diff --git a/services/camera/virtualcamera/VirtualCameraDevice.cc b/services/camera/virtualcamera/VirtualCameraDevice.cc
index ec72ee3..0657d81 100644
--- a/services/camera/virtualcamera/VirtualCameraDevice.cc
+++ b/services/camera/virtualcamera/VirtualCameraDevice.cc
@@ -322,7 +322,7 @@
   ALOGV("%s", __func__);
 
   *_aidl_return = ndk::SharedRefBase::make<VirtualCameraSession>(
-      *this, in_callback, mVirtualCameraClientCallback);
+      sharedFromThis(), in_callback, mVirtualCameraClientCallback);
 
   return ndk::ScopedAStatus::ok();
 };
@@ -367,6 +367,13 @@
   return std::string(kDevicePathPrefix) + std::to_string(mCameraId);
 }
 
+std::shared_ptr<VirtualCameraDevice> VirtualCameraDevice::sharedFromThis() {
+  // SharedRefBase which BnCameraDevice inherits from breaks
+  // std::enable_shared_from_this. This is recommended replacement for
+  // shared_from_this() per documentation in binder_interface_utils.h.
+  return ref<VirtualCameraDevice>();
+}
+
 }  // namespace virtualcamera
 }  // namespace companion
 }  // namespace android
diff --git a/services/camera/virtualcamera/VirtualCameraDevice.h b/services/camera/virtualcamera/VirtualCameraDevice.h
index ee7a3a7..402de6c 100644
--- a/services/camera/virtualcamera/VirtualCameraDevice.h
+++ b/services/camera/virtualcamera/VirtualCameraDevice.h
@@ -98,6 +98,8 @@
   uint32_t getCameraId() const { return mCameraId; }
 
  private:
+  std::shared_ptr<VirtualCameraDevice> sharedFromThis();
+
   const uint32_t mCameraId;
   const std::shared_ptr<
       ::aidl::android::companion::virtualcamera::IVirtualCameraCallback>
diff --git a/services/camera/virtualcamera/VirtualCameraSession.cc b/services/camera/virtualcamera/VirtualCameraSession.cc
index 9e15871..47780d8 100644
--- a/services/camera/virtualcamera/VirtualCameraSession.cc
+++ b/services/camera/virtualcamera/VirtualCameraSession.cc
@@ -153,7 +153,7 @@
 }  // namespace
 
 VirtualCameraSession::VirtualCameraSession(
-    VirtualCameraDevice& cameraDevice,
+    std::shared_ptr<VirtualCameraDevice> cameraDevice,
     std::shared_ptr<ICameraDeviceCallback> cameraDeviceCallback,
     std::shared_ptr<IVirtualCameraCallback> virtualCameraClientCallback)
     : mCameraDevice(cameraDevice),
@@ -201,6 +201,12 @@
     return cameraStatus(Status::ILLEGAL_ARGUMENT);
   }
 
+  std::shared_ptr<VirtualCameraDevice> virtualCamera = mCameraDevice.lock();
+  if (virtualCamera == nullptr) {
+    ALOGW("%s: configure called on already unregistered camera", __func__);
+    return cameraStatus(Status::CAMERA_DISCONNECTED);
+  }
+
   mSessionContext.removeStreamsNotInStreamConfiguration(
       in_requestedConfiguration);
 
@@ -213,7 +219,7 @@
   int inputWidth;
   int inputHeight;
 
-  if (!mCameraDevice.isStreamCombinationSupported(in_requestedConfiguration)) {
+  if (!virtualCamera->isStreamCombinationSupported(in_requestedConfiguration)) {
     ALOGE("%s: Requested stream configuration is not supported", __func__);
     return cameraStatus(Status::ILLEGAL_ARGUMENT);
   }
diff --git a/services/camera/virtualcamera/VirtualCameraSession.h b/services/camera/virtualcamera/VirtualCameraSession.h
index 50962e5..82a7a34 100644
--- a/services/camera/virtualcamera/VirtualCameraSession.h
+++ b/services/camera/virtualcamera/VirtualCameraSession.h
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@
 #ifndef ANDROID_COMPANION_VIRTUALCAMERA_VIRTUALCAMERASESSION_H
 #define ANDROID_COMPANION_VIRTUALCAMERA_VIRTUALCAMERASESSION_H
 
