to the client.
  */
-ssize_t qb_ipcs_event_send(qb_ipcs_connection_handle_t c, void *data, size_t size);
+ssize_t qb_ipcs_event_send(qb_ipcs_connection_t *c, void *data, size_t size);
+
+
+/**
+ * Increment the connection's reference counter.
+ */
+void qb_ipcs_connection_ref_inc(qb_ipcs_connection_t *c);
+
+/**
+ * Decrement the connection's reference counter.
+ */
+void qb_ipcs_connection_ref_dec(qb_ipcs_connection_t *c);
+
 
 /* *INDENT-OFF* */
 #ifdef __cplusplus
diff --git a/lib/ipc_int.h b/lib/ipc_int.h
index 131232a..d03bcac 100644
--- a/lib/ipc_int.h
+++ b/lib/ipc_int.h
@@ -157,7 +157,7 @@ struct qb_ipcs_service {
 };
 
 struct qb_ipcs_connection {
-	qb_ipcs_connection_handle_t handle;
+	int32_t refcount;
 	pid_t pid;
 	uid_t euid;
 	gid_t egid;
diff --git a/lib/ipc_us.c b/lib/ipc_us.c
index 49781b7..184eaa0 100644
--- a/lib/ipc_us.c
+++ b/lib/ipc_us.c
@@ -265,7 +265,7 @@ cleanup_and_return:
 
 	if (res == 0) {
 		if (c->service->serv_fns.connection_accept) {
-		    res = c->service->serv_fns.connection_accept(c->handle,
+		    res = c->service->serv_fns.connection_accept(c,
 								 c->euid,
 								 c->egid);
 		} else {
@@ -578,7 +578,7 @@ send_response:
 
 	if (res == 0) {
 		if (s->serv_fns.connection_created) {
-			s->serv_fns.connection_created(c->handle);
+			s->serv_fns.connection_created(c);
 		}
 	} else if (res == -EACCES) {
 		qb_util_log(LOG_ERR, "Invalid IPC credentials.");
diff --git a/lib/ipcs.c b/lib/ipcs.c
index 65997a7..909318f 100644
--- a/lib/ipcs.c
+++ b/lib/ipcs.c
@@ -25,10 +25,8 @@
 #include <qb/qbipcs.h>
 
 static void qb_ipcs_destroy_internal(void *data);
-static void qb_ipcs_disconnect_internal(void *data);
 
 QB_HDB_DECLARE(qb_ipc_services, qb_ipcs_destroy_internal);
-QB_HDB_DECLARE(qb_ipc_connections, qb_ipcs_disconnect_internal);
 
 qb_ipcs_service_pt qb_ipcs_create(const char *name, enum qb_ipc_type type)
 {
@@ -132,53 +130,40 @@ static void qb_ipcs_destroy_internal(void *data)
 	s->funcs.destroy(s);
 }
 
-ssize_t qb_ipcs_response_send(qb_ipcs_connection_handle_t c, void *data,
+ssize_t qb_ipcs_response_send(struct qb_ipcs_connection *c, void *data,
 			      size_t size)
 {
 	ssize_t res;
-	struct qb_ipcs_connection *con;
 
-	res = qb_hdb_handle_get(&qb_ipc_connections, c, (void **)&con);
-	if (res < 0) {
-		return res;
-	}
-	res = con->service->funcs.response_send(con, data, size);
-	qb_hdb_handle_put(&qb_ipc_connections, c);
+	qb_ipcs_connection_ref_inc(c);
+	res = c->service->funcs.response_send(c, data, size);
+	qb_ipcs_connection_ref_dec(c);
 
 	return res;
 }
 
-ssize_t qb_ipcs_event_send(qb_ipcs_connection_handle_t c, void *data,
+ssize_t qb_ipcs_event_send(struct qb_ipcs_connection *c, void *data,
 			   size_t size)
 {
 	ssize_t res;
-	struct qb_ipcs_connection *con;
 
-	res = qb_hdb_handle_get(&qb_ipc_connections, c, (void **)&con);
-	if (res < 0) {
-		return res;
-	}
-	res = con->service->funcs.event_send(con, data, size);
+	qb_ipcs_connection_ref_inc(c);
+	res = c->service->funcs.event_send(c, data, size);
 
-	if (con->service->needs_sock_for_poll) {
-		qb_ipc_us_send(con->sock, data, 1);
+	if (c->service->needs_sock_for_poll) {
+		qb_ipc_us_send(c->sock, data, 1);
 	}
 
-	qb_hdb_handle_put(&qb_ipc_connections, c);
+	qb_ipcs_connection_ref_dec(c);
 
 	return res;
 }
 
 struct qb_ipcs_connection *qb_ipcs_connection_alloc(struct qb_ipcs_service *s)
 {
-	qb_ipcs_connection_handle_t h;
-	struct qb_ipcs_connection *c;
+	struct qb_ipcs_connection *c = malloc(sizeof(struct qb_ipcs_connection));
 
-	qb_hdb_handle_create(&qb_ipc_connections,
-			     sizeof(struct qb_ipcs_connection), &h);
-	qb_hdb_handle_get(&qb_ipc_connections, h, (void **)&c);
-
-	c->handle = h;
+	c->refcount = 1;
 	c->service = s;
 	c->pid = 0;
 	c->euid = -1;
@@ -190,29 +175,39 @@ struct qb_ipcs_connection *qb_ipcs_connection_alloc(struct qb_ipcs_service *s)
 	return c;
 }
 
