diff --git a/libs/ui/include/psemek/ui/button.hpp b/libs/ui/include/psemek/ui/button.hpp
index 4bcee76a..70d37073 100644
--- a/libs/ui/include/psemek/ui/button.hpp
+++ b/libs/ui/include/psemek/ui/button.hpp
@@ -38,14 +38,14 @@ namespace psemek::ui
 
 		virtual void on_state_changed() {}
 
-		void set_label(std::unique_ptr<struct label> label);
+		void set_label(std::shared_ptr<struct label> label);
 
 	private:
 		state_t state_ = state_t::normal;
 
 		on_click_callback callback_;
 
-		std::unique_ptr<struct label> label_;
+		std::shared_ptr<struct label> label_;
 		element * children_[1]{nullptr};
 	};
 
diff --git a/libs/ui/include/psemek/ui/container.hpp b/libs/ui/include/psemek/ui/container.hpp
index a25f01de..3acc4c00 100644
--- a/libs/ui/include/psemek/ui/container.hpp
+++ b/libs/ui/include/psemek/ui/container.hpp
@@ -15,17 +15,17 @@ namespace psemek::ui
 	protected:
 		std::size_t children_count() const { return children_.size(); }
 
-		std::size_t add(std::unique_ptr<element> c);
-		void add(std::unique_ptr<element> c, std::size_t index);
+		std::size_t add(std::shared_ptr<element> c);
+		void add(std::shared_ptr<element> c, std::size_t index);
 
 		element * get(std::size_t index);
 		std::optional<std::size_t> find(element * c);
 
-		std::unique_ptr<element> remove(element * c);
-		std::unique_ptr<element> remove(std::size_t index);
+		std::shared_ptr<element> remove(element * c);
+		std::shared_ptr<element> remove(std::size_t index);
 
 	private:
-		std::vector<std::unique_ptr<element>> children_;
+		std::vector<std::shared_ptr<element>> children_;
 		std::vector<element *> children_range_;
 	};
 
diff --git a/libs/ui/include/psemek/ui/controller.hpp b/libs/ui/include/psemek/ui/controller.hpp
index 22222a36..d164944c 100644
--- a/libs/ui/include/psemek/ui/controller.hpp
+++ b/libs/ui/include/psemek/ui/controller.hpp
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ namespace psemek::ui
 		controller();
 		~controller();
 
-		std::unique_ptr<element> set_root(std::unique_ptr<element> r);
+		std::shared_ptr<element> set_root(std::shared_ptr<element> r);
 		element * root();
 
 		void reshape(geom::box<float, 2> const & shape);
diff --git a/libs/ui/include/psemek/ui/default_element_factory.hpp b/libs/ui/include/psemek/ui/default_element_factory.hpp
index d702f203..ea9bd6f2 100644
--- a/libs/ui/include/psemek/ui/default_element_factory.hpp
+++ b/libs/ui/include/psemek/ui/default_element_factory.hpp
@@ -17,8 +17,8 @@ namespace psemek::ui
 		void set_style(std::shared_ptr<struct style> st);
 		std::shared_ptr<struct style> style() const;
 
-		std::unique_ptr<button> make_button(std::string text);
-		std::unique_ptr<screen> make_screen();
+		std::shared_ptr<button> make_button(std::string text);
+		std::shared_ptr<screen> make_screen();
 
 	private:
 		psemek_declare_pimpl
diff --git a/libs/ui/include/psemek/ui/element.hpp b/libs/ui/include/psemek/ui/element.hpp
index a6943622..970d0255 100644
--- a/libs/ui/include/psemek/ui/element.hpp
+++ b/libs/ui/include/psemek/ui/element.hpp
@@ -9,10 +9,13 @@
 
 #include <psemek/util/span.hpp>
 
+#include <memory>
+
 namespace psemek::ui
 {
 
 	struct element
+		: std::enable_shared_from_this<element>
 	{
 		virtual element * parent() const { return parent_; }
 		virtual void set_parent(element * parent) { parent_ = parent; }
diff --git a/libs/ui/include/psemek/ui/screen.hpp b/libs/ui/include/psemek/ui/screen.hpp
index 30152448..71f26281 100644
--- a/libs/ui/include/psemek/ui/screen.hpp
+++ b/libs/ui/include/psemek/ui/screen.hpp
@@ -25,9 +25,9 @@ namespace psemek::ui
 			floating,
 		};
 
-		void add(std::unique_ptr<element> c, x_policy x, y_policy y);
-		void add(std::unique_ptr<element> c);
-		std::unique_ptr<element> remove(element * c);
+		void add(std::shared_ptr<element> c, x_policy x, y_policy y);
+		void add(std::shared_ptr<element> c);
+		std::shared_ptr<element> remove(element * c);
 
 		struct shape const & shape() const override { return shape_; }
 		void reshape(geom::box<float, 2> const & bbox) override;
diff --git a/libs/ui/source/button.cpp b/libs/ui/source/button.cpp
index 7c4edc17..70bfca70 100644
--- a/libs/ui/source/button.cpp
+++ b/libs/ui/source/button.cpp
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ namespace psemek::ui
 		return false;
 	}
 
