diff --git a/cas/1.0/default/CasImpl.cpp b/cas/1.0/default/CasImpl.cpp
index 9d1f4a3..178020e 100644
--- a/cas/1.0/default/CasImpl.cpp
+++ b/cas/1.0/default/CasImpl.cpp
@@ -31,19 +31,8 @@
 namespace V1_0 {
 namespace implementation {
 
-struct CasImpl::PluginHolder : public RefBase {
-public:
-    explicit PluginHolder(CasPlugin *plugin) : mPlugin(plugin) {}
-    ~PluginHolder() { if (mPlugin != NULL) delete mPlugin; }
-    CasPlugin* get() { return mPlugin; }
-
-private:
-    CasPlugin *mPlugin;
-    DISALLOW_EVIL_CONSTRUCTORS(PluginHolder);
-};
-
 CasImpl::CasImpl(const sp<ICasListener> &listener)
-    : mPluginHolder(NULL), mListener(listener) {
+    : mListener(listener) {
     ALOGV("CTOR");
 }
 
@@ -69,7 +58,8 @@
 
 void CasImpl::init(const sp<SharedLibrary>& library, CasPlugin *plugin) {
     mLibrary = library;
-    mPluginHolder = new PluginHolder(plugin);
+    std::shared_ptr<CasPlugin> holder(plugin);
+    std::atomic_store(&mPluginHolder, holder);
 }
 
 void CasImpl::onEvent(
@@ -88,21 +78,22 @@
 
 Return<Status> CasImpl::setPrivateData(const HidlCasData& pvtData) {
     ALOGV("%s", __FUNCTION__);
-    sp<PluginHolder> holder = mPluginHolder;
-    if (holder == NULL) {
+    std::shared_ptr<CasPlugin> holder = std::atomic_load(&mPluginHolder);
+    if (holder.get() == nullptr) {
         return toStatus(INVALID_OPERATION);
     }
-    return toStatus(holder->get()->setPrivateData(pvtData));
+    return toStatus(holder->setPrivateData(pvtData));
 }
 
 Return<void> CasImpl::openSession(openSession_cb _hidl_cb) {
     ALOGV("%s", __FUNCTION__);
     CasSessionId sessionId;
 
-    sp<PluginHolder> holder = mPluginHolder;
+    std::shared_ptr<CasPlugin> holder = std::atomic_load(&mPluginHolder);
     status_t err = INVALID_OPERATION;
-    if (holder != NULL) {
-        err = holder->get()->openSession(&sessionId);
+    if (holder.get() != nullptr) {
+        err = holder->openSession(&sessionId);
+        holder.reset();
     }
 
     _hidl_cb(toStatus(err), sessionId);
@@ -114,87 +105,87 @@
         const HidlCasSessionId &sessionId, const HidlCasData& pvtData) {
     ALOGV("%s: sessionId=%s", __FUNCTION__,
             sessionIdToString(sessionId).string());
-    sp<PluginHolder> holder = mPluginHolder;
-    if (holder == NULL) {
+    std::shared_ptr<CasPlugin> holder = std::atomic_load(&mPluginHolder);
+    if (holder.get() == nullptr) {
         return toStatus(INVALID_OPERATION);
     }
-    return toStatus(
-            holder->get()->setSessionPrivateData(
-                    sessionId, pvtData));
+    return toStatus(holder->setSessionPrivateData(sessionId, pvtData));
 }
 
 Return<Status> CasImpl::closeSession(const HidlCasSessionId &sessionId) {
     ALOGV("%s: sessionId=%s", __FUNCTION__,
             sessionIdToString(sessionId).string());
-    sp<PluginHolder> holder = mPluginHolder;
-    if (holder == NULL) {
+    std::shared_ptr<CasPlugin> holder = std::atomic_load(&mPluginHolder);
+    if (holder.get() == nullptr) {
         return toStatus(INVALID_OPERATION);
     }
-    return toStatus(holder->get()->closeSession(sessionId));
+    return toStatus(holder->closeSession(sessionId));
 }
 
 Return<Status> CasImpl::processEcm(
         const HidlCasSessionId &sessionId, const HidlCasData& ecm) {
     ALOGV("%s: sessionId=%s", __FUNCTION__,
             sessionIdToString(sessionId).string());
-    sp<PluginHolder> holder = mPluginHolder;
-    if (holder == NULL) {
+    std::shared_ptr<CasPlugin> holder = std::atomic_load(&mPluginHolder);
+    if (holder.get() == nullptr) {
         return toStatus(INVALID_OPERATION);
     }
 
-    return toStatus(holder->get()->processEcm(sessionId, ecm));
+    return toStatus(holder->processEcm(sessionId, ecm));
 }
 