-static void qb_ipcs_disconnect_internal(void *data)
+void qb_ipcs_connection_ref_inc(struct qb_ipcs_connection *c)
 {
-	struct qb_ipcs_connection *c = (struct qb_ipcs_connection *)data;
+	// lock
+	c->refcount++;
+	qb_util_log(LOG_DEBUG, "%s() %d", __func__, c->refcount);
+	// unlock
+}
 
-	qb_util_log(LOG_DEBUG, "%s()", __func__);
-	qb_list_del(&c->list);
-	if (c->service->serv_fns.connection_destroyed) {
-		c->service->serv_fns.connection_destroyed(c->handle);
-	}
-	c->service->funcs.disconnect(c);
-	qb_ipcc_us_disconnect(c->sock);
-	if (c->receive_buf) {
-		free(c->receive_buf);
+void qb_ipcs_connection_ref_dec(struct qb_ipcs_connection *c)
+{
+	// lock
+	c->refcount--;
+	qb_util_log(LOG_DEBUG, "%s() %d", __func__, c->refcount);
+	if (c->refcount == 0) {
+		qb_list_del(&c->list);
+		// unlock
+		if (c->service->serv_fns.connection_destroyed) {
+			c->service->serv_fns.connection_destroyed(c);
+		}
+		c->service->funcs.disconnect(c);
+		qb_ipcc_us_disconnect(c->sock);
+		if (c->receive_buf) {
+			free(c->receive_buf);
+		}
+	} else {
+		// unlock
 	}
 }
 
 void qb_ipcs_disconnect(struct qb_ipcs_connection *c)
 {
 	qb_util_log(LOG_DEBUG, "%s()", __func__);
-	if (qb_hdb_handle_destroy(&qb_ipc_connections, c->handle) != 0)
-		perror("qb_ipcs_disconnect:destroy");
-	if (qb_hdb_handle_put(&qb_ipc_connections, c->handle) != 0)
-		perror("qb_ipcs_disconnect:put");
+	qb_ipcs_connection_ref_dec(c);
 }
 
 static int32_t _process_request_(struct qb_ipcs_connection *c)
@@ -222,6 +217,7 @@ static int32_t _process_request_(struct qb_ipcs_connection *c)
 
 	hdr = (struct qb_ipc_request_header *)c->receive_buf;
 
+	qb_ipcs_connection_ref_inc(c);
 get_msg_with_live_connection:
 	res = c->service->funcs.request_recv(c, hdr, c->max_msg_size);
 	if (res == -EAGAIN) {
@@ -240,10 +236,11 @@ get_msg_with_live_connection:
 
 	case QB_IPC_MSG_NEW_MESSAGE:
 	default:
-		c->service->serv_fns.msg_process(c->handle, hdr, hdr->size);
+		c->service->serv_fns.msg_process(c, hdr, hdr->size);
 		break;
 	}
 cleanup:
+	qb_ipcs_connection_ref_dec(c);
 	return res;
 }
 
diff --git a/tests/bms.c b/tests/bms.c
index e770990..188532d 100644
--- a/tests/bms.c
+++ b/tests/bms.c
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ int32_t verbose = 0;
 static qb_handle_t bms_poll_handle;
 static qb_ipcs_service_pt s1;
 
-static int32_t s1_connection_accept_fn(qb_ipcs_connection_handle_t conn, uid_t uid, gid_t gid)
+static int32_t s1_connection_accept_fn(qb_ipcs_connection_t *c, uid_t uid, gid_t gid)
 {
 #if 0
 	if (uid == 0 && gid == 0) {
@@ -70,20 +70,20 @@ static int32_t s1_connection_accept_fn(qb_ipcs_connection_handle_t conn, uid_t u
 }
 
 
-static void s1_connection_created_fn(qb_ipcs_connection_handle_t conn)
+static void s1_connection_created_fn(qb_ipcs_connection_t *c)
 {
 	if (verbose) {
 		printf("%s:%d %s\n", __FILE__, __LINE__, __func__);
 	}
 }
-static void s1_connection_destroyed_fn(qb_ipcs_connection_handle_t conn)
+static void s1_connection_destroyed_fn(qb_ipcs_connection_t *c)
 {
 	if (verbose) {
 		printf("%s:%d %s\n", __FILE__, __LINE__, __func__);
 	}
 }
 
-static void s1_msg_process_fn(qb_ipcs_connection_handle_t conn,
+static void s1_msg_process_fn(qb_ipcs_connection_t *c,
 		void *data, size_t size)
 {
 	struct qb_ipc_request_header *req_pt = (struct qb_ipc_request_header *)data;
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@ static void s1_msg_process_fn(qb_ipcs_connection_handle_t conn,
 	response.id = 13;
 	response.error = 0;
 	if (blocking == 1) {
-		res = qb_ipcs_response_send(conn, &response,
+		res = qb_ipcs_response_send(c, &response,
 				sizeof(response));
 		if (res < 0) {
 			perror("qb_ipcs_response_send");