diff --git a/v8_cxt.cpp b/v8_cxt.cpp
index ad67cac..20597bb 100644
--- a/v8_cxt.cpp
+++ b/v8_cxt.cpp
@@ -5,12 +5,8 @@
 
 using namespace v8;
 
-v8_cxt::v8_cxt()  {
-  // v8_cxt::v8_cxt() {    
-    handle = Context::New();
-    printf("Allocate Native V8 Context\n");  
-  }
-
+v8_cxt::v8_cxt() : v8_ref<Context>(Context::New()) {
+  printf("Allocate Native V8 Context\n");
 }
 
 VALUE v8_cxt_allocate(VALUE clazz) {
diff --git a/v8_ref.cpp b/v8_ref.cpp
index 77f1745..048106f 100644
--- a/v8_ref.cpp
+++ b/v8_ref.cpp
@@ -2,13 +2,16 @@
 #include "stdio.h"
 using namespace v8;
 
+
 template <class T> v8_ref<T>::v8_ref(Handle<T> object) : handle(*object) {
-  printf("Allocated v8 reference\n");
+  
 }
 
 template <class T> v8_ref<T>::~v8_ref() {  
   printf("Disposing of v8 reference\n");
-  handle.Dispose();
+  if (!handle.IsEmpty()) {
+    handle.Dispose();
+  }
 }
 
 void v8_ref_mark(v8_ref_data* ref) {
diff --git a/v8_ref.h b/v8_ref.h
index 895889d..ce4b25e 100644
--- a/v8_ref.h
+++ b/v8_ref.h
@@ -3,12 +3,20 @@
 
 #include <v8.h>
 
+//this is a non-template superclass so that the mark() and free() functions
+//don't need to be templatized. Not sure if this is valid... are
+// class destructors virtual?
+
 class v8_ref_data {
   
 };
 
+//the v8_ref wraps a v8 handle so that ruby can hold a reference to it.
+
 template <class T> class v8_ref : v8_ref_data {
 public:
+  //takes a handle object and adds a new persistent handle for 
+  //the referenced object.
   v8_ref(v8::Handle<T> object);
   ~v8_ref();
 private: