diff --git a/src/ifcparse/schema.cpp b/src/ifcparse/schema.cpp
index 3e8462f584..d8ce885763 100644
--- a/src/ifcparse/schema.cpp
+++ b/src/ifcparse/schema.cpp
@@ -173,7 +173,7 @@ ifcopenshell::schema_definition::schema_definition(const std::string& name, cons
         ent->all_attributes();
     }
 
-    register_schema(this);
+    register_schema(*this);
 }
 
 ifcopenshell::schema_definition::~schema_definition() {
@@ -182,7 +182,7 @@ ifcopenshell::schema_definition::~schema_definition() {
     }
 }
 
-void ifcopenshell::register_schema(schema_definition* schema) {
+void ifcopenshell::register_schema(schema_definition& schema) {
     schema_registry_instance().bind(schema);
 }
 
@@ -244,10 +244,10 @@ void ifcopenshell::schema_registry::bind(const std::string& schema_name, get_sch
 	entry.module_ = module;
 }
 
-void ifcopenshell::schema_registry::bind(schema_definition* schema) {
+void ifcopenshell::schema_registry::bind(schema_definition& schema) {
 	std::lock_guard<std::recursive_mutex> lock(mutex_);
-	auto& entry = entries_[schema_key(schema->name())];
-	entry.schema_ = schema;
+	auto& entry = entries_[schema_key(schema.name())];
+	entry.schema_ = &schema;
 }
 
 const ifcopenshell::schema_definition* ifcopenshell::schema_registry::get(const std::string& schema_name) {
diff --git a/src/ifcparse/schema.h b/src/ifcparse/schema.h
index 0ce09181d2..6011042d6d 100644
--- a/src/ifcparse/schema.h
+++ b/src/ifcparse/schema.h
@@ -510,7 +510,7 @@ class IFC_PARSE_API schema_registry {
     typedef void register_schema_plugin_fn(schema_registry&, const ifcopenshell::plugin::module&);
 
     void bind(const std::string& schema_name, get_schema_fn get, clear_schema_fn clear, const ifcopenshell::plugin::module& module = ifcopenshell::plugin::module());
-    void bind(schema_definition* schema);
+    void bind(schema_definition& schema);
     const schema_definition* get(const std::string& schema_name);
     std::vector<std::string> names();
     void clear();
@@ -548,7 +548,7 @@ IFC_PARSE_API const schema_definition* schema_by_name(const std::string& schema_
 
 IFC_PARSE_API std::vector<std::string> schema_names();
 
-IFC_PARSE_API void register_schema(schema_definition* schema);
+IFC_PARSE_API void register_schema(schema_definition& schema);
 
 IFC_PARSE_API void clear_schemas();
 } // namespace ifcopenshell