diff --git a/modules/debugging/rendering/debugrenderer.cpp b/modules/debugging/rendering/debugrenderer.cpp
index 13d4c34b7e..f889d29a43 100644
--- a/modules/debugging/rendering/debugrenderer.cpp
+++ b/modules/debugging/rendering/debugrenderer.cpp
@@ -41,33 +41,37 @@ namespace {
 
 namespace openspace {
 
-    std::shared_ptr<DebugRenderer> DebugRenderer::_reference = nullptr;
-
+    DebugRenderer* DebugRenderer::_reference = nullptr;
 
     DebugRenderer::DebugRenderer()  {
-        _programObject = std::shared_ptr<ProgramObject>(OsEng.renderEngine().buildRenderProgram(
+        _programObject = OsEng.renderEngine().buildRenderProgram(
             "BasicDebugShader", 
             "${MODULE_DEBUGGING}/rendering/debugshader_vs.glsl",
             "${MODULE_DEBUGGING}/rendering/debugshader_fs.glsl"
-            ));
+            );
     }
 
-    DebugRenderer::DebugRenderer(std::shared_ptr<ProgramObject> programObject) 
-        : _programObject(programObject) 
+    DebugRenderer::DebugRenderer(std::unique_ptr<ProgramObject> programObject) 
+        : _programObject(std::move(programObject)) 
     { 
         // nothing to do
     }
 
-    std::shared_ptr<DebugRenderer> DebugRenderer::ref() {
+    DebugRenderer::~DebugRenderer()
+    {
+
+    }
+
+    const DebugRenderer& DebugRenderer::ref() {
         if (_reference == nullptr) {
             try {
-                _reference = std::make_shared<DebugRenderer>();
+                _reference = new DebugRenderer();
             }
             catch (const ShaderObject::ShaderCompileError& e) {
                 LERROR(e.what());
             }
         }
-        return _reference;
+        return *_reference;
     }
 
     void DebugRenderer::renderVertices(const Vertices& clippingSpacePoints, GLenum mode, RGBA rgba) const {
@@ -163,17 +167,17 @@ namespace openspace {
         lineVertices.push_back(V[1]); lineVertices.push_back(V[3]);
         lineVertices.push_back(V[4]); lineVertices.push_back(V[6]);
         lineVertices.push_back(V[5]); lineVertices.push_back(V[7]);
-        DebugRenderer::ref()->renderVertices(lineVertices, GL_LINES, rgba);
+        DebugRenderer::ref().renderVertices(lineVertices, GL_LINES, rgba);
     }
 
     void DebugRenderer::renderNiceBox(const Vertices& clippingSpaceBoxCorners, RGBA rgba) const {
         renderBoxFaces(clippingSpaceBoxCorners, rgba);
 
         glLineWidth(4.0f);
-        DebugRenderer::ref()->renderBoxEdges(clippingSpaceBoxCorners, rgba);
+        DebugRenderer::ref().renderBoxEdges(clippingSpaceBoxCorners, rgba);
 
         glPointSize(10.0f);
-        DebugRenderer::ref()->renderVertices(clippingSpaceBoxCorners, GL_POINTS, rgba);
+        DebugRenderer::ref().renderVertices(clippingSpaceBoxCorners, GL_POINTS, rgba);
     }
 
     void DebugRenderer::renderCameraFrustum(const RenderData& data, const Camera& otherCamera, RGBA rgba) const {
diff --git a/modules/debugging/rendering/debugrenderer.h b/modules/debugging/rendering/debugrenderer.h
index 8699e828fa..82889f708f 100644
--- a/modules/debugging/rendering/debugrenderer.h
+++ b/modules/debugging/rendering/debugrenderer.h
@@ -43,7 +43,6 @@
 namespace openspace {
     using namespace ghoul::opengl;
 
-
     /**
         A helper class for quick rendering of vertices IN clipping space. 
 
