diff --git a/include/rcp.h b/include/rcp.h
index eaacf74..bc79cf4 100644
--- a/include/rcp.h
+++ b/include/rcp.h
@@ -33,12 +33,9 @@ class rcp
 private:
     T * ptr = nullptr;
 
-    explicit rcp(T * p) : ptr(p)
+    void init_ptr(T * p)
     {
-        if (p)
-        {
-            ptr->rcp_inc();
-        }
+        ptr = p;
     }
 
     friend T;
@@ -54,6 +51,16 @@ public:
         }
     }
 
+    rcp<T> & operator=(const rcp & other)
+    {
+        ptr = other.ptr;
+        if (ptr)
+        {
+            ptr->rcp_inc();
+        }
+        return *this;
+    }
+
     ~rcp()
     {
         if (ptr)
@@ -93,12 +100,12 @@ class root
 private:
     mutable std::atomic<int> ref_count{0};
 
-    rcp<root> root_rcp;
+    mutable rcp<root> root_rcp;
 
 protected:
     root()
     {
-        root_rcp = rcp<root>(this);
+        root_rcp.init_ptr(this);
     }
 
     virtual ~root() = default;
@@ -111,8 +118,9 @@ public:
 
     void rcp_dec() const
     {
-        if (ref_count.fetch_sub(1, std::memory_order_acq_rel) == 0)
+        if (ref_count.fetch_sub(1, std::memory_order_acq_rel) == 1)
         {
+            root_rcp.init_ptr(nullptr);
             delete this;
         }
     }
diff --git a/test/tests.cpp b/test/tests.cpp
index 04645bc..6c978d1 100644
--- a/test/tests.cpp
+++ b/test/tests.cpp
@@ -1,9 +1,22 @@
 #include <rcp.h>
 
+static int mybase_construct;
+static int mybase_destroy;
+static int myderived_construct;
+static int myderived_destroy;
+
 class MyBase : public root
 {
 protected:
-    MyBase(int x, int y) {}
+    MyBase(int x, int y)
+    {
+        mybase_construct++;
+    }
+
+    virtual ~MyBase()
+    {
+        mybase_destroy++;
+    }
 
 public:
     rcp_managed(MyBase);
@@ -12,13 +25,28 @@ public:
 class MyDerived : public MyBase
 {
 protected:
-    MyDerived(double v) : MyBase(1, 2) {}
+    MyDerived(double v) : MyBase(1, 2)
+    {
+        myderived_construct++;
+    }
+
+    virtual ~MyDerived()
+    {
+        myderived_destroy++;
+    }
 
 public:
     rcp_managed(MyDerived)
 };
 
+void t1()
+{
+    rcp<MyBase> mybase = MyBase::create(4, 5);
+    rcp<MyDerived> myderived = MyDerived::create(42.5);
+}
+
 int main(int argc, char * argv[])
 {
+    t1();
     return 0;
 }