diff --git a/repos/base-hw/src/core/kernel/object.cc b/repos/base-hw/src/core/kernel/object.cc
index fdd4006138..9312961be7 100644
--- a/repos/base-hw/src/core/kernel/object.cc
+++ b/repos/base-hw/src/core/kernel/object.cc
@@ -26,12 +26,16 @@ void Object_identity::invalidate()
 {
 	for (Object_identity_reference * oir = first(); oir; oir = first())
 		oir->invalidate();
-	_object.remove(this);
+
+	if (_object) {
+		_object->remove(this);
+		_object = nullptr;
+	}
 }
 
 
 Object_identity::Object_identity(Object & object)
-: _object(object) { _object.insert(this); }
+: _object(&object) { _object->insert(this); }
 
 
 Object_identity::~Object_identity() { invalidate(); }
diff --git a/repos/base-hw/src/core/kernel/object.h b/repos/base-hw/src/core/kernel/object.h
index 9dc6bad884..55cce9a820 100644
--- a/repos/base-hw/src/core/kernel/object.h
+++ b/repos/base-hw/src/core/kernel/object.h
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ class Kernel::Object_identity
 {
 	private:
 
-		Object & _object;
+		Object * _object = nullptr;
 
 	public:
 
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ class Kernel::Object_identity
 		~Object_identity();
 
 		template <typename KOBJECT>
-		KOBJECT * object() { return dynamic_cast<KOBJECT*>(&_object); }
+		KOBJECT * object() { return dynamic_cast<KOBJECT*>(_object); }
 
 		void invalidate();
 };