diff --git a/libraries/networking/src/LimitedNodeList.cpp b/libraries/networking/src/LimitedNodeList.cpp
index 0b76de6304..55443b6265 100644
--- a/libraries/networking/src/LimitedNodeList.cpp
+++ b/libraries/networking/src/LimitedNodeList.cpp
@@ -360,8 +360,8 @@ std::unique_ptr<NLPacket> LimitedNodeList::constructPingPacket(PingType_t pingTy
     return pingPacket;
 }
 
-std::unique_ptr<NLPacket> LimitedNodeList::constructPingReplyPacket(QSharedPointer<NLPacket> pingPacket) {
-    QDataStream pingPacketStream(pingPacket.data());
+std::unique_ptr<NLPacket> LimitedNodeList::constructPingReplyPacket(NLPacket& pingPacket) {
+    QDataStream pingPacketStream(&pingPacket);
 
     PingType_t typeFromOriginalPing;
     pingPacketStream >> typeFromOriginalPing;
@@ -390,11 +390,11 @@ std::unique_ptr<NLPacket> LimitedNodeList::constructICEPingPacket(PingType_t pin
     return icePingPacket;
 }
 
-std::unique_ptr<NLPacket> LimitedNodeList::constructICEPingReplyPacket(QSharedPointer<NLPacket> pingPacket, const QUuid& iceID) {
+std::unique_ptr<NLPacket> LimitedNodeList::constructICEPingReplyPacket(NLPacket& pingPacket, const QUuid& iceID) {
     // pull out the ping type so we can reply back with that
     PingType_t pingType;
 
-    memcpy(&pingType, pingPacket->getPayload() + NUM_BYTES_RFC4122_UUID, sizeof(PingType_t));
+    memcpy(&pingType, pingPacket.getPayload() + NUM_BYTES_RFC4122_UUID, sizeof(PingType_t));
 
     int packetSize = NUM_BYTES_RFC4122_UUID + sizeof(PingType_t);
     auto icePingReplyPacket = NLPacket::create(PacketType::ICEPingReply, packetSize);
diff --git a/libraries/networking/src/LimitedNodeList.h b/libraries/networking/src/LimitedNodeList.h
index 07d1eed644..09bb439e18 100644
--- a/libraries/networking/src/LimitedNodeList.h
+++ b/libraries/networking/src/LimitedNodeList.h
@@ -165,10 +165,10 @@ public:
     void resetPacketStats();
 
     std::unique_ptr<NLPacket> constructPingPacket(PingType_t pingType = PingType::Agnostic);
-    std::unique_ptr<NLPacket> constructPingReplyPacket(QSharedPointer<NLPacket> pingPacket);
+    std::unique_ptr<NLPacket> constructPingReplyPacket(NLPacket& pingPacket);
 
     std::unique_ptr<NLPacket> constructICEPingPacket(PingType_t pingType, const QUuid& iceID);
-    std::unique_ptr<NLPacket> constructICEPingReplyPacket(QSharedPointer<NLPacket> pingPacket, const QUuid& iceID);
+    std::unique_ptr<NLPacket> constructICEPingReplyPacket(NLPacket& pingPacket, const QUuid& iceID);
 
     virtual bool processSTUNResponse(QSharedPointer<NLPacket> packet);
 
diff --git a/libraries/networking/src/NodeList.cpp b/libraries/networking/src/NodeList.cpp
index 1daf8a1c02..3fed4bf67b 100644
--- a/libraries/networking/src/NodeList.cpp
+++ b/libraries/networking/src/NodeList.cpp
@@ -164,7 +164,7 @@ void NodeList::timePingReply(QSharedPointer<NLPacket> packet, const SharedNodePo
 
 void NodeList::processPingPacket(QSharedPointer<NLPacket> packet, SharedNodePointer sendingNode) {
     // send back a reply
-    auto replyPacket = constructPingReplyPacket(packet);
+    auto replyPacket = constructPingReplyPacket(*packet);
     const HifiSockAddr& senderSockAddr = packet->getSenderSockAddr();
     sendPacket(std::move(replyPacket), sendingNode, senderSockAddr);
 
@@ -188,7 +188,7 @@ void NodeList::processPingReplyPacket(QSharedPointer<NLPacket> packet, SharedNod
 
 void NodeList::processICEPingPacket(QSharedPointer<NLPacket> packet) {
     // send back a reply
-    auto replyPacket = constructICEPingReplyPacket(packet, _domainHandler.getICEClientID());
+    auto replyPacket = constructICEPingReplyPacket(*packet, _domainHandler.getICEClientID());
     sendPacket(std::move(replyPacket), packet->getSenderSockAddr());
 }