diff --git a/Qt_EQL/tutorial/main.cpp b/Qt_EQL/tutorial/main.cpp
index 62ddd92..c41b356 100644
--- a/Qt_EQL/tutorial/main.cpp
+++ b/Qt_EQL/tutorial/main.cpp
@@ -23,9 +23,9 @@ int main(int argc, char* argv[]) {
 
     EQL::addObject(new Test(main), "*test*", true); // 'define-qt-wrappers'
 
-    EQL::eval("(load \"test.lisp\")");   // will start a REPL
-    app.processEvents();                 // needed for 'qlater' in 'test.lisp'
+    EQL::eval("(load \"test.lisp\")"); // will start a REPL
+    app.processEvents();               // needed for 'qlater' in 'test.lisp'
 
-    return 0;                            // no 'app.exec()' because of REPL
+    return 0;                          // no 'app.exec()' because of REPL
 }
 
diff --git a/Qt_EQL/tutorial/test.h b/Qt_EQL/tutorial/test.h
index 773a17a..fdac7a3 100644
--- a/Qt_EQL/tutorial/test.h
+++ b/Qt_EQL/tutorial/test.h
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ public Q_SLOTS:
     // pointers, of course), as you'll find in any Qt example code
     QString concat(const QStringList&);
 
-    // pass Lisp data ('cl_object' is just a pointer)
+    // pass Lisp data ('cl_object' is just a word hosting e.g. a pointer)
     void processData(cl_object);
 
     // call back to Lisp
diff --git a/src/ecl_fun.cpp b/src/ecl_fun.cpp
index 41b7e37..faa109e 100644
--- a/src/ecl_fun.cpp
+++ b/src/ecl_fun.cpp
@@ -126,6 +126,8 @@ void iniCLFunctions() {
         cl_make_package(1, eql); }
     si_select_package(eql);
     DEFUN ("%error-msg",             error_msg2,            2)
+    DEFUN ("%finalize",              finalize2,             1)
+    DEFUN ("%finalize-and-delete",   finalize_and_delete2,  1)
     DEFUN ("%make-qimage/dangerous", make_qimage_dangerous, 5)
     DEFUN ("no-qexec",               no_qexec,              0)
     DEFUN ("qadd-event-filter",      qadd_event_filter,     3)
@@ -695,6 +697,9 @@ QtObject toQtObject(cl_object l_obj, cl_object l_cast, bool* qobject_align, bool
 
 static cl_object new_qt_object(void* pointer, uint unique, int id, bool finalize = false) {
     STATIC_SYMBOL_PKG (s_new_qt_object, "NEW-QT-OBJECT", "EQL")
+    QPointer<QObject>* safePointer = 0;
+    if((id > 0) && pointer) { // QObject
+        safePointer = new QPointer<QObject>((QObject*)pointer); }
     cl_object l_qt_object = cl_funcall(5,
                                        s_new_qt_object,
                                        ecl_make_unsigned_integer((quintptr)pointer),
diff --git a/src/ecl_fun.h b/src/ecl_fun.h
index 18fa2c6..9f16c0e 100644
--- a/src/ecl_fun.h
+++ b/src/ecl_fun.h
@@ -242,6 +242,8 @@ class QObject;
 class QEvent;
 
 cl_object error_msg2            (cl_object, cl_object);
+cl_object finalize2             (cl_object);
+cl_object finalize_and_delete2  (cl_object);
 cl_object make_qimage_dangerous (cl_object, cl_object, cl_object, cl_object, cl_object);
 cl_object no_qexec              ();
 cl_object qadd_event_filter     (cl_object, cl_object, cl_object);
@@ -299,10 +301,11 @@ cl_object set_shutdown_p        (cl_object);
 
 struct EQL_EXPORT QtObject {
     void* pointer;
+    QPointer<QObject>* safe_pointer;
     uint unique;
     int id;
 
-    QtObject() : pointer(0), unique(0), id(0) {}
+    QtObject() : pointer(nullptr), safe_pointer(nullptr), unique(0), id(0) {}
 
     bool isQObject() const { return (id > 0); }
     bool isStatic() const { return !pointer; }
diff --git a/src/lisp/ini.lisp b/src/lisp/ini.lisp
index ddc4d55..81bc8f8 100644
--- a/src/lisp/ini.lisp
+++ b/src/lisp/ini.lisp
@@ -391,8 +391,7 @@
 
 (defun new-qt-object (pointer unique id finalize)
   (let ((obj (qt-object pointer unique id finalize)))
-    (when finalize
-      (ext:set-finalizer obj 'qdelete))
+    (ext:set-finalizer obj (if finalize '%finalize-and-delete '%finalize))
     obj))
 
 (defmethod print-object ((object qt-object) s)
diff --git a/src/lisp/qml.lisp b/src/lisp/qml.lisp
index 562b02a..5703894 100644
--- a/src/lisp/qml.lisp
+++ b/src/lisp/qml.lisp
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@
     (|rootContext| *quick-view*)))
 
 (defun find-quick-item (object-name)
-  "Finds the first QQuickItem matching OBJECT-NAME. Locally define *ROOT-ITEM* if you want to find items inside a specific item, like in a QML Repeater. See also note in sources."
+  "Finds the first QQuickItem matching OBJECT-NAME. You may set *ROOT-ITEM* if you want to find items inside a specific item, like in a QML Repeater. See also note in sources."
   ;;
   ;; when to use *ROOT-ITEM*
   ;;
@@ -91,10 +91,14 @@
   ;; inside the Repeater (note QRUN* which is needed because of the special
   ;; variable and threads):
   ;;
-  ;; (qrun* (let ((qml:*root-item* (q! |itemAt| ui:*repeater* 0)))
-  ;;          ;; everything we do here will only affect children of the first
-  ;;          ;; item in ui:*repeater* (see index 0 above)
-  ;;          (q< |text| ui:*edit*)))
+  ;; (setf qml:*root-item* (q! |itemAt| ui:*repeater* 0)) ; (1) set
+  ;; ;; everything we do here will only affect children of the first
+  ;; ;; item in ui:*repeater* (see index 0 above)
+  ;; (q< |text| ui:*edit*)
+  ;; (setf qml:*root-item* nil)                           ; (2) reset
+  ;;
+  ;; N.B. we need SETF here because of the global variable and threads (because
+  ;;      QRUN* is used internally here)
   ;;
   (let ((parent (or *root-item* (root-item))))
     (unless (qnull parent)