diff --git a/GeneralsMD/Code/GameEngine/Include/GameNetwork/GeneralsOnline/OnlineServices_Init.h b/GeneralsMD/Code/GameEngine/Include/GameNetwork/GeneralsOnline/OnlineServices_Init.h
index 1779a21fba1..c3dd3350ff0 100644
--- a/GeneralsMD/Code/GameEngine/Include/GameNetwork/GeneralsOnline/OnlineServices_Init.h
+++ b/GeneralsMD/Code/GameEngine/Include/GameNetwork/GeneralsOnline/OnlineServices_Init.h
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 #include "NGMP_include.h"
 
 #include <thread>
+#include <memory>
 
 class HTTPManager;
 
@@ -334,7 +335,7 @@ class NGMP_OnlineServicesManager
 		return m_pOnlineServicesManager;
 	}
 
-	static WebSocket* GetWebSocket()
+	static std::shared_ptr<WebSocket> GetWebSocket()
 	{
 		if (m_pOnlineServicesManager != nullptr)
 		{
@@ -417,16 +418,13 @@ class NGMP_OnlineServicesManager
 			m_pHTTPManager = nullptr;
 		}
 
-		if (m_pWebSocket != nullptr)
-		{
-			delete m_pWebSocket;
-			m_pWebSocket = nullptr;
-		}
+		// Reset shared_ptr, which will delete WebSocket only when all references are released
+		m_pWebSocket.reset();
 	}
 
 	void StartVersionCheck(std::function<void(bool bSuccess, bool bNeedsUpdate)> fnCallback);
 
-	WebSocket* Internal_GetWebSocket() const { return m_pWebSocket; }
+	std::shared_ptr<WebSocket> Internal_GetWebSocket() const { return m_pWebSocket; }
 	HTTPManager* GetHTTPManager() const { return m_pHTTPManager; }
 
 	void CancelUpdate();
@@ -500,7 +498,7 @@ class NGMP_OnlineServicesManager
 
 	HTTPManager* m_pHTTPManager = nullptr;
 
-	WebSocket* m_pWebSocket = nullptr;
+	std::shared_ptr<WebSocket> m_pWebSocket;
 
 	std::string m_strMOTD;
 
diff --git a/GeneralsMD/Code/GameEngine/Source/GameNetwork/GeneralsOnline/NetworkMesh.cpp b/GeneralsMD/Code/GameEngine/Source/GameNetwork/GeneralsOnline/NetworkMesh.cpp
index 75934582ead..420ffdeca90 100644
--- a/GeneralsMD/Code/GameEngine/Source/GameNetwork/GeneralsOnline/NetworkMesh.cpp
+++ b/GeneralsMD/Code/GameEngine/Source/GameNetwork/GeneralsOnline/NetworkMesh.cpp
@@ -85,8 +85,8 @@ void OnSteamNetConnectionStatusChanged(SteamNetConnectionStatusChangedCallback_t
 				if (bShouldRetry)
 				{
 					NetworkLog(ELogVerbosity::LOG_RELEASE, "[STEAM NETWORKING][DISCONNECT HANDLER] Retrying...");
-					WebSocket* pWS = NGMP_OnlineServicesManager::GetWebSocket();
-					if (pWS != nullptr)
+					std::shared_ptr<WebSocket> pWS = NGMP_OnlineServicesManager::GetWebSocket();
+					if (pWS)
 					{
 						NGMP_OnlineServices_AuthInterface* pAuthInterface = NGMP_OnlineServicesManager::GetInterface<NGMP_OnlineServices_AuthInterface>();
 						NGMP_OnlineServices_LobbyInterface* pLobbyInterface = NGMP_OnlineServicesManager::GetInterface<NGMP_OnlineServices_LobbyInterface>();
@@ -369,8 +369,8 @@ class CSignalingClient : public ISignalingClient
 	// Send the signal.
 	void Send(int64_t target_user_id, std::vector<uint8_t>& vecPayload)
 	{
-		WebSocket* pWS = NGMP_OnlineServicesManager::GetWebSocket();
-		if (pWS != nullptr)
+		std::shared_ptr<WebSocket> pWS = NGMP_OnlineServicesManager::GetWebSocket();
+		if (pWS)
 		{
 			if (!pWS->AcquireLock())
 			{
@@ -425,8 +425,8 @@ class CSignalingClient : public ISignalingClient
 
 	virtual void Poll() override
 	{
-		WebSocket* pWS = NGMP_OnlineServicesManager::GetWebSocket();
-		if (pWS != nullptr)
+		std::shared_ptr<WebSocket> pWS = NGMP_OnlineServicesManager::GetWebSocket();
+		if (pWS)
 		{
 			if (!pWS->AcquireLock())
 			{
diff --git a/GeneralsMD/Code/GameEngine/Source/GameNetwork/GeneralsOnline/OnlineServices_Init.cpp b/GeneralsMD/Code/GameEngine/Source/GameNetwork/GeneralsOnline/OnlineServices_Init.cpp
index 247bd629e76..9a35281a125 100644
--- a/GeneralsMD/Code/GameEngine/Source/GameNetwork/GeneralsOnline/OnlineServices_Init.cpp
+++ b/GeneralsMD/Code/GameEngine/Source/GameNetwork/GeneralsOnline/OnlineServices_Init.cpp
@@ -261,19 +261,11 @@ void NGMP_OnlineServicesManager::WaitForScreenshotThreads()
 	NetworkLog(ELogVerbosity::LOG_RELEASE, "[NGMP] All screenshot threads completed");
 }
 
-void NGMP_OnlineServicesManager::Shutdown()
-{
-	NetworkLog(ELogVerbosity::LOG_RELEASE, "[NGMP] OnlineServicesManager shutdown initiated");
-	
-	// CRITICAL: Wait for all screenshot threads to complete first
-	// This prevents threads from accessing destroyed objects
-	WaitForScreenshotThreads();
-	
-	// Now shutdown network components in safe order
-	// Shutdown WebSocket first to stop incoming messages
-	if (m_pWebSocket != nullptr)
+	if (m_pWebSocket)
 	{
 		m_pWebSocket->Shutdown();
+		// Reset shared_ptr, which will delete WebSocket only when all references are released
+		m_pWebSocket.reset();
 	}
 
 	// Then shutdown HTTP manager to complete any pending requests
@@ -661,7 +653,7 @@ void NGMP_OnlineServicesManager::OnLogin(bool bSuccess, const char* szWSAddr)
 	{
 		// connect to WS
 		// TODO_NGMP: Handle WS conn failure
-		m_pWebSocket = new WebSocket();
+		m_pWebSocket = std::make_shared<WebSocket>();
 
 		m_pWebSocket->Connect(szWSAddr);