diff --git a/src/xenia/apu/audio_system.cc b/src/xenia/apu/audio_system.cc
index e47bcb75e..4e6f82604 100644
--- a/src/xenia/apu/audio_system.cc
+++ b/src/xenia/apu/audio_system.cc
@@ -104,15 +104,22 @@ X_STATUS AudioSystem::Setup() {
   // Threads
 
   worker_running_ = true;
-  worker_thread_ = new kernel::XHostThread(emulator()->kernel_state(),
-                                           128 * 1024, 0, [this]() {
-    this->WorkerThreadMain();
-    return 0;
-  });
+  worker_thread_ =
+      kernel::object_ref<kernel::XHostThread>(new kernel::XHostThread(
+          emulator()->kernel_state(), 128 * 1024, 0, [this]() {
+            this->WorkerThreadMain();
+            return 0;
+          }));
   worker_thread_->Create();
 
   decoder_running_ = true;
-  decoder_thread_ = std::thread(std::bind(&AudioSystem::DecoderThreadMain, this));
+  decoder_thread_ =
+      kernel::object_ref<kernel::XHostThread>(new kernel::XHostThread(
+          emulator()->kernel_state(), 128 * 1024, 0, [this]() {
+            DecoderThreadMain();
+            return 0;
+          }));
+  decoder_thread_->Create();
 
   return X_STATUS_SUCCESS;
 }
@@ -173,7 +180,6 @@ void AudioSystem::WorkerThreadMain() {
 
 void AudioSystem::DecoderThreadMain() {
   xe::threading::set_name("Audio Decoder");
-  xe::Profiler::ThreadEnter("Audio Decoder");
 
   while (decoder_running_) {
     // Wait for the fence
@@ -315,8 +321,6 @@ void AudioSystem::DecoderThreadMain() {
       context.lock.unlock();
     }
   }
-
-  xe::Profiler::ThreadExit();
 }
 
 void AudioSystem::Initialize() {}
@@ -325,10 +329,11 @@ void AudioSystem::Shutdown() {
   worker_running_ = false;
   SetEvent(client_wait_handles_[maximum_client_count_]);
   worker_thread_->Wait(0, 0, 0, nullptr);
-  worker_thread_->Release();
+  worker_thread_.reset();
 
   decoder_running_ = false;
   decoder_fence_.Signal();
+  worker_thread_.reset();
 
   memory()->SystemHeapFree(registers_.xma_context_array_ptr);
 }
diff --git a/src/xenia/apu/audio_system.h b/src/xenia/apu/audio_system.h
index 27c748093..f27abb043 100644
--- a/src/xenia/apu/audio_system.h
+++ b/src/xenia/apu/audio_system.h
@@ -160,10 +160,10 @@ class AudioSystem {
   cpu::Processor* processor_;
 
   std::atomic<bool> worker_running_;
-  kernel::XHostThread* worker_thread_;
+  kernel::object_ref<kernel::XHostThread> worker_thread_;
 
   std::atomic<bool> decoder_running_;
-  std::thread decoder_thread_;
+  kernel::object_ref<kernel::XHostThread> decoder_thread_;
   xe::threading::Fence decoder_fence_;
 
   std::mutex lock_;
diff --git a/src/xenia/gpu/gl4/command_processor.cc b/src/xenia/gpu/gl4/command_processor.cc
index 4ac0206b4..1a52682fa 100644
--- a/src/xenia/gpu/gl4/command_processor.cc
+++ b/src/xenia/gpu/gl4/command_processor.cc
@@ -101,11 +101,12 @@ bool CommandProcessor::Initialize(std::unique_ptr<GLContext> context) {
   context_ = std::move(context);
 
   worker_running_ = true;
-  worker_thread_ = new kernel::XHostThread(
-      graphics_system_->emulator()->kernel_state(), 128 * 1024, 0, [this]() {
+  worker_thread_ = kernel::object_ref<kernel::XHostThread>(
+      new kernel::XHostThread(graphics_system_->emulator()->kernel_state(),
+                              128 * 1024, 0, [this]() {
         WorkerThreadMain();
         return 0;
-      });
+      }));
   worker_thread_->Create();
 
   return true;
@@ -117,7 +118,7 @@ void CommandProcessor::Shutdown() {
   worker_running_ = false;
   SetEvent(write_ptr_index_event_);
   worker_thread_->Wait(0, 0, 0, nullptr);
-  worker_thread_->Release();
+  worker_thread_.reset();
 
