diff --git a/libraries/networking/src/LimitedNodeList.cpp b/libraries/networking/src/LimitedNodeList.cpp
index 202e3e3c8a..2c8e968375 100644
--- a/libraries/networking/src/LimitedNodeList.cpp
+++ b/libraries/networking/src/LimitedNodeList.cpp
@@ -40,7 +40,13 @@ std::auto_ptr<LimitedNodeList> LimitedNodeList::_sharedInstance;
 LimitedNodeList* LimitedNodeList::createInstance(unsigned short socketListenPort, unsigned short dtlsPort) {
     NodeType::init();
     
-    delete _sharedInstance.release();
+    if (_sharedInstance.get()) {
+        qDebug() << "LimitedNodeList called with existing instance." <<
+            "Releasing auto_ptr, deleting existing instance and creating a new one.";
+        
+        delete _sharedInstance.release();
+    }
+    
     _sharedInstance = std::auto_ptr<LimitedNodeList>(new LimitedNodeList(socketListenPort, dtlsPort));
     
     // register the SharedNodePointer meta-type for signals/slots
diff --git a/libraries/networking/src/NodeList.cpp b/libraries/networking/src/NodeList.cpp
index c130b72c22..3a1ed79f77 100644
--- a/libraries/networking/src/NodeList.cpp
+++ b/libraries/networking/src/NodeList.cpp
@@ -28,7 +28,13 @@ NodeList* NodeList::createInstance(char ownerType, unsigned short socketListenPo
     
     NodeType::init();
     
-    delete _sharedInstance.release();
+    if (_sharedInstance.get()) {
+        qDebug() << "NodeList called with existing instance." <<
+        "Releasing auto_ptr, deleting existing instance and creating a new one.";
+        
+        delete _sharedInstance.release();
+    }
+    
     _sharedInstance = std::auto_ptr<LimitedNodeList>(new NodeList(ownerType, socketListenPort, dtlsPort));
     
     // register the SharedNodePointer meta-type for signals/slots