diff --git a/libraries/networking/src/udt/Connection.cpp b/libraries/networking/src/udt/Connection.cpp
index ff10994e27..50bccc1ab3 100644
--- a/libraries/networking/src/udt/Connection.cpp
+++ b/libraries/networking/src/udt/Connection.cpp
@@ -287,7 +287,6 @@ bool Connection::processReceivedSequenceNumber(SequenceNumber sequenceNumber) {
     
     // increment the counters for data packets received
     ++_packetsSinceACK;
-    ++_totalReceivedDataPackets;
     
     // check if we need to send an ACK, according to CC params
     if (_congestionControl->_ackInterval > 0 && _packetsSinceACK >= _congestionControl->_ackInterval) {
diff --git a/libraries/networking/src/udt/Connection.h b/libraries/networking/src/udt/Connection.h
index 2cacdf9fe9..c8313ed2fd 100644
--- a/libraries/networking/src/udt/Connection.h
+++ b/libraries/networking/src/udt/Connection.h
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ public:
     
     Connection(Socket* parentSocket, HifiSockAddr destination, std::unique_ptr<CongestionControl> congestionControl);
     ~Connection();
-    
+
     void sendReliablePacket(std::unique_ptr<Packet> packet);
 
     void sync(); // rate control method, fired by Socket for all connections on SYN interval
@@ -103,10 +103,8 @@ private:
    
     std::unique_ptr<CongestionControl> _congestionControl;
     
-    std::unique_ptr<SendQueue> _sendQueue;    
+    std::unique_ptr<SendQueue> _sendQueue;
     
-    // Data packet stat collection
-    int _totalReceivedDataPackets { 0 };
     int _packetsSinceACK { 0 }; // The number of packets that have been received during the current ACK interval
     
     ConnectionStats _stats;
diff --git a/libraries/networking/src/udt/Socket.cpp b/libraries/networking/src/udt/Socket.cpp
index 99cdb06b29..04fa835f2c 100644
--- a/libraries/networking/src/udt/Socket.cpp
+++ b/libraries/networking/src/udt/Socket.cpp
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ qint64 Socket::writePacket(const Packet& packet, const HifiSockAddr& sockAddr) {
 
 qint64 Socket::writePacket(std::unique_ptr<Packet> packet, const HifiSockAddr& sockAddr) {
     if (packet->isReliable()) {
-        findOrCreateConnection(sockAddr)->sendReliablePacket(move(packet));
+        findOrCreateConnection(sockAddr).sendReliablePacket(move(packet));
         return 0;
     }
     
@@ -117,14 +117,15 @@ qint64 Socket::writeDatagram(const QByteArray& datagram, const HifiSockAddr& soc
     return bytesWritten;
 }
 
-Connection* Socket::findOrCreateConnection(const HifiSockAddr& sockAddr) {
+Connection& Socket::findOrCreateConnection(const HifiSockAddr& sockAddr) {
     auto it = _connectionsHash.find(sockAddr);
     
     if (it == _connectionsHash.end()) {
-        it = _connectionsHash.insert(it, std::make_pair(sockAddr, new Connection(this, sockAddr, _ccFactory->create())));
+        it = _connectionsHash.insert(it, std::make_pair(sockAddr,
+                std::unique_ptr<Connection>(new Connection(this, sockAddr, _ccFactory->create()))));
     }
     
-    return it->second;
+    return *it->second;
 }
 
 void Socket::readPendingDatagrams() {
@@ -160,8 +161,8 @@ void Socket::readPendingDatagrams() {
             auto controlPacket = ControlPacket::fromReceivedPacket(std::move(buffer), packetSizeWithHeader, senderSockAddr);
             
             // move this control packet to the matching connection
-            auto connection = findOrCreateConnection(senderSockAddr);
-            connection->processControl(move(controlPacket));
+            auto& connection = findOrCreateConnection(senderSockAddr);
+            connection.processControl(move(controlPacket));
             
         } else {
             // setup a Packet from the data we just read
@@ -172,8 +173,8 @@ void Socket::readPendingDatagrams() {
                 
                 if (packet->isReliable()) {
                     // if this was a reliable packet then signal the matching connection with the sequence number
-                    auto connection = findOrCreateConnection(senderSockAddr);
-                    connection->processReceivedSequenceNumber(packet->getSequenceNumber());
+                    auto& connection = findOrCreateConnection(senderSockAddr);
+                    connection.processReceivedSequenceNumber(packet->getSequenceNumber());
                 }
                 
                 if (_packetHandler) {
@@ -188,7 +189,7 @@ void Socket::readPendingDatagrams() {
 void Socket::connectToSendSignal(const HifiSockAddr& destinationAddr, QObject* receiver, const char* slot) {
     auto it = _connectionsHash.find(destinationAddr);
     if (it != _connectionsHash.end()) {
-        connect(it->second, SIGNAL(packetSent()), receiver, slot);
+        connect(it->second.get(), SIGNAL(packetSent()), receiver, slot);
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/libraries/networking/src/udt/Socket.h b/libraries/networking/src/udt/Socket.h
index 4f947e4043..a8ff255b8d 100644
--- a/libraries/networking/src/udt/Socket.h
+++ b/libraries/networking/src/udt/Socket.h
@@ -23,11 +23,11 @@
 
 #include "../HifiSockAddr.h"
 #include "CongestionControl.h"
+#include "Connection.h"
 
 namespace udt {
 
 class BasePacket;
-class Connection;
 class ControlSender;
 class Packet;
 class SequenceNumber;
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ private slots:
     
 private:
     void setSystemBufferSizes();
-    Connection* findOrCreateConnection(const HifiSockAddr& sockAddr);
+    Connection& findOrCreateConnection(const HifiSockAddr& sockAddr);
     
     QUdpSocket _udpSocket { this };
     PacketFilterOperator _packetFilterOperator;
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ private:
     
     std::unordered_map<HifiSockAddr, BasePacketHandler> _unfilteredHandlers;
     std::unordered_map<HifiSockAddr, SequenceNumber> _unreliableSequenceNumbers;
-    std::unordered_map<HifiSockAddr, Connection*> _connectionsHash;
+    std::unordered_map<HifiSockAddr, std::unique_ptr<Connection>> _connectionsHash;
     
     int32_t _synInterval = 10; // 10ms
     QTimer _synTimer;