diff --git a/modules/beast_asio/async/beast_SharedHandler.h b/modules/beast_asio/async/beast_SharedHandler.h
index e6c573eb31..756b036d5b 100644
--- a/modules/beast_asio/async/beast_SharedHandler.h
+++ b/modules/beast_asio/async/beast_SharedHandler.h
@@ -77,7 +77,6 @@ public:
     virtual void* allocate (std::size_t size) = 0;
     virtual void  deallocate (void* p, std::size_t size) = 0;
     virtual bool  is_continuation () = 0;
-    virtual void  destroy () = 0;
 
     static void pure_virtual_called (char const* fileName, int lineNumber);
 
@@ -87,22 +86,6 @@ private:
     friend void* asio_handler_allocate (std::size_t, SharedHandler*);
     friend void  asio_handler_deallocate (void*, std::size_t, SharedHandler*);
     friend bool  asio_handler_is_continuation (SharedHandler*);
-    friend struct ContainerDeletePolicy <SharedHandler>;
-};
-
-//--------------------------------------------------------------------------
-
-// For SharedPtr <SharedHandler>
-template <>
-struct ContainerDeletePolicy <SharedHandler>
-{
-    // SharedPtr will use this when
-    // the reference count drops to zero.
-    //
-    inline static void destroy (SharedHandler* handler)
-    {
-        handler->destroy ();
-    }
 };
 
 //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/modules/beast_asio/async/beast_SharedHandlerType.h b/modules/beast_asio/async/beast_SharedHandlerType.h
index 90ffc068e5..5e993ca147 100644
--- a/modules/beast_asio/async/beast_SharedHandlerType.h
+++ b/modules/beast_asio/async/beast_SharedHandlerType.h
@@ -69,9 +69,9 @@ protected:
 #endif
     }
 
-    // Called by our ContainerDeletePolicy hook to destroy the
-    // object. We need this because we allocated it using a custom
-    // allocator. Destruction is tricky, the algorithm is as follows:
+    // Called by SharedObject hook to destroy the object. We need
+    // this because we allocated it using a custom allocator.
+    // Destruction is tricky, the algorithm is as follows:
     //
     // First we move-assign the handler to our stack. If the build
     // doesn't support move-assignment it will be a copy, still ok.
diff --git a/modules/beast_core/memory/SharedObject.h b/modules/beast_core/memory/SharedObject.h
index 68147654df..c2853db0a6 100644
--- a/modules/beast_core/memory/SharedObject.h
+++ b/modules/beast_core/memory/SharedObject.h
@@ -79,20 +79,18 @@ public:
         The return value indicates if the reference count dropped to zero,
         so callers who know the derived type can use the ContainerDeletePolicy.
     */
-    inline bool decReferenceCount (bool doDelete = true) noexcept
+    void decReferenceCount ()
     {
         bassert (getReferenceCount() > 0);
         if (--refCount == 0)
-        {
-            if (doDelete)
-                delete this;
-            return true;
-        }
-        return false;
+            destroy ();
     }
 
     /** Returns the object's current reference count. */
-    inline int getReferenceCount() const noexcept       { return refCount.get(); }
+    inline int getReferenceCount() const noexcept
+    {
+        return refCount.get();
+    }
 
 protected:
     //==============================================================================
@@ -108,6 +106,14 @@ protected:
         bassert (getReferenceCount() == 0);
     }
 
+    /** Destroy the object.
+        Derived classes can override this for different behaviors.
+    */
+    virtual void destroy ()
+    {
+        delete this;
+    }
+
     /** Resets the reference count to zero without deleting the object.
         You should probably never need to use this!
     */
@@ -155,17 +161,11 @@ public:
         The return value indicates if the reference count dropped to zero,
         so callers who know the derived type can use the ContainerDeletePolicy.
     */
-    inline bool decReferenceCount (bool doDelete = true) noexcept
+    inline void decReferenceCount ()
     {
         bassert (getReferenceCount() > 0);
         if (--refCount == 0)
-        {
-            if (doDelete)
-                delete this;
-            else
-                return true;
-        }
-        return false;
+            destroy ();
     }
 
     /** Returns the object's current reference count. */
@@ -184,6 +184,11 @@ protected:
         bassert (getReferenceCount() == 0);
     }
 
+    virtual void destroy ()
+    {
+        delete this;
+    }
+
 private:
     //==============================================================================
     int refCount;
diff --git a/modules/beast_core/memory/SharedPtr.h b/modules/beast_core/memory/SharedPtr.h
index a8e10bbaa3..68333e93c4 100644
--- a/modules/beast_core/memory/SharedPtr.h
+++ b/modules/beast_core/memory/SharedPtr.h
@@ -238,8 +238,7 @@ private:
     static void release (T* t)
     {
         if (t != nullptr)
-            if (t->decReferenceCount (false))
-                ContainerDeletePolicy <T>::destroy (t);
+            t->decReferenceCount ();
     }
 
     // Swap ownership of the currently referenced object.
diff --git a/modules/beast_core/memory/beast_SharedSingleton.h b/modules/beast_core/memory/beast_SharedSingleton.h
index e5eefdc9e6..093976a757 100644
--- a/modules/beast_core/memory/beast_SharedSingleton.h
+++ b/modules/beast_core/memory/beast_SharedSingleton.h
@@ -139,11 +139,10 @@ public:
         ++m_refCount;
     }
 
-    inline bool decReferenceCount (bool = false) noexcept
+    inline void decReferenceCount () noexcept
     {
         if (--m_refCount == 0)
             destroySingleton ();
-        return false;
     }
 
     // Caller must synchronize.