diff --git a/src/apps/icon-o-matic/gui/StyleView.cpp b/src/apps/icon-o-matic/gui/StyleView.cpp
index 9aa1bb2ce0..83a068312f 100644
--- a/src/apps/icon-o-matic/gui/StyleView.cpp
+++ b/src/apps/icon-o-matic/gui/StyleView.cpp
@@ -122,6 +122,10 @@ StyleView::~StyleView()
 	SetStyle(NULL);
 	SetCurrentColor(NULL);
 	fGradientControl->Gradient()->RemoveObserver(this);
+
+	if (fGradient.IsSet()) {
+		fGradient->RemoveObserver(this);
+	}
 }
 
 
@@ -193,7 +197,7 @@ StyleView::ObjectChanged(const Observable* object)
 	// NOTE: it is important to compare the gradients
 	// before assignment, or we will get into an endless loop
 	if (object == controlGradient) {
-		if (!fGradient)
+		if (!fGradient.IsSet())
 			return;
 		if (fIgnoreControlGradientNotifications)
 			return;
@@ -305,21 +309,19 @@ void
 StyleView::_SetGradient(Gradient* gradient, bool forceControlUpdate,
 	bool sendMessage)
 {
-	if (!forceControlUpdate && fGradient == gradient)
+	if (!forceControlUpdate && gradient == fGradient)
 		return;
 
-	Gradient* oldGradient = fGradient;
-	if (oldGradient != NULL)
-		oldGradient->RemoveObserver(this);
+	if (fGradient.IsSet())
+		fGradient->RemoveObserver(this);
 
-	fGradient = gradient;
+	fGradient.SetTo(gradient);
 
-	if (fGradient) {
-		fGradient->AcquireReference();
+	if (fGradient.IsSet()) {
 		fGradient->AddObserver(this);
 	}
 
-	if (fGradient) {
+	if (fGradient.IsSet()) {
 		fGradientControl->SetEnabled(true);
 		fGradientControl->SetGradient(fGradient);
 		fGradientType->SetEnabled(true);
@@ -332,9 +334,6 @@ StyleView::_SetGradient(Gradient* gradient, bool forceControlUpdate,
 		_MarkType(fGradientType->Menu(), -1);
 	}
 
-	if (oldGradient != NULL)
-		oldGradient->ReleaseReference();
-
 	if (sendMessage) {
 		BMessage message(MSG_STYLE_TYPE_CHANGED);
 		message.AddPointer("style", fStyle);
@@ -398,7 +397,7 @@ StyleView::_AdoptCurrentColor(rgb_color color)
 	if (!fStyle)
 		return;
 
-	if (fGradient) {
+	if (fGradient.IsSet()) {
 		// set the focused gradient color stop
 		if (fGradientControl->IsFocus()) {
 			fGradientControl->SetCurrentStop(color);
diff --git a/src/apps/icon-o-matic/gui/StyleView.h b/src/apps/icon-o-matic/gui/StyleView.h
index 4d1c903347..bf601778ac 100644
--- a/src/apps/icon-o-matic/gui/StyleView.h
+++ b/src/apps/icon-o-matic/gui/StyleView.h
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
 #include "IconBuild.h"
 #include "Observer.h"
 
+#include <Referenceable.h>
 #include <View.h>
 
 
@@ -37,48 +38,48 @@ enum {
 
 class StyleView : public BView, public Observer {
 public:
-								StyleView(BRect frame);
-	virtual						~StyleView();
+									StyleView(BRect frame);
+	virtual							~StyleView();
 
 	// BView interface
-	virtual	void				AttachedToWindow();
-	virtual	void				FrameResized(float width, float height);
-	virtual	void				MessageReceived(BMessage* message);
+	virtual	void					AttachedToWindow();
+	virtual	void					FrameResized(float width, float height);
+	virtual	void					MessageReceived(BMessage* message);
 
-	virtual	BSize				MinSize();
+	virtual	BSize					MinSize();
 
 	// Observer interface
-	virtual	void				ObjectChanged(const Observable* object);
+	virtual	void					ObjectChanged(const Observable* object);
 
 	// StyleView
-			void				SetStyle(Style* style);
-			void				SetCommandStack(CommandStack* stack);
-			void				SetCurrentColor(CurrentColor* color);
+			void					SetStyle(Style* style);
+			void					SetCommandStack(CommandStack* stack);
+			void					SetCurrentColor(CurrentColor* color);
 
 private:
-			void				_SetGradient(Gradient* gradient,
-									bool forceControlUpdate = false,
-									bool sendMessage = false);
-			void				_MarkType(BMenu* menu, int32 type) const;
-			void				_SetStyleType(int32 type);
-			void				_SetGradientType(int32 type);
-			void				_AdoptCurrentColor(rgb_color color);
-			void				_TransferGradientStopColor();
+			void					_SetGradient(Gradient* gradient,
+										bool forceControlUpdate = false,
+										bool sendMessage = false);
+			void					_MarkType(BMenu* menu, int32 type) const;
+			void					_SetStyleType(int32 type);
+			void					_SetGradientType(int32 type);
+			void					_AdoptCurrentColor(rgb_color color);
+			void					_TransferGradientStopColor();
 
 private:
-			CommandStack*		fCommandStack;
-			CurrentColor*		fCurrentColor;
+			CommandStack*			fCommandStack;
+			CurrentColor*			fCurrentColor;
 
