diff --git a/examples/lights/spot_light.cpp b/examples/lights/spot_light.cpp
index ddef6f31..f7b63c8b 100644
--- a/examples/lights/spot_light.cpp
+++ b/examples/lights/spot_light.cpp
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ int main() {
     scene->add(helper);
 
     auto target = Object3D::create();
-    light->target = target;
+    light->setTarget(*target);
     scene->add(target);
 
     auto knot = createTorusKnot();
diff --git a/include/threepp/helpers/SpotLightHelper.hpp b/include/threepp/helpers/SpotLightHelper.hpp
index 80ef68f8..04df1531 100644
--- a/include/threepp/helpers/SpotLightHelper.hpp
+++ b/include/threepp/helpers/SpotLightHelper.hpp
@@ -19,15 +19,13 @@ namespace threepp {
     public:
         void update();
 
-        ~SpotLightHelper() override;
-
         static std::shared_ptr<SpotLightHelper> create(SpotLight& light, std::optional<Color> color = std::nullopt);
 
     private:
-        SpotLight& light;
+        SpotLight* light;
         std::optional<Color> color;
 
-        std::shared_ptr<LineSegments> cone;
+        LineSegments* cone;
 
         SpotLightHelper(SpotLight& light, std::optional<Color> color);
     };
diff --git a/include/threepp/lights/light_interfaces.hpp b/include/threepp/lights/light_interfaces.hpp
index d40d7d7f..a69dd771 100644
--- a/include/threepp/lights/light_interfaces.hpp
+++ b/include/threepp/lights/light_interfaces.hpp
@@ -20,9 +20,21 @@ namespace threepp {
     class LightWithTarget {
 
     public:
-        std::shared_ptr<Object3D> target{Object3D::create()};
+        [[nodiscard]] const Object3D& target() const {
+
+            return target_ ? *target_ : defaultTarget;
+        }
+
+        void setTarget(Object3D& target) {
+
+            this->target_ = &target;
+        }
 
         virtual ~LightWithTarget() = default;
+
+    private:
+        Object3D* target_ = nullptr;
+        Object3D defaultTarget;
     };
 
 }// namespace threepp
diff --git a/src/threepp/helpers/DirectionalLightHelper.cpp b/src/threepp/helpers/DirectionalLightHelper.cpp
index 13e1ea7c..bb8e2dfb 100644
--- a/src/threepp/helpers/DirectionalLightHelper.cpp
+++ b/src/threepp/helpers/DirectionalLightHelper.cpp
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ void DirectionalLightHelper::update() {
     static Vector3 _v3;
 
     _v1.setFromMatrixPosition(*this->light.matrixWorld);
-    _v2.setFromMatrixPosition(*this->light.target->matrixWorld);
+    _v2.setFromMatrixPosition(*this->light.target().matrixWorld);
     _v3.subVectors(_v2, _v1);
 
     this->lightPlane->lookAt(_v2);
diff --git a/src/threepp/helpers/SpotLightHelper.cpp b/src/threepp/helpers/SpotLightHelper.cpp
index 10beb1d2..f5bce8fb 100644
--- a/src/threepp/helpers/SpotLightHelper.cpp
+++ b/src/threepp/helpers/SpotLightHelper.cpp
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 
 #include "threepp/helpers/SpotLightHelper.hpp"
 
-#include "threepp/lights/SpotLight.hpp"
+#include "threepp/lights/Spotlight.hpp"
 #include "threepp/materials/LineBasicMaterial.hpp"
 #include "threepp/objects/LineSegments.hpp"
 
@@ -11,11 +11,11 @@ using namespace threepp;
 
 
 SpotLightHelper::SpotLightHelper(SpotLight& light, std::optional<Color> color)
-    : light(light), color(color) {
+    : light(&light), color(color) {
 
-    this->light.updateMatrixWorld();
+    this->light->updateMatrixWorld();
 