   all_pipelines_.clear();
   all_shaders_.clear();
@@ -163,7 +164,7 @@ void CommandProcessor::EndTracing() {
 
 void CommandProcessor::CallInThread(std::function<void()> fn) {
   if (pending_fns_.empty() &&
-      worker_thread_ == kernel::XThread::GetCurrentThread()) {
+      worker_thread_.get() == kernel::XThread::GetCurrentThread()) {
     fn();
   } else {
     pending_fns_.push(std::move(fn));
diff --git a/src/xenia/gpu/gl4/command_processor.h b/src/xenia/gpu/gl4/command_processor.h
index db96a2e9a..fe045bf13 100644
--- a/src/xenia/gpu/gl4/command_processor.h
+++ b/src/xenia/gpu/gl4/command_processor.h
@@ -233,7 +233,7 @@ class CommandProcessor {
   std::wstring trace_frame_path_;
 
   std::atomic<bool> worker_running_;
-  kernel::XHostThread* worker_thread_;
+  kernel::object_ref<kernel::XHostThread> worker_thread_;
 
   std::unique_ptr<GLContext> context_;
   SwapHandler swap_handler_;
diff --git a/src/xenia/kernel/objects/xthread.cc b/src/xenia/kernel/objects/xthread.cc
index 7bdc71a13..8ff3e637a 100644
--- a/src/xenia/kernel/objects/xthread.cc
+++ b/src/xenia/kernel/objects/xthread.cc
@@ -45,7 +45,6 @@ XThread::XThread(KernelState* kernel_state, uint32_t stack_size,
       pcr_address_(0),
       thread_state_address_(0),
       thread_state_(0),
-      event_(NULL),
       irql_(0) {
   creation_params_.stack_size = stack_size;
   creation_params_.xapi_thread_startup = xapi_thread_startup;
@@ -63,7 +62,7 @@ XThread::XThread(KernelState* kernel_state, uint32_t stack_size,
 
   apc_list_ = new NativeList(kernel_state->memory());
 
-  event_ = new XEvent(kernel_state);
+  event_ = object_ref<XEvent>(new XEvent(kernel_state));
   event_->Initialize(true, false);
 
   // The kernel does not take a reference. We must unregister in the dtor.
@@ -76,7 +75,7 @@ XThread::~XThread() {
 
   delete apc_list_;
 
-  event_->Release();
+  event_.reset();
 
   PlatformDestroy();
 
@@ -294,13 +293,12 @@ X_STATUS XThread::Exit(int exit_code) {
 #if XE_PLATFORM_WIN32
 
 static uint32_t __stdcall XThreadStartCallbackWin32(void* param) {
-  XThread* thread = reinterpret_cast<XThread*>(param);
+  auto thread = object_ref<XThread>(reinterpret_cast<XThread*>(param));
   thread->set_name(thread->name());
   xe::Profiler::ThreadEnter(thread->name().c_str());
-  current_thread_tls = thread;
+  current_thread_tls = thread.get();
   thread->Execute();
   current_thread_tls = nullptr;
-  thread->Release();
   xe::Profiler::ThreadExit();
   return 0;
 }
@@ -339,12 +337,11 @@ X_STATUS XThread::PlatformExit(int exit_code) {
 #else
 
 static void* XThreadStartCallbackPthreads(void* param) {
-  XThread* thread = reinterpret_cast<XThread*>(param);
+  auto thread = object_ref<XThread>(reinterpret_cast<XThread*>(param));
   xe::Profiler::ThreadEnter(thread->name().c_str());
-  current_thread_tls = thread;
+  current_thread_tls = thread.get();
   thread->Execute();
   current_thread_tls = nullptr;
-  thread->Release();
   xe::Profiler::ThreadExit();
   return 0;
 }
diff --git a/src/xenia/kernel/objects/xthread.h b/src/xenia/kernel/objects/xthread.h
index 481ecb26f..bc7c2a701 100644
--- a/src/xenia/kernel/objects/xthread.h
+++ b/src/xenia/kernel/objects/xthread.h
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ class XThread : public XObject {
   std::mutex apc_lock_;
   NativeList* apc_list_;
 
