diff --git a/interface/src/Application.cpp b/interface/src/Application.cpp
index 904a6c5b65..92ebd6b045 100644
--- a/interface/src/Application.cpp
+++ b/interface/src/Application.cpp
@@ -486,7 +486,7 @@ bool setupEssentials(int& argc, char** argv) {
 // FIXME move to header, or better yet, design some kind of UI manager
 // to take care of highlighting keyboard focused items, rather than
 // continuing to overburden Application.cpp
-Cube3DOverlay* _keyboardFocusHighlight{ nullptr };
+std::shared_ptr<Cube3DOverlay> _keyboardFocusHighlight{ nullptr };
 int _keyboardFocusHighlightID{ -1 };
 
 
@@ -3587,7 +3587,7 @@ void Application::setKeyboardFocusEntity(EntityItemID entityItemID) {
                 _keyboardFocusedItem.set(entityItemID);
                 _lastAcceptedKeyPress = usecTimestampNow();
                 if (_keyboardFocusHighlightID < 0 || !getOverlays().isAddedOverlay(_keyboardFocusHighlightID)) {
-                    _keyboardFocusHighlight = new Cube3DOverlay();
+                    _keyboardFocusHighlight = std::make_shared<Cube3DOverlay>();
                     _keyboardFocusHighlight->setAlpha(1.0f);
                     _keyboardFocusHighlight->setBorderSize(1.0f);
                     _keyboardFocusHighlight->setColor({ 0xFF, 0xEF, 0x00 });