diff --git a/include/engine.h b/include/engine.h
index 2951edb38..669570379 100644
--- a/include/engine.h
+++ b/include/engine.h
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 /*
  * engine.h - engine-system of LMMS
  *
- * Copyright (c) 2006-2008 Tobias Doerffel <tobydox/at/users.sourceforge.net>
- * 
+ * Copyright (c) 2006-2010 Tobias Doerffel <tobydox/at/users.sourceforge.net>
+ *
  * This file is part of Linux MultiMedia Studio - http://lmms.sourceforge.net
  *
  * This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or
@@ -160,6 +160,16 @@ public:
 
 
 private:
+	// small helper function which sets the pointer to NULL before actually deleting
+	// the object it refers to
+	template<class T>
+	static inline void deleteHelper( T * * ptr )
+	{
+		T * tmp = *ptr;
+		*ptr = NULL;
+		delete tmp;
+	}
+
 	static bool s_hasGUI;
 	static bool s_suppressMessages;
 	static float s_framesPerTick;
diff --git a/src/core/engine.cpp b/src/core/engine.cpp
index 98d3b5cd0..ebc352011 100644
--- a/src/core/engine.cpp
+++ b/src/core/engine.cpp
@@ -3,8 +3,8 @@
 /*
  * engine.cpp - implementation of LMMS' engine-system
  *
- * Copyright (c) 2006-2008 Tobias Doerffel <tobydox/at/users.sourceforge.net>
- * 
+ * Copyright (c) 2006-2010 Tobias Doerffel <tobydox/at/users.sourceforge.net>
+ *
  * This file is part of Linux MultiMedia Studio - http://lmms.sourceforge.net
  *
  * This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or
@@ -115,43 +115,32 @@ void engine::destroy()
 {
 	s_mixer->stopProcessing();
 
-	delete s_projectNotes;
-	s_projectNotes = NULL;
-	delete s_songEditor;
-	s_songEditor = NULL;
-	delete s_bbEditor;
-	s_bbEditor = NULL;
-	delete s_pianoRoll;
-	s_pianoRoll = NULL;
-	delete s_automationEditor;
-	s_automationEditor = NULL;
-
-	delete s_fxMixerView;
-	s_fxMixerView = NULL;
+	deleteHelper( &s_projectNotes );
+	deleteHelper( &s_songEditor );
+	deleteHelper( &s_bbEditor );
+	deleteHelper( &s_pianoRoll );
+	deleteHelper( &s_automationEditor );
+	deleteHelper( &s_fxMixerView );
 
 	presetPreviewPlayHandle::cleanup();
 	InstrumentTrackView::cleanupWindowPool();
 
 	s_song->clearProject();
-	delete s_bbTrackContainer;
-	s_bbTrackContainer = NULL;
-	delete s_dummyTC;
-	s_dummyTC = NULL;
 
-	delete s_mixer;
-	s_mixer = NULL;
-	delete s_fxMixer;
-	s_fxMixer = NULL;
+	deleteHelper( &s_bbTrackContainer );
+	deleteHelper( &s_dummyTC );
 
-	delete s_ladspaManager;
+	deleteHelper( &s_mixer );
+	deleteHelper( &s_fxMixer );
+
+	deleteHelper( &s_ladspaManager );
 
 	//delete configManager::inst();
-	delete s_projectJournal;
-	s_projectJournal = NULL;
+	deleteHelper( &s_projectJournal );
+
 	s_mainWindow = NULL;
 
-	delete s_song;
-	s_song = NULL;
+	deleteHelper( &s_song );
 
 	delete configManager::inst();
 }
diff --git a/src/core/track.cpp b/src/core/track.cpp
index 18962d22b..bc63a7b40 100644
--- a/src/core/track.cpp
+++ b/src/core/track.cpp
@@ -2,8 +2,8 @@
  * track.cpp - implementation of classes concerning tracks -> necessary for
  *             all track-like objects (beat/bassline, sample-track...)
  *
- * Copyright (c) 2004-2009 Tobias Doerffel <tobydox/at/users.sourceforge.net>
- * 
+ * Copyright (c) 2004-2010 Tobias Doerffel <tobydox/at/users.sourceforge.net>
+ *
  * This file is part of Linux MultiMedia Studio - http://lmms.sourceforge.net
  *
  * This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or
@@ -1796,8 +1796,11 @@ void track::removeTCO( trackContentObject * _tco )
 	if( it != m_trackContentObjects.end() )
 	{
 		m_trackContentObjects.erase( it );
-		engine::getSong()->updateLength();
-		engine::getSong()->setModified();
+		if( engine::getSong() )
+		{
+			engine::getSong()->updateLength();
+			engine::getSong()->setModified();
+		}
 	}
 }