diff --git a/main.cpp b/main.cpp
index 4edfcf6..7fe0844 100644
--- a/main.cpp
+++ b/main.cpp
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ using namespace metacall;
 
 #define TEST_UNICODE
 #define TEST_ANSI
-//#define TEST_C_STRING
+#define TEST_C_STRING
 #define TEST_BASIC_STRING
 
 
@@ -85,20 +85,18 @@ int main(int, char *[]) {
         return 1;
     }
 
-    server.binding()->bind(FPARAM(testCStrAnsi));
-    server.binding()->bind(FPARAM(testCStrUnicode));
-
-    server.binding()->bind(FPARAM(testBasicStringAnsi));
-    server.binding()->bind(FPARAM(testBasicStringUnicode));
+    Binding&    binding     = server.binding();
+    Protocol&   protocol    = client.protocol();
 
     do {
-        Protocol* const protocol = client.protocol();
-
         //
         // C string
         //
 #ifdef TEST_C_STRING
         {
+            binding.bind(FPARAM(testCStrAnsi));
+            binding.bind(FPARAM(testCStrUnicode));
+
             //
             // ANSI
             //
@@ -106,7 +104,7 @@ int main(int, char *[]) {
             {
                 const char* strings[] = { "Hello world", "", NULL };
                 for (int i = 0; i < 3; ++i) {
-                    protocol->invoke("testCStrAnsi", strings[i]);
+                    protocol.invoke("testCStrAnsi", strings[i]);
                 }
             }
 #endif
@@ -117,7 +115,7 @@ int main(int, char *[]) {
             {
                 const wchar_t* strings[] = { L"Hello world", L"", NULL };
                 for (int i = 0; i < 3; ++i) {
-                    protocol->invoke("testCStrUnicode", strings[i]);
+                    protocol.invoke("testCStrUnicode", strings[i]);
                 }
             }
 #endif
@@ -130,6 +128,9 @@ int main(int, char *[]) {
         //
 #ifdef TEST_BASIC_STRING
         {
+            binding.bind(FPARAM(testBasicStringAnsi));
+            binding.bind(FPARAM(testBasicStringUnicode));
+
             //
             // ANSI
             //
@@ -137,7 +138,7 @@ int main(int, char *[]) {
             {
                 std::string strings[] = { std::string("Hello world"), std::string() };
                 for (int i = 0; i < 2; ++i) {
-                    protocol->invoke("testBasicStringAnsi", strings[i]);
+                    protocol.invoke("testBasicStringAnsi", strings[i]);
                 }
             }
 #endif
@@ -148,7 +149,7 @@ int main(int, char *[]) {
             {
                 std::wstring strings[] = { std::wstring(L"Hello world"), std::wstring() };
                 for (int i = 0; i < 2; ++i) {
-                    protocol->invoke("testBasicStringUnicode", strings[i]);
+                    protocol.invoke("testBasicStringUnicode", strings[i]);
                 }
             }
 #endif
diff --git a/mc_client.cpp b/mc_client.cpp
index 8f3990f..bbd5b31 100644
--- a/mc_client.cpp
+++ b/mc_client.cpp
@@ -76,20 +76,20 @@ bool Client::connected() const {
     return m_socket.connected();
 }
 
-const Protocol* Client::protocol() const {
-    return &m_protocol;
+const Protocol& Client::protocol() const {
+    return m_protocol;
 }
 
-Protocol* Client::protocol() {
-    return &m_protocol;
+Protocol& Client::protocol() {
+    return m_protocol;
 }
 
-const Binding* Client::binding() const {
-    return &m_binding;
+const Binding& Client::binding() const {
+    return m_binding;
 }
 
-Binding* Client::binding() {
-    return &m_binding;
+Binding& Client::binding() {
+    return m_binding;
 }
 
 
diff --git a/mc_client.hpp b/mc_client.hpp
index fe28b0e..3a99508 100644
--- a/mc_client.hpp
+++ b/mc_client.hpp
@@ -41,10 +41,10 @@ public:
     void            disconnect();
     bool            connected() const;
 
-    const Protocol* protocol() const;
-    Protocol*       protocol();
-    const Binding*  binding() const;
-    Binding*        binding();
+    const Protocol& protocol() const;
+    Protocol&       protocol();
+    const Binding&  binding() const;
+    Binding&        binding();
 
 private:
     Socket          m_socket;
diff --git a/mc_packet.hpp b/mc_packet.hpp
index 292207f..19ad4f8 100644
--- a/mc_packet.hpp
+++ b/mc_packet.hpp
@@ -127,7 +127,7 @@ struct PacketInvokeReply {
 
     enum {
         FLAG_UNBOUND_FUNC = 1 << 0,
-        FLAG_INVALID_ARGS = 1 << 1,
+        FLAG_INVALID_ARGS = 1 << 1
     };
 
     bool serialize(Serializer* serializer) const {
diff --git a/mc_protocol.cpp b/mc_protocol.cpp
index c1291d6..e01d984 100644
--- a/mc_protocol.cpp
+++ b/mc_protocol.cpp
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ Protocol::Protocol(Stream* stream, Binding* binding) :
 }
 
 void Protocol::advance() {
-    if (!m_stream->socket()->connected()) {
+    if (!m_stream->socket().connected()) {
         return;
     }
 
diff --git a/mc_server.cpp b/mc_server.cpp
index 1f36540..6548b11 100644
--- a/mc_server.cpp
+++ b/mc_server.cpp
@@ -48,12 +48,12 @@ void Server::advance() {
     advanceConnected();
 }
 
-const Binding* Server::binding() const {
-    return &m_binding;
+const Binding& Server::binding() const {
+    return m_binding;
 }
 
-Binding* Server::binding() {
-    return &m_binding;
+Binding& Server::binding() {
+    return m_binding;
 }
 
 bool Server::start(int serverPort, int clientsMax) {
diff --git a/mc_server.hpp b/mc_server.hpp
index ce7c70b..5c64dee 100644
--- a/mc_server.hpp
+++ b/mc_server.hpp
@@ -63,8 +63,8 @@ public:
     bool            clients(ClientId id, ClientData* data) const;
     ClientId        clientActive() const;
     int             clientCount() const;
-    const Binding*  binding() const;
-    Binding*        binding();
+    const Binding&  binding() const;
+    Binding&        binding();
 
 private:
     struct ClientEntry : public ClientData {
diff --git a/mc_stream.cpp b/mc_stream.cpp
index 16f30d8..b44d74b 100644
--- a/mc_stream.cpp
+++ b/mc_stream.cpp
@@ -110,12 +110,12 @@ Stream::State Stream::peek(PacketHeader* header, int* headerSize) {
     return STATE_READY;
 }
 
-const Socket* Stream::socket() const {
-    return m_socket;
+const Socket& Stream::socket() const {
+    return *m_socket;
 }
 
-Socket* Stream::socket() {
-    return m_socket;
+Socket& Stream::socket() {
+    return *m_socket;
 }
 
 
diff --git a/mc_stream.hpp b/mc_stream.hpp
index d9a7d1b..5311894 100644
--- a/mc_stream.hpp
+++ b/mc_stream.hpp
@@ -53,8 +53,8 @@ class Stream {
     State           receive(T* packet);
     State           peek(PacketHeader* header, int* headerSize);
 
-    const Socket*   socket() const;
-    Socket*         socket();
+    const Socket&   socket() const;
+    Socket&         socket();
 
  private:
     Socket*         m_socket;