diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwrender/animation.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwrender/animation.cpp
index 07562a7593..0882dce4ac 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwrender/animation.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwrender/animation.cpp
@@ -1734,7 +1734,7 @@ namespace MWRender
         mRootController = addRotateController("bip01");
     }
 
-    RotateController* Animation::addRotateController(const std::string &bone)
+    osg::ref_ptr<RotateController> Animation::addRotateController(const std::string &bone)
     {
         auto iter = getNodeMap().find(bone);
         if (iter == getNodeMap().end())
@@ -1757,7 +1757,7 @@ namespace MWRender
         if (!foundKeyframeCtrl)
             return nullptr;
 
-        RotateController* controller = new RotateController(mObjectRoot.get());
+        osg::ref_ptr<RotateController> controller(new RotateController(mObjectRoot.get()));
         node->addUpdateCallback(controller);
         mActiveControllers.emplace_back(node, controller);
         return controller;
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwrender/animation.hpp b/apps/openmw/mwrender/animation.hpp
index b3604dcaf1..1120813805 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwrender/animation.hpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwrender/animation.hpp
@@ -274,7 +274,7 @@ protected:
     float mLegsYawRadians;
     float mBodyPitchRadians;
 
-    RotateController* addRotateController(const std::string& bone);
+    osg::ref_ptr<RotateController> addRotateController(const std::string& bone);
 
     bool mHasMagicEffects;