diff --git a/include/downloader.h b/include/downloader.h
index 726049ba0..d2cebe8e0 100644
--- a/include/downloader.h
+++ b/include/downloader.h
@@ -93,15 +93,15 @@ class Downloader
 
   void close();
 
-  Download* startDownload(const std::string& uri, const std::vector<std::pair<std::string, std::string>>& options = {});
-  Download* getDownload(const std::string& did);
+  std::shared_ptr<Download> startDownload(const std::string& uri, const std::vector<std::pair<std::string, std::string>>& options = {});
+  std::shared_ptr<Download> getDownload(const std::string& did);
 
   size_t getNbDownload();
   std::vector<std::string> getDownloadIds();
 
  private:
   std::mutex m_lock;
-  std::map<std::string, std::unique_ptr<Download>> m_knownDownloads;
+  std::map<std::string, std::shared_ptr<Download>> m_knownDownloads;
   std::shared_ptr<Aria2> mp_aria;
 };
 }
diff --git a/src/downloader.cpp b/src/downloader.cpp
index f6b13a21a..02c75f6fb 100644
--- a/src/downloader.cpp
+++ b/src/downloader.cpp
@@ -164,37 +164,37 @@ std::vector<std::string> Downloader::getDownloadIds() {
   return ret;
 }
 
-Download* Downloader::startDownload(const std::string& uri, const std::vector<std::pair<std::string, std::string>>& options)
+std::shared_ptr<Download> Downloader::startDownload(const std::string& uri, const std::vector<std::pair<std::string, std::string>>& options)
 {
   std::unique_lock<std::mutex> lock(m_lock);
   for (auto& p: m_knownDownloads) {
     auto& d = p.second;
     auto& uris = d->getUris();
     if (std::find(uris.begin(), uris.end(), uri) != uris.end())
-      return d.get();
+      return d;
   }
   std::vector<std::string> uris = {uri};
   auto gid = mp_aria->addUri(uris, options);
-  m_knownDownloads[gid] = std::unique_ptr<Download>(new Download(mp_aria, gid));
-  return m_knownDownloads[gid].get();
+  m_knownDownloads[gid] = std::make_shared<Download>(mp_aria, gid);
+  return m_knownDownloads[gid];
 }
 
-Download* Downloader::getDownload(const std::string& did)
+std::shared_ptr<Download> Downloader::getDownload(const std::string& did)
 {
   std::unique_lock<std::mutex> lock(m_lock);
   try {
-    return m_knownDownloads.at(did).get();
+    return m_knownDownloads.at(did);
   } catch(std::exception& e) {
     for (auto gid : mp_aria->tellActive()) {
       if (gid == did) {
-        m_knownDownloads[gid] = std::unique_ptr<Download>(new Download(mp_aria, gid));
-        return m_knownDownloads[gid].get();
+        m_knownDownloads[gid] = std::make_shared<Download>(mp_aria, gid);
+        return m_knownDownloads[gid];
       }
     }
     for (auto gid : mp_aria->tellWaiting()) {
       if (gid == did) {
-        m_knownDownloads[gid] = std::unique_ptr<Download>(new Download(mp_aria, gid));
-        return m_knownDownloads[gid].get();
+        m_knownDownloads[gid] = std::make_shared<Download>(mp_aria, gid);
+        return m_knownDownloads[gid];
       }
     }
     throw e;