+#include <atomic>
 #include <memory>
 #include <set>
 
@@ -46,7 +47,7 @@
   // When virtualCameraClientCallback is null, the input surface will be filled
   // with test pattern.
   VirtualCameraSession(
-      VirtualCameraDevice& mCameraDevice,
+      std::shared_ptr<VirtualCameraDevice> mCameraDevice,
       std::shared_ptr<
           ::aidl::android::hardware::camera::device::ICameraDeviceCallback>
           cameraDeviceCallback,
@@ -116,7 +117,7 @@
       const ::aidl::android::hardware::camera::device::CaptureRequest& request)
       EXCLUDES(mLock);
 
-  VirtualCameraDevice& mCameraDevice;
+  std::weak_ptr<VirtualCameraDevice> mCameraDevice;
 
   mutable std::mutex mLock;
 
diff --git a/services/camera/virtualcamera/tests/VirtualCameraSessionTest.cc b/services/camera/virtualcamera/tests/VirtualCameraSessionTest.cc
index 9edfe77..30bd2b6 100644
--- a/services/camera/virtualcamera/tests/VirtualCameraSessionTest.cc
+++ b/services/camera/virtualcamera/tests/VirtualCameraSessionTest.cc
@@ -20,8 +20,8 @@
 #include "VirtualCameraDevice.h"
 #include "VirtualCameraSession.h"
 #include "aidl/android/companion/virtualcamera/BnVirtualCameraCallback.h"
-#include "aidl/android/companion/virtualcamera/IVirtualCameraCallback.h"
 #include "aidl/android/companion/virtualcamera/SupportedStreamConfiguration.h"
+#include "aidl/android/hardware/camera/common/Status.h"
 #include "aidl/android/hardware/camera/device/BnCameraDeviceCallback.h"
 #include "aidl/android/hardware/camera/device/StreamConfiguration.h"
 #include "aidl/android/hardware/graphics/common/PixelFormat.h"
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@
 using ::aidl::android::companion::virtualcamera::BnVirtualCameraCallback;
 using ::aidl::android::companion::virtualcamera::Format;
 using ::aidl::android::companion::virtualcamera::SupportedStreamConfiguration;
+using ::aidl::android::hardware::camera::common::Status;
 using ::aidl::android::hardware::camera::device::BnCameraDeviceCallback;
 using ::aidl::android::hardware::camera::device::BufferRequest;
 using ::aidl::android::hardware::camera::device::BufferRequestStatus;
@@ -110,7 +111,7 @@
                                          .pixelFormat = Format::YUV_420_888}},
         mMockVirtualCameraClientCallback);
     mVirtualCameraSession = ndk::SharedRefBase::make<VirtualCameraSession>(
-        *mVirtualCameraDevice, mMockCameraDeviceCallback,
+        mVirtualCameraDevice, mMockCameraDeviceCallback,
         mMockVirtualCameraClientCallback);
 
     // Explicitly defining default actions below to prevent gmock from
@@ -223,6 +224,22 @@
   EXPECT_THAT(aidlReturn, Eq(requests.size()));
 }
 
+TEST_F(VirtualCameraSessionTest, configureAfterCameraRelease) {
+  StreamConfiguration streamConfiguration;
+  streamConfiguration.streams = {
+      createStream(kStreamId, kWidth, kHeight, PixelFormat::YCBCR_420_888)};
+  std::vector<HalStream> halStreams;
+
+  // Release virtual camera.
+  mVirtualCameraDevice.reset();
+
+  // Expect configuration attempt returns CAMERA_DISCONNECTED service specific code.
+  EXPECT_THAT(
+      mVirtualCameraSession->configureStreams(streamConfiguration, &halStreams)
+          .getServiceSpecificError(),
+      Eq(static_cast<int32_t>(Status::CAMERA_DISCONNECTED)));
+}
+
 }  // namespace
 }  // namespace virtualcamera
 }  // namespace companion