@@ -54,11 +53,9 @@ namespace openspace {
     */
     class DebugRenderer {
     public:
-
         typedef std::vector<glm::vec4> Vertices;
         typedef glm::vec4 RGBA;
 
-
         /**
          *  Consider using ref() before creating a new default instance!
          */
@@ -67,15 +64,13 @@ namespace openspace {
         /**
          *  Instantiate a new DebugRenderer with a custom shader program
          */
-        DebugRenderer(std::shared_ptr<ProgramObject> programObject);
+        DebugRenderer(std::unique_ptr<ProgramObject> programObject);
+        ~DebugRenderer();
 
         /**
          *  Access the static reference
          */
-        static std::shared_ptr<DebugRenderer> ref();
-
-
-
+        static const DebugRenderer& ref();
 
         /**
          *  Render the vector of clipping space points in the specified mode and color.
@@ -127,8 +122,6 @@ namespace openspace {
         */
         void renderNiceBox(const Vertices& clippingSpaceBoxCorners, RGBA rgba = { 1, 0, 0, 0.3 }) const;
 
-
-
         /**
          *  Input arguments:
          *  1. const RenderData& data:     defines position and camera that we will see the 
@@ -143,7 +136,6 @@ namespace openspace {
          */
         void renderAABB2(const AABB2& screenSpaceAABB, RGBA rgba = { 1, 1, 1, 0.3 }) const;
 
-        
         /**
         *  Takes a AABB3 in screen space and returns vertices representing the corner points 
         *  of the AABB. The ordering of the corner points is compatible with the box rendering 
@@ -151,17 +143,13 @@ namespace openspace {
         */
         const Vertices verticesFor(const AABB3& screenSpaceAABB) const;
         
-
     protected:
+        std::unique_ptr<ProgramObject> _programObject;
 
-        std::shared_ptr<ProgramObject> _programObject;
-        static std::shared_ptr<DebugRenderer> _reference;
+        // A raw pointer for the reason that it should not be deleted by the static
+        // destructor and the normal destructor. This class has ownership
+        static DebugRenderer* _reference;
     };
-
-
 } // namespace openspace
-
-
-
 #endif // __DEBUG_RENDERER_H__
 
diff --git a/modules/globebrowsing/chunk/chunkedlodglobe.cpp b/modules/globebrowsing/chunk/chunkedlodglobe.cpp
index f94d5507f6..b4aa5b5843 100644
--- a/modules/globebrowsing/chunk/chunkedlodglobe.cpp
+++ b/modules/globebrowsing/chunk/chunkedlodglobe.cpp
@@ -202,7 +202,7 @@ namespace openspace {
 
 
         if (_savedCamera != nullptr) {
-            DebugRenderer::ref()->renderCameraFrustum(data, *_savedCamera);
+            DebugRenderer::ref().renderCameraFrustum(data, *_savedCamera);
         }
         
 
@@ -234,12 +234,12 @@ namespace openspace {
             vec4 color = vec4(colorBits & 1, colorBits & 2, colorBits & 4, 0.3);
 
             if (debugOptions.showChunkBounds) {
-                DebugRenderer::ref()->renderNiceBox(clippingSpaceCorners, color);
+                DebugRenderer::ref().renderNiceBox(clippingSpaceCorners, color);
             }
 
             if (debugOptions.showChunkAABB) {
-                auto& screenSpacePoints = DebugRenderer::ref()->verticesFor(screenSpaceBounds);
-                DebugRenderer::ref()->renderNiceBox(screenSpacePoints, color);
+                auto& screenSpacePoints = DebugRenderer::ref().verticesFor(screenSpaceBounds);
+                DebugRenderer::ref().renderNiceBox(screenSpacePoints, color);
             }
         }
     }
diff --git a/modules/globebrowsing/chunk/chunkedlodglobe.h b/modules/globebrowsing/chunk/chunkedlodglobe.h
index 56e8d2e39c..a5f89c9112 100644
--- a/modules/globebrowsing/chunk/chunkedlodglobe.h
+++ b/modules/globebrowsing/chunk/chunkedlodglobe.h
@@ -37,7 +37,6 @@
 #include <openspace/properties/stringproperty.h>
 #include <openspace/util/updatestructures.h>
 
-
 #include <modules/globebrowsing/geometry/ellipsoid.h>
 
 #include <modules/globebrowsing/chunk/chunknode.h>
@@ -149,7 +148,6 @@ namespace openspace {
         std::shared_ptr<Camera> _savedCamera;
         
         std::shared_ptr<TileProviderManager> _tileProviderManager;
-
     };
 
 }  // namespace openspace