One or more embodiments are directed to creating a structure comprising a weak reference to an object, a strong reference to the object, a count of remote references to the object, and an identifier for the object, incrementing the count when a remote reference is created to the object and decrementing the count when a remote reference is removed, setting the strong reference in response to the count being greater than a first threshold in order to avoid a garbage collection of the object, clearing the strong reference in response to the count being less than a second threshold to enable a garbage collection of the object, and removing the structure and related resources based on a recognition of the object's collection through the weak reference.