diff --git a/include/crow/routing.h b/include/crow/routing.h
index 279753060..18bd7cf2b 100644
--- a/include/crow/routing.h
+++ b/include/crow/routing.h
@@ -1710,7 +1710,7 @@ namespace crow // NOTE: Already documented in "crow/app.h"
 
             try
             {
-                auto& rule = rules[rule_index];
+                BaseRule& rule = *rules[rule_index];
                 handle_rule<App>(rule, req, res, found.r_params);
             }
             catch (...)
@@ -1723,13 +1723,13 @@ namespace crow // NOTE: Already documented in "crow/app.h"
 
         template<typename App>
         typename std::enable_if<std::tuple_size<typename App::mw_container_t>::value != 0, void>::type
-          handle_rule(BaseRule* rule, crow::request& req, crow::response& res, const crow::routing_params& rp)
+          handle_rule(BaseRule& rule, crow::request& req, crow::response& res, const crow::routing_params& rp)
         {
-            if (!rule->mw_indices_.empty())
+            if (!rule.mw_indices_.empty())
             {
                 auto& ctx = *reinterpret_cast<typename App::context_t*>(req.middleware_context);
                 auto& container = *reinterpret_cast<typename App::mw_container_t*>(req.middleware_container);
-                detail::middleware_call_criteria_dynamic<false> crit_fwd(rule->mw_indices_.indices());
+                detail::middleware_call_criteria_dynamic<false> crit_fwd(rule.mw_indices_.indices());
 
                 auto glob_completion_handler = std::move(res.complete_request_handler_);
                 res.complete_request_handler_ = [] {};
@@ -1744,7 +1744,7 @@ namespace crow // NOTE: Already documented in "crow/app.h"
                 }
 
                 res.complete_request_handler_ = [&rule, &ctx, &container, &req, &res, glob_completion_handler] {
-                    detail::middleware_call_criteria_dynamic<true> crit_bwd(rule->mw_indices_.indices());
+                    detail::middleware_call_criteria_dynamic<true> crit_bwd(rule.mw_indices_.indices());
 
                     detail::after_handlers_call_helper<
                       decltype(crit_bwd),
@@ -1754,14 +1754,14 @@ namespace crow // NOTE: Already documented in "crow/app.h"
                     glob_completion_handler();
                 };
             }
-            rule->handle(req, res, rp);
+            rule.handle(req, res, rp);
         }
 
         template<typename App>
         typename std::enable_if<std::tuple_size<typename App::mw_container_t>::value == 0, void>::type
-          handle_rule(BaseRule* rule, crow::request& req, crow::response& res, const crow::routing_params& rp)
+          handle_rule(BaseRule& rule, crow::request& req, crow::response& res, const crow::routing_params& rp)
         {
-            rule->handle(req, res, rp);
+            rule.handle(req, res, rp);
         }
 
         void debug_print()