-    this->matrix = this->light.matrixWorld;
+    this->matrix = this->light->matrixWorld;
     this->matrixAutoUpdate = false;
 
     auto geometry = BufferGeometry::create();
@@ -43,8 +43,9 @@ SpotLightHelper::SpotLightHelper(SpotLight& light, std::optional<Color> color)
     material->fog = false;
     material->toneMapped = false;
 
-    this->cone = LineSegments::create(geometry, material);
-    this->add(this->cone);
+    auto _cone = LineSegments::create(geometry, material);
+    this->cone = _cone.get();
+    this->add(_cone);
 
     this->update();
 }
@@ -56,15 +57,15 @@ std::shared_ptr<SpotLightHelper> SpotLightHelper::create(SpotLight& light, std::
 
 void SpotLightHelper::update() {
 
-    this->light.updateMatrixWorld();
+    this->light->updateMatrixWorld();
 
-    const auto coneLength = (this->light.distance > 0) ? this->light.distance : 1000;
-    const auto coneWidth = coneLength * std::tan(this->light.angle);
+    const auto coneLength = (this->light->distance > 0) ? this->light->distance : 1000;
+    const auto coneWidth = coneLength * std::tan(this->light->angle);
 
     this->cone->scale.set(coneWidth, coneWidth, coneLength);
 
     static Vector3 _vector;
-    _vector.setFromMatrixPosition(*this->light.target->matrixWorld);
+    _vector.setFromMatrixPosition(*this->light->target().matrixWorld);
 
     this->cone->lookAt(_vector);
 
@@ -74,12 +75,6 @@ void SpotLightHelper::update() {
 
     } else {
 
-        this->cone->material()->as<MaterialWithColor>()->color.copy(this->light.color);
+        this->cone->material()->as<MaterialWithColor>()->color.copy(this->light->color);
     }
 }
-
-SpotLightHelper::~SpotLightHelper() {
-
-    this->cone->geometry()->dispose();
-    this->cone->material()->dispose();
-}
diff --git a/src/threepp/lights/LightShadow.cpp b/src/threepp/lights/LightShadow.cpp
index 594af371..2db301c1 100644
--- a/src/threepp/lights/LightShadow.cpp
+++ b/src/threepp/lights/LightShadow.cpp
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ void LightShadow::updateMatrices(Light* light) {
     shadowCamera->position.copy(_lightPositionWorld);
 
     auto lightWithTarget = dynamic_cast<LightWithTarget*>(light);
-    _lookTarget.setFromMatrixPosition(*lightWithTarget->target->matrixWorld);
+    _lookTarget.setFromMatrixPosition(*lightWithTarget->target().matrixWorld);
     shadowCamera->lookAt(_lookTarget);
     shadowCamera->updateMatrixWorld();
 
diff --git a/src/threepp/renderers/gl/GLLights.cpp b/src/threepp/renderers/gl/GLLights.cpp
index 03316cde..ea37b986 100644
--- a/src/threepp/renderers/gl/GLLights.cpp
+++ b/src/threepp/renderers/gl/GLLights.cpp
@@ -248,7 +248,7 @@ void GLLights::setupView(std::vector<Light*>& lights, Camera* camera) {
             direction.setFromMatrixPosition(*light->matrixWorld);
 
             Vector3 vector3;
-            vector3.setFromMatrixPosition(*l->target->matrixWorld);
+            vector3.setFromMatrixPosition(*l->target().matrixWorld);
             direction.sub(vector3);
             direction.transformDirection(viewMatrix);
 
@@ -268,7 +268,7 @@ void GLLights::setupView(std::vector<Light*>& lights, Camera* camera) {
             direction.setFromMatrixPosition(*l->matrixWorld);
 
             Vector3 vector3;
-            vector3.setFromMatrixPosition(*l->target->matrixWorld);
+            vector3.setFromMatrixPosition(*l->target().matrixWorld);
             direction.sub(vector3);
             direction.transformDirection(viewMatrix);