diff --git a/src/memory/SharedPtr.cpp b/src/memory/SharedPtr.cpp
index 2530360a5..b4f5ef48b 100644
--- a/src/memory/SharedPtr.cpp
+++ b/src/memory/SharedPtr.cpp
@@ -32,12 +32,11 @@ namespace Sass {
   bool SharedObj::taint = false;
 
   SharedObj::SharedObj()
-  : detached(false)
+  : refcounter(0)
     #ifdef DEBUG_SHARED_PTR
     , dbg(false)
     #endif
   {
-    refcounter = 0;
     #ifdef DEBUG_SHARED_PTR
       if (taint) all.push_back(this);
     #endif
@@ -63,9 +62,7 @@ namespace Sass {
           // AST_Node_Ptr ast = dynamic_cast<AST_Node*>(node);
           if (node->dbg) std::cerr << "DELETE NODE " << node << "\n";
         #endif
-        if (!node->detached) {
-          delete(node);
-        }
+        delete(node);
       }
     }
   }
@@ -73,7 +70,6 @@ namespace Sass {
   void SharedPtr::incRefCount() {
     if (node) {
       ++ node->refcounter;
-      node->detached = false;
       #ifdef DEBUG_SHARED_PTR
         if (node->dbg) {
           std::cerr << "+ " << node << " X " << node->refcounter << " (" << this << ") " << "\n";
@@ -111,4 +107,4 @@ namespace Sass {
     incRefCount();
   }
 
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}
diff --git a/src/memory/SharedPtr.hpp b/src/memory/SharedPtr.hpp
index 7e13bf06c..fbfd00312 100644
--- a/src/memory/SharedPtr.hpp
+++ b/src/memory/SharedPtr.hpp
@@ -49,8 +49,6 @@ namespace Sass {
     #endif
     static bool taint;
     long refcounter;
-    // long refcount;
-    bool detached;
     #ifdef DEBUG_SHARED_PTR
       bool dbg;
     #endif
@@ -82,7 +80,7 @@ namespace Sass {
     virtual const std::string to_string() const = 0;
 
     virtual ~SharedObj();
-    long getRefCount() {
+    long getRefCount() const {
       return refcounter;
     }
   };
@@ -123,11 +121,10 @@ namespace Sass {
     bool isNull () const {
       return node == NULL;
     };
-    SharedObj* detach() const {
-      if (node) {
-        node->detached = true;
-      }
-      return node;
+    SharedObj* detach() {
+      SharedObj* result = node;
+      node = NULL;
+      return result;
     };
     operator bool() const {
       return node != NULL;
@@ -197,8 +194,7 @@ namespace Sass {
     T* ptr () const {
       return static_cast<T*>(this->obj());
     };
-    T* detach() const {
-      if (this->obj() == NULL) return NULL;
+    T* detach() {
       return static_cast<T*>(SharedPtr::detach());
     }
     bool isNull() const {
@@ -214,4 +210,4 @@ namespace Sass {
 
 }
 
-#endif
\ No newline at end of file
+#endif