2 files changed, 32 insertions, 2 deletions
diff --git a/lib/element.cpp b/lib/element.cpp
index 6736011..340bd85 100644
--- a/lib/element.cpp
+++ b/lib/element.cpp
@@ -31,6 +31,33 @@ Element::~Element(void)
     //NOP
 }
 
+//! Weak element overload for the case of shared_ptr container
+struct WeakElementSharedPtr : WeakElement
+{
+    WeakElementSharedPtr(boost::weak_ptr<Element> weak_self)
+    {
+        _weak_self = weak_self;
+    }
+    boost::shared_ptr<void> lock(void)
+    {
+        return _weak_self.lock();
+    }
+    boost::weak_ptr<Element> _weak_self;
+};
+
+Element &Element::shared_to_element(void)
+{
+    try
+    {
+        if (not this->weak_self)
+        {
+            this->weak_self.reset(new WeakElementSharedPtr(this->shared_from_this()));
+        }
+    }
+    catch(...){}
+    return *this;
+}
+
 ElementImpl::~ElementImpl(void)
 {
     if (this->executor) this->top_block_cleanup();
diff --git a/lib/hier_block.cpp b/lib/hier_block.cpp
index 4c0aef3..ab474c5 100644
--- a/lib/hier_block.cpp
+++ b/lib/hier_block.cpp
@@ -40,8 +40,11 @@ void HierBlock::disconnect(const Element &elem)
 
 static Apology::Wax get_ref(const Element &elem)
 {
-    boost::shared_ptr<Element> shared_self = elem.weak_self.lock();
-    if (shared_self) return shared_self;
+    if (elem.weak_self)
+    {
+        boost::shared_ptr<void> shared_self = elem.weak_self->lock();
+        if (shared_self) return shared_self;
+    }
     return elem;
 }