-	void button::set_label(std::unique_ptr<struct label> label)
+	void button::set_label(std::shared_ptr<struct label> label)
 	{
 		label_ = std::move(label);
 		children_[0] = label_.get();
diff --git a/libs/ui/source/container.cpp b/libs/ui/source/container.cpp
index 2f30f338..f51cac61 100644
--- a/libs/ui/source/container.cpp
+++ b/libs/ui/source/container.cpp
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ namespace psemek::ui
 		return children_range{children_range_.data(), children_range_.data() + children_range_.size()};
 	}
 
-	std::size_t container::add(std::unique_ptr<element> c)
+	std::size_t container::add(std::shared_ptr<element> c)
 	{
 		std::size_t index = 0;
 		while (index < children_.size() && children_[index]) ++index;
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ namespace psemek::ui
 		return index;
 	}
 
-	void container::add(std::unique_ptr<element> c, std::size_t index)
+	void container::add(std::shared_ptr<element> c, std::size_t index)
 	{
 		if (index >= children_.size())
 		{
@@ -45,14 +45,14 @@ namespace psemek::ui
 		return std::nullopt;
 	}
 
-	std::unique_ptr<element> container::remove(element * c)
+	std::shared_ptr<element> container::remove(element * c)
 	{
 		if (auto i = find(c))
 			return remove(*i);
 		return nullptr;
 	}
 
-	std::unique_ptr<element> container::remove(std::size_t index)
+	std::shared_ptr<element> container::remove(std::size_t index)
 	{
 		if (index >= children_.size())
 			return nullptr;
diff --git a/libs/ui/source/controller.cpp b/libs/ui/source/controller.cpp
index 395521e3..cf66cddc 100644
--- a/libs/ui/source/controller.cpp
+++ b/libs/ui/source/controller.cpp
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ namespace psemek::ui
 	struct controller::impl
 	{
 		painter_impl painter;
-		std::unique_ptr<element> root;
+		std::shared_ptr<element> root;
 		async::event_loop loop;
 		geom::box<float, 2> shape{{{0.f, 0.f}, {0.f, 0.f}}};
 
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ namespace psemek::ui
 
 	controller::~controller() = default;
 
-	std::unique_ptr<element> controller::set_root(std::unique_ptr<element> r)
+	std::shared_ptr<element> controller::set_root(std::shared_ptr<element> r)
 	{
 		auto old = std::move(impl().root);
 		impl().root = std::move(r);
diff --git a/libs/ui/source/default_element_factory.cpp b/libs/ui/source/default_element_factory.cpp
index 29494dab..394f508e 100644
--- a/libs/ui/source/default_element_factory.cpp
+++ b/libs/ui/source/default_element_factory.cpp
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ namespace psemek::ui
 		{
 			button_impl()
 			{
-				set_label(std::make_unique<struct label>());
+				set_label(std::make_shared<struct label>());
 				label()->set_valign(label::valignment::center);
 				label()->set_halign(label::halignment::center);
 				label()->set_overflow(label::overflow_mode::drop);
@@ -69,9 +69,9 @@ namespace psemek::ui
 		impl();
 
 		template <typename T>
-		std::unique_ptr<T> create()
+		std::shared_ptr<T> create()
 		{
-			auto r = std::make_unique<T>();
+			auto r = std::make_shared<T>();
 			r->set_style(style);
 			return r;
 		}
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ namespace psemek::ui
 		return impl().style;
 	}
 
-	std::unique_ptr<button> default_element_factory::make_button(std::string text)
+	std::shared_ptr<button> default_element_factory::make_button(std::string text)
 	{
 		auto r = impl().create<button_impl>();
 		r->label()->set_text(std::move(text));
@@ -105,9 +105,9 @@ namespace psemek::ui
 		return r;
 	}
 
-	std::unique_ptr<screen> default_element_factory::make_screen()
+	std::shared_ptr<screen> default_element_factory::make_screen()
 	{
-		return std::make_unique<screen>();
+		return std::make_shared<screen>();
 	}
 
 }
diff --git a/libs/ui/source/screen.cpp b/libs/ui/source/screen.cpp
index 5fd950a9..ff92d941 100644
--- a/libs/ui/source/screen.cpp
+++ b/libs/ui/source/screen.cpp
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 namespace psemek::ui
 {
 
-	void screen::add(std::unique_ptr<element> c, x_policy x, y_policy y)
+	void screen::add(std::shared_ptr<element> c, x_policy x, y_policy y)
 	{
 		auto i = container::add(std::move(c));
 		if (i >= policies_.size())
@@ -11,12 +11,12 @@ namespace psemek::ui
 		policies_[i] = {x, y};
 	}
 
-	void screen::add(std::unique_ptr<element> c)
+	void screen::add(std::shared_ptr<element> c)
 	{
 		add(std::move(c), x_policy::floating, y_policy::floating);
 	}
 
-	std::unique_ptr<element> screen::remove(element * c)
+	std::shared_ptr<element> screen::remove(element * c)
 	{
 		return container::remove(c);
 	}