diff --git a/asyncprotocol.h b/asyncprotocol.h
index 5e79e968..24549ad3 100644
--- a/asyncprotocol.h
+++ b/asyncprotocol.h
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ typedef enum {
 #define AQU_POP_CMD     -5
 
 struct __async_txn {
+  int ref_counter;  /**< reference counter (reference counted object) */
   pAsyncUnit unit;  /**< unit that transaction is associated with */
   int txn_state;         /**< protocol handler transaction parse state */
   ATX_STATUS txn_status;  /**< status of the transaction OK, Error, ... */
diff --git a/asyncqueue.c b/asyncqueue.c
index e1a91337..fc075718 100644
--- a/asyncqueue.c
+++ b/asyncqueue.c
@@ -89,27 +89,36 @@ static const char *state_name(AsyncState the_state)
   return "<unknown>";
 }
 
+/*
+ * Free the transaction and buffers
+ */
+static void free_transaction(pAsyncTxn myTxn)
+{
+  if (myTxn) {
+    if (--myTxn->ref_counter > 0)
+      return;
+    /*
+     * Allow kill_private to clean it all if it wants
+     */
+    if (myTxn->kill_private)
+      myTxn->kill_private(myTxn);
+    if (myTxn->out_buf)
+      free(myTxn->out_buf);
+    if (myTxn->inp_buf)
+      free(myTxn->inp_buf);
+    if (myTxn->proto_private)
+      free(myTxn->proto_private);
+    free(myTxn);
+  }
+}
+
 /*
  * Free the command and transaction structures and their contents
  */
 static void free_command(pAQ_Cmd myCmd)
 {
   if (myCmd) {
-    pAsyncTxn myTxn = myCmd->tran;
-    if (myTxn) {
-      /*
-       * Allow kill_private to clean it all if it wants
-       */
-      if (myTxn->kill_private)
-        myTxn->kill_private(myTxn);
-      if (myTxn->out_buf)
-        free(myTxn->out_buf);
-      if (myTxn->inp_buf)
-        free(myTxn->inp_buf);
-      if (myTxn->proto_private)
-        free(myTxn->proto_private);
-      free(myTxn);
-    }
+    free_transaction(myCmd->tran);
     free(myCmd);
   }
 }
@@ -735,9 +744,23 @@ pAsyncTxn AsyncUnitPrepareTxn(pAsyncUnit unit,
   myTxn->unit = unit;
   myTxn->handleResponse = callback;
   myTxn->cntx = context;
+  myTxn->ref_counter = 1;
   return myTxn;
 }
 
+pAsyncTxn AsyncUnitHoldTxn(pAsyncTxn txn)
+{
+  if (txn)
+    txn->ref_counter++;
+  return txn;
+}
+
+void AsyncUnitFreeTxn(pAsyncTxn txn)
+{
+  if (txn)
+    free_transaction(txn);
+}
+
 int AsyncUnitSendTxn(pAsyncUnit unit,
                      const char *command, int cmd_len,
                      AsyncTxnHandler callback, void *context, int rsp_len)
diff --git a/asyncqueue.h b/asyncqueue.h
index 669916c3..7ae70579 100644
--- a/asyncqueue.h
+++ b/asyncqueue.h
@@ -75,6 +75,16 @@ pAsyncTxn AsyncUnitPrepareTxn(pAsyncUnit unit,
                               AsyncTxnHandler responseHandler,
                               void *context, int rsp_len);
 
+/** \brief clone a pointer to the transaction - must use AsyncUnitFreeTxn
+ * \param txn the transaction to clone
+ */
+pAsyncTxn AsyncUnitHoldTxn(pAsyncTxn txn);
+
+/** \brief free a cloned transaction
+ * \param txn the transaction to free (returned by AsyncUnitHoldTxn)
+ */
+void AsyncUnitFreeTxn(pAsyncTxn txn);
+
 /** \brief prepare and queue a transaction
  *
  * \param unit AsyncUnit