 Return<Status> CasImpl::processEmm(const HidlCasData& emm) {
     ALOGV("%s", __FUNCTION__);
-    sp<PluginHolder> holder = mPluginHolder;
-    if (holder == NULL) {
+    std::shared_ptr<CasPlugin> holder = std::atomic_load(&mPluginHolder);
+    if (holder.get() == nullptr) {
         return toStatus(INVALID_OPERATION);
     }
 
-    return toStatus(holder->get()->processEmm(emm));
+    return toStatus(holder->processEmm(emm));
 }
 
 Return<Status> CasImpl::sendEvent(
         int32_t event, int32_t arg,
         const HidlCasData& eventData) {
     ALOGV("%s", __FUNCTION__);
-    sp<PluginHolder> holder = mPluginHolder;
-    if (holder == NULL) {
+    std::shared_ptr<CasPlugin> holder = std::atomic_load(&mPluginHolder);
+    if (holder.get() == nullptr) {
         return toStatus(INVALID_OPERATION);
     }
 
-    status_t err = holder->get()->sendEvent(event, arg, eventData);
+    status_t err = holder->sendEvent(event, arg, eventData);
     return toStatus(err);
 }
 
 Return<Status> CasImpl::provision(const hidl_string& provisionString) {
     ALOGV("%s: provisionString=%s", __FUNCTION__, provisionString.c_str());
-    sp<PluginHolder> holder = mPluginHolder;
-    if (holder == NULL) {
+    std::shared_ptr<CasPlugin> holder = std::atomic_load(&mPluginHolder);
+    if (holder.get() == nullptr) {
         return toStatus(INVALID_OPERATION);
     }
 
-    return toStatus(holder->get()->provision(String8(provisionString.c_str())));
+    return toStatus(holder->provision(String8(provisionString.c_str())));
 }
 
 Return<Status> CasImpl::refreshEntitlements(
         int32_t refreshType,
         const HidlCasData& refreshData) {
     ALOGV("%s", __FUNCTION__);
-    sp<PluginHolder> holder = mPluginHolder;
-    if (holder == NULL) {
+    std::shared_ptr<CasPlugin> holder = std::atomic_load(&mPluginHolder);
+    if (holder.get() == nullptr) {
         return toStatus(INVALID_OPERATION);
     }
 
-    status_t err = holder->get()->refreshEntitlements(refreshType, refreshData);
+    status_t err = holder->refreshEntitlements(refreshType, refreshData);
     return toStatus(err);
 }
 
 Return<Status> CasImpl::release() {
-    ALOGV("%s: plugin=%p", __FUNCTION__,
-            mPluginHolder != NULL ? mPluginHolder->get() : NULL);
-    mPluginHolder.clear();
+    ALOGV("%s: plugin=%p", __FUNCTION__, mPluginHolder.get());
+
+    std::shared_ptr<CasPlugin> holder(nullptr);
+    std::atomic_store(&mPluginHolder, holder);
+
     return Status::OK;
 }
 
diff --git a/cas/1.0/default/CasImpl.h b/cas/1.0/default/CasImpl.h
index 841d64e..d792838 100644
--- a/cas/1.0/default/CasImpl.h
+++ b/cas/1.0/default/CasImpl.h
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@
 private:
     struct PluginHolder;
     sp<SharedLibrary> mLibrary;
-    sp<PluginHolder> mPluginHolder;
+    std::shared_ptr<CasPlugin> mPluginHolder;
     sp<ICasListener> mListener;
 
     DISALLOW_EVIL_CONSTRUCTORS(CasImpl);
diff --git a/cas/1.0/default/DescramblerImpl.cpp b/cas/1.0/default/DescramblerImpl.cpp
index 36699ba..1f89933 100644
--- a/cas/1.0/default/DescramblerImpl.cpp
+++ b/cas/1.0/default/DescramblerImpl.cpp
@@ -50,12 +50,12 @@
 
 DescramblerImpl::DescramblerImpl(
         const sp<SharedLibrary>& library, DescramblerPlugin *plugin) :
-        mLibrary(library), mPlugin(plugin) {
-    ALOGV("CTOR: mPlugin=%p", mPlugin);
+        mLibrary(library), mPluginHolder(plugin) {
+    ALOGV("CTOR: plugin=%p", mPluginHolder.get());
 }
 
 DescramblerImpl::~DescramblerImpl() {
-    ALOGV("DTOR: mPlugin=%p", mPlugin);
+    ALOGV("DTOR: plugin=%p", mPluginHolder.get());
     release();
 }
 
@@ -63,12 +63,22 @@
     ALOGV("%s: sessionId=%s", __FUNCTION__,
             sessionIdToString(sessionId).string());
 
