diff --git a/headers/modsecurity/actions/action.h b/headers/modsecurity/actions/action.h
index 9df52dfc..d28fd75d 100644
--- a/headers/modsecurity/actions/action.h
+++ b/headers/modsecurity/actions/action.h
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ class Action {
         : action_kind(2),
         m_isNone(false),
         m_name(""),
-        m_referenceCount(0),
+        m_referenceCount(1),
         m_parser_payload(""),
         temporaryAction(false) {
             set_name_and_payload(_action);
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ class Action {
         : action_kind(kind),
         m_isNone(false),
         m_name(""),
-        m_referenceCount(0),
+        m_referenceCount(1),
         m_parser_payload(""),
         temporaryAction(false) {
             set_name_and_payload(_action);
@@ -91,11 +91,13 @@ class Action {
         }
     }
 
-    void refCountDecreaseAndCheck() {
+    int refCountDecreaseAndCheck() {
         this->m_referenceCount--;
         if (this->m_referenceCount == 0) {
             delete this;
+            return 1;
         }
+        return 0;
     }
 
     void refCountIncrease() {
diff --git a/headers/modsecurity/rule.h b/headers/modsecurity/rule.h
index 8809a859..d31c9829 100644
--- a/headers/modsecurity/rule.h
+++ b/headers/modsecurity/rule.h
@@ -84,15 +84,17 @@ class Rule {
     Rule *chainedRule;
     bool chained;
 
-    void refCountDecreaseAndCheck() {
-        this->m_referenceCount--;
-        if (this->m_referenceCount == 0) {
+    int refCountDecreaseAndCheck() {
+        m_referenceCount--;
+        if (m_referenceCount == 0) {
             delete this;
+            return 1;
         }
+        return 0;
     }
 
     void refCountIncrease() {
-        this->m_referenceCount++;
+        m_referenceCount++;
     }
 
     std::string m_rev;
diff --git a/headers/modsecurity/rules_properties.h b/headers/modsecurity/rules_properties.h
index 3ff59246..22742507 100644
--- a/headers/modsecurity/rules_properties.h
+++ b/headers/modsecurity/rules_properties.h
@@ -102,6 +102,29 @@ class RulesProperties {
 
 
     ~RulesProperties() {
+        int i = 0;
+        /** Cleanup the rules */
+        for (i = 0; i < modsecurity::Phases::NUMBER_OF_PHASES; i++) {
+            std::vector<Rule *> rules = m_rules[i];
+            while (rules.empty() == false) {
+                Rule *rule = rules.back();
+                rules.pop_back();
+                if (rule->refCountDecreaseAndCheck()) {
+                    rule = NULL;
+                }
+            }
+        }
+        for (i = 0; i < modsecurity::Phases::NUMBER_OF_PHASES; i++) {
+            std::vector<actions::Action *> *tmp = &m_defaultActions[i];
+            while (tmp->empty() == false) {
+                actions::Action *a = tmp->back();
+                tmp->pop_back();
+                if (a->refCountDecreaseAndCheck()) {
+                    a = NULL;
+                }
+            }
+        }
+
         delete m_debugLog;
         delete m_auditLog;
     }
diff --git a/src/rule.cc b/src/rule.cc
index c5bddaaf..2e3fb77a 100644
--- a/src/rule.cc
+++ b/src/rule.cc
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ Rule::Rule(std::string marker)
     m_secmarker(true),
     m_marker(marker),
     m_maturity(0),
-    m_referenceCount(0),
+    m_referenceCount(1),
     m_fileName(""),
     m_lineNumber(0) { }
 
@@ -113,7 +113,7 @@ Rule::Rule(Operator *_op,
     m_secmarker(false),
     m_marker(""),
     m_maturity(0),
-    m_referenceCount(0),
+    m_referenceCount(1),
     m_fileName(fileName),
     m_lineNumber(lineNumber) {
     if (actions != NULL) {
diff --git a/src/rules.cc b/src/rules.cc
index 23886f9c..81e3e767 100644
--- a/src/rules.cc
+++ b/src/rules.cc
@@ -78,28 +78,8 @@ void Rules::decrementReferenceCount(void) {
 
 
 Rules::~Rules() {
-    int i = 0;
-
     free(unicode_map_table);
     unicode_map_table = NULL;
-
-    /** Cleanup the rules */
-    for (int i = 0; i < modsecurity::Phases::NUMBER_OF_PHASES; i++) {
-        std::vector<Rule *> rules = m_rules[i];
-        while (rules.empty() == false) {
-            Rule *rule = rules.back();
-            rule->refCountDecreaseAndCheck();
-            rules.pop_back();
-        }
-    }
-    for (i = 0; i < modsecurity::Phases::NUMBER_OF_PHASES; i++) {
-        std::vector<actions::Action *> *tmp = &m_defaultActions[i];
-        while (tmp->empty() == false) {
-            actions::Action *a = tmp->back();
-            a->refCountDecreaseAndCheck();
-            tmp->pop_back();
-        }
-    }
 }