-  XEvent* event_;
+  object_ref<XEvent> event_;
 };
 
 class XHostThread : public XThread {
diff --git a/src/xenia/kernel/xobject.h b/src/xenia/kernel/xobject.h
index 00fdafc5b..b94fc6b39 100644
--- a/src/xenia/kernel/xobject.h
+++ b/src/xenia/kernel/xobject.h
@@ -24,6 +24,9 @@ namespace kernel {
 
 class KernelState;
 
+template <typename T>
+class object_ref;
+
 // http://www.nirsoft.net/kernel_struct/vista/DISPATCHER_HEADER.html
 typedef struct {
   xe::be<uint32_t> type_flags;
@@ -99,6 +102,124 @@ class XObject {
   std::string name_;  // May be zero length.
 };
 
+template <typename T>
+class object_ref {
+ public:
+  object_ref() noexcept : value_(nullptr) {}
+  object_ref(nullptr_t) noexcept : value_(nullptr) {}
+  object_ref& operator=(nullptr_t) noexcept {
+    reset();
+    return (*this);
+  }
+
+  explicit object_ref(T* value) noexcept : value_(value) {
+    // Assumes retained on call.
+  }
+  explicit object_ref(const object_ref& right) noexcept {
+    reset(right.get());
+    if (value_) value_->Retain();
+  }
+  template <class V, class = typename std::enable_if<
+                         std::is_convertible<V*, T*>::value, void>::type>
+  object_ref(const object_ref<V>& right) noexcept {
+    reset(right.get());
+    if (value_) value_->Retain();
+  }
+
+  object_ref(object_ref&& right) noexcept : value_(right.release()) {}
+  object_ref& operator=(object_ref&& right) noexcept {
+    object_ref(std::move(right)).swap(*this);
+    return (*this);
+  }
+  template <typename V>
+  object_ref& operator=(object_ref<V>&& right) noexcept {
+    object_ref(std::move(right)).swap(*this);
+    return (*this);
+  }
+
+  object_ref& operator=(const object_ref& right) noexcept {
+    object_ref(right).swap(*this);
+    return (*this);
+  }
+  template <typename V>
+  object_ref& operator=(const object_ref<V>& right) noexcept {
+    object_ref(right).swap(*this);
+    return (*this);
+  }
+
+  void swap(object_ref& right) noexcept {
+    std::_Swap_adl(value_, right.value_);
+  }
+
+  ~object_ref() noexcept {
+    if (value_) {
+      value_->Release();
+      value_ = nullptr;
+    }
+  }
+
+  typename std::add_lvalue_reference<T>::type operator*() const {
+    return (*get());
+  }
+
+  T* operator->() const noexcept {
+    return std::pointer_traits<T*>::pointer_to(**this);
+  }
+
+  T* get() const noexcept { return value_; }
+
+  template <typename V>
+  V* get() const noexcept {
+    return reinterpret_cast<V*>(value_);
+  }
+
+  explicit operator bool() const noexcept { return value_ != nullptr; }
+
+  T* release() noexcept {
+    T* value = value_;
+    value_ = nullptr;
+    return value;
+  }
+
+  static void accept(T* value) {
+    reset(value);
+    value->Release();
+  }
+
+  void reset() noexcept { object_ref().swap(*this); }
+
+  void reset(T* value) noexcept { object_ref(value).swap(*this); }
+
+ private:
+  T* value_ = nullptr;
+};
+
+template <class _Ty>
+bool operator==(const object_ref<_Ty>& _Left, nullptr_t) noexcept {
+  return (_Left.get() == (_Ty*)0);
+}
+
+template <class _Ty>
+bool operator==(nullptr_t, const object_ref<_Ty>& _Right) noexcept {
+  return ((_Ty*)0 == _Right.get());
+}
+
+template <class _Ty>
+bool operator!=(const object_ref<_Ty>& _Left, nullptr_t _Right) noexcept {
+  return (!(_Left == _Right));
+}
+
+template <class _Ty>
+bool operator!=(nullptr_t _Left, const object_ref<_Ty>& _Right) noexcept {
+  return (!(_Left == _Right));
+}
+
+template <typename T>
+object_ref<T> retain_object(T* ptr) {
+  if (ptr) ptr->Retain();
+  return object_ref<T>(ptr);
+}
+
 }  // namespace kernel
 }  // namespace xe