diff --git a/stream/servers/memory_stream.h b/stream/servers/memory_stream.h
index 5bceb6bbd..f6e878dd1 100644
--- a/stream/servers/memory_stream.h
+++ b/stream/servers/memory_stream.h
@@ -3,10 +3,16 @@
 
 #include <assert.h>
 #include "../stream.h"
+#include <boost/smart_ptr.h>
 
 namespace Mangle {
 namespace Stream {
 
+// Do this before the class declaration, since the class itself
+// depends on it
+class MemoryStream;
+typedef boost::shared_ptr<MemoryStream> MemoryStreamPtr;
+
 /** A Stream wrapping a memory buffer
 
     This will create a fully seekable stream out any pointer/length
@@ -67,9 +73,9 @@ class MemoryStream : public Stream
       No memory is copied during this operation, the new stream is
       just another 'view' into the same shared memory buffer.
   */
-  MemoryStream *clone(bool setPos=false) const
+  MemoryStreamPtr clone(bool setPos=false) const
   {
-    MemoryStream *res = new MemoryStream(data, length);
+    MemoryStreamPtr res = new MemoryStream(data, length);
     if(setPos) res->seek(pos);
     return res;
   }