diff --git a/include/media_stream.hh b/include/media_stream.hh
index 2fb96c9..d710b71 100644
--- a/include/media_stream.hh
+++ b/include/media_stream.hh
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ namespace uvgrtp {
              * TODO document all error codes!
              *
              * Other error return codes are defined in {conn,writer,reader,srtp}.hh */
-            rtp_error_t init(uvgrtp::zrtp *zrtp);
+            rtp_error_t init(std::shared_ptr<uvgrtp::zrtp> zrtp);
             /// \endcond
 
             /**
@@ -311,7 +311,7 @@ namespace uvgrtp {
             rtp_error_t free_resources(rtp_error_t ret);
 
             rtp_error_t init_srtp_with_zrtp(int flags, int type, uvgrtp::base_srtp* srtp,
-                                            uvgrtp::zrtp *zrtp);
+                                            std::shared_ptr<uvgrtp::zrtp> zrtp);
 
             uint32_t key_;
 
diff --git a/include/session.hh b/include/session.hh
index 7245942..9313943 100644
--- a/include/session.hh
+++ b/include/session.hh
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ namespace uvgrtp {
 
         private:
             /* Each RTP multimedia session shall have one ZRTP session from which all session are derived */
-            uvgrtp::zrtp *zrtp_;
+            std::shared_ptr<uvgrtp::zrtp> zrtp_;
 
             /* Each RTP multimedia session is always IP-specific */
             std::string addr_;
diff --git a/src/media_stream.cc b/src/media_stream.cc
index 713b019..71072cd 100644
--- a/src/media_stream.cc
+++ b/src/media_stream.cc
@@ -264,7 +264,7 @@ rtp_error_t uvgrtp::media_stream::init()
     return pkt_dispatcher_->start(socket_, ctx_config_.flags);
 }
 
-rtp_error_t uvgrtp::media_stream::init(uvgrtp::zrtp *zrtp)
+rtp_error_t uvgrtp::media_stream::init(std::shared_ptr<uvgrtp::zrtp> zrtp)
 {
     rtp_error_t ret;
 
@@ -618,7 +618,7 @@ uvgrtp::rtcp *uvgrtp::media_stream::get_rtcp()
 }
 
 rtp_error_t uvgrtp::media_stream::init_srtp_with_zrtp(int flags, int type, uvgrtp::base_srtp* srtp,
-    uvgrtp::zrtp *zrtp)
+    std::shared_ptr<uvgrtp::zrtp> zrtp)
 {
     size_t key_size = srtp->get_key_size(flags);
 
diff --git a/src/session.cc b/src/session.cc
index f2e4020..956fb17 100644
--- a/src/session.cc
+++ b/src/session.cc
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
 
 uvgrtp::session::session(std::string addr):
 #ifdef __RTP_CRYPTO__
-    zrtp_(nullptr),
+    zrtp_(new uvgrtp::zrtp()),
 #endif
     addr_(addr),
     laddr_("")
@@ -27,10 +27,6 @@ uvgrtp::session::~session()
         (void)destroy_stream(i.second);
     }
     streams_.clear();
-
-#ifdef __RTP_CRYPTO__
-    delete zrtp_;
-#endif
 }
 
 uvgrtp::media_stream *uvgrtp::session::create_stream(int r_port, int s_port, rtp_format_t fmt, int flags)
@@ -68,7 +64,7 @@ uvgrtp::media_stream *uvgrtp::session::create_stream(int r_port, int s_port, rtp
             }
 
             if (!zrtp_) {
-                zrtp_ = new uvgrtp::zrtp();
+                zrtp_ = std::shared_ptr<uvgrtp::zrtp> (new uvgrtp::zrtp());
             }
 
             if (stream->init(zrtp_) != RTP_OK) {