-			Style*				fStyle;
-			Gradient*			fGradient;
-			bool				fIgnoreCurrentColorNotifications;
-			bool				fIgnoreControlGradientNotifications;
+			Style*					fStyle;
+			BReference<Gradient>	fGradient;
+			bool					fIgnoreCurrentColorNotifications;
+			bool					fIgnoreControlGradientNotifications;
 
-			GradientControl*	fGradientControl;
-			BMenuField*			fStyleType;
-			BMenuField*			fGradientType;
+			GradientControl*		fGradientControl;
+			BMenuField*				fStyleType;
+			BMenuField*				fGradientType;
 
-			BRect				fPreviousBounds;
+			BRect					fPreviousBounds;
 };
 
 
diff --git a/src/apps/icon-o-matic/transformable/TransformGradientBox.cpp b/src/apps/icon-o-matic/transformable/TransformGradientBox.cpp
index 2b1c9108ec..d7fdb18cc5 100644
--- a/src/apps/icon-o-matic/transformable/TransformGradientBox.cpp
+++ b/src/apps/icon-o-matic/transformable/TransformGradientBox.cpp
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ TransformGradientBox::TransformGradientBox(CanvasView* view, Gradient* gradient,
 		fShape->AcquireReference();
 		fShape->AddObserver(this);
 	}
-	if (fGradient) {
+	if (fGradient.IsSet()) {
 		// trigger init
 		ObjectChanged(fGradient);
 	} else {
@@ -52,8 +52,9 @@ TransformGradientBox::~TransformGradientBox()
 		fShape->RemoveObserver(this);
 		fShape->ReleaseReference();
 	}
-	if (fGradient)
+	if (fGradient.IsSet()) {
 		fGradient->RemoveObserver(this);
+	}
 }
 
 
@@ -69,7 +70,7 @@ TransformGradientBox::Update(bool deep)
 	dirty.InsetBy(-8, -8);
 	fView->Invalidate(dirty);
 
-	if (!deep || !fGradient)
+	if (!deep || !fGradient.IsSet())
 		return;
 
 	fGradient->RemoveObserver(this);
@@ -95,7 +96,7 @@ TransformGradientBox::Update(bool deep)
 void
 TransformGradientBox::ObjectChanged(const Observable* object)
 {
-	if (!fGradient || !fView->LockLooper())
+	if (!fGradient.IsSet() || !fView->LockLooper())
 		return;
 
 	if (object == fShape) {
diff --git a/src/apps/icon-o-matic/transformable/TransformGradientBox.h b/src/apps/icon-o-matic/transformable/TransformGradientBox.h
index 3b3e440b8d..8c8e973512 100644
--- a/src/apps/icon-o-matic/transformable/TransformGradientBox.h
+++ b/src/apps/icon-o-matic/transformable/TransformGradientBox.h
@@ -8,10 +8,11 @@
 #ifndef TRANSFORM_GRADIENT_BOX_H
 #define TRANSFORM_GRADIENT_BOX_H
 
-
 #include "IconBuild.h"
 #include "TransformBox.h"
 
+#include <Referenceable.h>
+
 
 class CanvasView;
 
@@ -25,38 +26,38 @@ _USING_ICON_NAMESPACE
 
 class TransformGradientBox : public TransformBox {
  public:
-								TransformGradientBox(CanvasView* view,
-													 Gradient* gradient,
-													 Shape* parent);
-	virtual						~TransformGradientBox();
+									TransformGradientBox(CanvasView* view,
+														 Gradient* gradient,
+														 Shape* parent);
+	virtual							~TransformGradientBox();
 
 	// Observer interface (Manipulator is an Observer)
-	virtual	void				ObjectChanged(const Observable* object);
+	virtual	void					ObjectChanged(const Observable* object);
 
 	// TransformBox interface
-	virtual	void				Update(bool deep = true);
+	virtual	void					Update(bool deep = true);
 
-	virtual	void				TransformFromCanvas(BPoint& point) const;
-	virtual	void				TransformToCanvas(BPoint& point) const;
-	virtual	float				ZoomLevel() const;
-	virtual	double				ViewSpaceRotation() const;
+	virtual	void					TransformFromCanvas(BPoint& point) const;
+	virtual	void					TransformToCanvas(BPoint& point) const;
+	virtual	float					ZoomLevel() const;
+	virtual	double					ViewSpaceRotation() const;
 
-	virtual	TransformCommand*	MakeCommand(const char* actionName,
-											uint32 nameIndex);
+	virtual	TransformCommand*		MakeCommand(const char* actionName,
+												uint32 nameIndex);
 
 	// TransformGradientBox
-			Command*			Perform();
-			Command*			Cancel();
+			Command*				Perform();
+			Command*				Cancel();
  private:
-			CanvasView*			fCanvasView;
+			CanvasView*				fCanvasView;
 
-			Shape*				fShape;
-			Gradient*			fGradient;
-			int32				fCount;
+			Shape*					fShape;
+			BReference<Gradient>	fGradient;
+			int32					fCount;
 
 			// saves the transformable object transformation states
 			// prior to this transformation
-			double				fOriginals[matrix_size];
+			double					fOriginals[matrix_size];
 };
 
 #endif // TRANSFORM_GRADIENT_BOX_H