diff --git a/libs/input/SpriteController.cpp b/libs/input/SpriteController.cpp
index 130b204..d40f49e 100644
--- a/libs/input/SpriteController.cpp
+++ b/libs/input/SpriteController.cpp
@@ -31,12 +31,19 @@
                                    ParentSurfaceProvider parentSurfaceProvider)
       : mLooper(looper),
         mOverlayLayer(overlayLayer),
+        mHandler(sp<Handler>::make()),
         mParentSurfaceProvider(std::move(parentSurfaceProvider)) {
-    mHandler = new WeakMessageHandler(this);
     mLocked.transactionNestingCount = 0;
     mLocked.deferredSpriteUpdate = false;
 }
 
+void SpriteController::setHandlerController(const sp<android::SpriteController>& controller) {
+    // Initialize the weak message handler outside the constructor, because we cannot get a strong
+    // pointer to self in the constructor as the initial ref count is only incremented after
+    // construction.
+    mHandler->spriteController = controller;
+}
+
 SpriteController::~SpriteController() {
     mLooper->removeMessages(mHandler);
 
@@ -47,7 +54,7 @@
 }
 
 sp<Sprite> SpriteController::createSprite() {
-    return new SpriteImpl(this);
+    return sp<SpriteImpl>::make(sp<SpriteController>::fromExisting(this));
 }
 
 void SpriteController::openTransaction() {
@@ -65,7 +72,7 @@
     mLocked.transactionNestingCount -= 1;
     if (mLocked.transactionNestingCount == 0 && mLocked.deferredSpriteUpdate) {
         mLocked.deferredSpriteUpdate = false;
-        mLooper->sendMessage(mHandler, Message(MSG_UPDATE_SPRITES));
+        mLooper->sendMessage(mHandler, Message(Handler::MSG_UPDATE_SPRITES));
     }
 }
 
@@ -76,7 +83,7 @@
         if (mLocked.transactionNestingCount != 0) {
             mLocked.deferredSpriteUpdate = true;
         } else {
-            mLooper->sendMessage(mHandler, Message(MSG_UPDATE_SPRITES));
+            mLooper->sendMessage(mHandler, Message(Handler::MSG_UPDATE_SPRITES));
         }
     }
 }
@@ -85,18 +92,7 @@
     bool wasEmpty = mLocked.disposedSurfaces.empty();
     mLocked.disposedSurfaces.push_back(surfaceControl);
     if (wasEmpty) {
-        mLooper->sendMessage(mHandler, Message(MSG_DISPOSE_SURFACES));
-    }
-}
-
-void SpriteController::handleMessage(const Message& message) {
-    switch (message.what) {
-    case MSG_UPDATE_SPRITES:
-        doUpdateSprites();
-        break;
-    case MSG_DISPOSE_SURFACES:
-        doDisposeSurfaces();
-        break;
+        mLooper->sendMessage(mHandler, Message(Handler::MSG_DISPOSE_SURFACES));
     }
 }
 
@@ -327,7 +323,7 @@
 
 void SpriteController::ensureSurfaceComposerClient() {
     if (mSurfaceComposerClient == NULL) {
-        mSurfaceComposerClient = new SurfaceComposerClient();
+        mSurfaceComposerClient = sp<SurfaceComposerClient>::make();
     }
 }
 
@@ -353,11 +349,28 @@
     return surfaceControl;
 }
 
+// --- SpriteController::Handler ---
+
+void SpriteController::Handler::handleMessage(const android::Message& message) {
+    auto controller = spriteController.promote();
+    if (!controller) {
+        return;
+    }
+
+    switch (message.what) {
+        case MSG_UPDATE_SPRITES:
+            controller->doUpdateSprites();
+            break;
+        case MSG_DISPOSE_SURFACES:
+            controller->doDisposeSurfaces();
+            break;
+    }
+}
+
 // --- SpriteController::SpriteImpl ---
 
-SpriteController::SpriteImpl::SpriteImpl(const sp<SpriteController> controller) :
-        mController(controller) {
-}
+SpriteController::SpriteImpl::SpriteImpl(const sp<SpriteController>& controller)
+      : mController(controller) {}
 
 SpriteController::SpriteImpl::~SpriteImpl() {
     AutoMutex _m(mController->mLock);
@@ -461,7 +474,7 @@
     mLocked.state.dirty |= dirty;
 
     if (!wasDirty) {
-        mController->invalidateSpriteLocked(this);
+        mController->invalidateSpriteLocked(sp<SpriteImpl>::fromExisting(this));
     }
 }