-    return toStatus(mPlugin->setMediaCasSession(sessionId));
+    std::shared_ptr<DescramblerPlugin> holder = std::atomic_load(&mPluginHolder);
+    if (holder.get() == nullptr) {
+        return toStatus(INVALID_OPERATION);
+    }
+
+    return toStatus(holder->setMediaCasSession(sessionId));
 }
 
 Return<bool> DescramblerImpl::requiresSecureDecoderComponent(
         const hidl_string& mime) {
-    return mPlugin->requiresSecureDecoderComponent(String8(mime.c_str()));
+    std::shared_ptr<DescramblerPlugin> holder = std::atomic_load(&mPluginHolder);
+    if (holder.get() == nullptr) {
+        return false;
+    }
+
+    return holder->requiresSecureDecoderComponent(String8(mime.c_str()));
 }
 
 static inline bool validateRangeForSize(
@@ -86,12 +96,23 @@
         descramble_cb _hidl_cb) {
     ALOGV("%s", __FUNCTION__);
 
+    // Get a local copy of the shared_ptr for the plugin. Note that before
+    // calling the HIDL callback, this shared_ptr must be manually reset,
+    // since the client side could proceed as soon as the callback is called
+    // without waiting for this method to go out of scope.
+    std::shared_ptr<DescramblerPlugin> holder = std::atomic_load(&mPluginHolder);
+    if (holder.get() == nullptr) {
+        _hidl_cb(toStatus(INVALID_OPERATION), 0, NULL);
+        return Void();
+    }
+
     sp<IMemory> srcMem = mapMemory(srcBuffer.heapBase);
 
     // Validate if the offset and size in the SharedBuffer is consistent with the
     // mapped ashmem, since the offset and size is controlled by client.
     if (srcMem == NULL) {
         ALOGE("Failed to map src buffer.");
+        holder.reset();
         _hidl_cb(toStatus(BAD_VALUE), 0, NULL);
         return Void();
     }
@@ -100,6 +121,7 @@
         ALOGE("Invalid src buffer range: offset %llu, size %llu, srcMem size %llu",
                 srcBuffer.offset, srcBuffer.size, (uint64_t)srcMem->getSize());
         android_errorWriteLog(0x534e4554, "67962232");
+        holder.reset();
         _hidl_cb(toStatus(BAD_VALUE), 0, NULL);
         return Void();
     }
@@ -117,6 +139,7 @@
                 "srcOffset %llu, totalBytesInSubSamples %llu, srcBuffer size %llu",
                 srcOffset, totalBytesInSubSamples, srcBuffer.size);
         android_errorWriteLog(0x534e4554, "67962232");
+        holder.reset();
         _hidl_cb(toStatus(BAD_VALUE), 0, NULL);
         return Void();
     }
@@ -135,6 +158,7 @@
                     "dstOffset %llu, totalBytesInSubSamples %llu, srcBuffer size %llu",
                     dstOffset, totalBytesInSubSamples, srcBuffer.size);
             android_errorWriteLog(0x534e4554, "67962232");
+            holder.reset();
             _hidl_cb(toStatus(BAD_VALUE), 0, NULL);
             return Void();
         }
@@ -146,7 +170,7 @@
     // Casting hidl SubSample to DescramblerPlugin::SubSample, but need
     // to ensure structs are actually idential
 
-    int32_t result = mPlugin->descramble(
+    int32_t result = holder->descramble(
             dstBuffer.type != BufferType::SHARED_MEMORY,
             (DescramblerPlugin::ScramblingControl)scramblingControl,
             subSamples.size(),
@@ -157,17 +181,17 @@
             dstOffset,
             NULL);
 
+    holder.reset();
     _hidl_cb(toStatus(result >= 0 ? OK : result), result, NULL);
     return Void();
 }
 
 Return<Status> DescramblerImpl::release() {
-    ALOGV("%s: mPlugin=%p", __FUNCTION__, mPlugin);
+    ALOGV("%s: plugin=%p", __FUNCTION__, mPluginHolder.get());
 
-    if (mPlugin != NULL) {
-        delete mPlugin;
-        mPlugin = NULL;
-    }
+    std::shared_ptr<DescramblerPlugin> holder(nullptr);
+    std::atomic_store(&mPluginHolder, holder);
+
     return Status::OK;
 }
 
diff --git a/cas/1.0/default/DescramblerImpl.h b/cas/1.0/default/DescramblerImpl.h
index d3b146e..305f115 100644
--- a/cas/1.0/default/DescramblerImpl.h
+++ b/cas/1.0/default/DescramblerImpl.h
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@
 
 private:
     sp<SharedLibrary> mLibrary;
-    DescramblerPlugin *mPlugin;
+    std::shared_ptr<DescramblerPlugin> mPluginHolder;
 
     DISALLOW_EVIL_CONSTRUCTORS(DescramblerImpl);
 };