diff --git a/offloading-cacher/cache.hpp b/offloading-cacher/cache.hpp
index c461f2f..a58bc0e 100644
--- a/offloading-cacher/cache.hpp
+++ b/offloading-cacher/cache.hpp
@@ -39,6 +39,8 @@ namespace dml {
 }
 
 namespace dsacache {
+    class Cache;
+
     /*
      * Class Description:
      * Holds all required information on one cache entry and is used
@@ -72,6 +74,11 @@ namespace dsacache {
         using dml_handler = dml::handler<dml::mem_copy_operation, std::allocator<uint8_t>>;
 
     private:
+        static constexpr uint64_t maxptr = 0xffff'ffff'ffff'ffff;
+
+        // set to false if we do not own the cache pointer
+        bool delete_ = false;
+
         // data source and size of the block
         uint8_t* src_;
         size_t size_;
@@ -84,7 +91,7 @@ namespace dsacache {
 
         // object-local incomplete cache location pointer
         // contract: only access when being in sole posession of handlers
-        uint8_t* incomplete_cache_;
+        uint8_t** incomplete_cache_;
 
         // dml handler vector pointer which is used
         // to wait on caching task completion
@@ -94,6 +101,17 @@ namespace dsacache {
         // and invalidates it
         void Deallocate();
 
+        size_t GetSize() const { return size_; }
+        uint8_t* GetSource() const { return src_; }
+        int32_t GetRefCount() const { return active_->load(); }
+        void SetTaskHandlersAndCache(uint8_t* cache, std::vector<dml_handler>* handlers);
+
+        // initializes the class after which it is thread safe
+        // but may only be destroyed safely after setting handlers
+        void Init();
+
+        friend Cache;
+
     public:
         CacheData(uint8_t* data, const size_t size);
         CacheData(const CacheData& other);
@@ -108,13 +126,7 @@ namespace dsacache {
         // instance which is valid as long as the
         // instance is alive - !!! this may also
         // yield a nullptr !!!
-
-        void SetTaskHanldersAndCache(uint8_t* cache, std::vector<dml_handler>* handlers);
-
         uint8_t* GetDataLocation() const { return cache_->load(); }
-        size_t GetSize() const { return size_; }
-        uint8_t* GetSource() const { return src_; }
-        int32_t GetRefCount() const { return active_->load(); }
     };
 
     /*
@@ -341,6 +353,12 @@ inline std::unique_ptr<dsacache::CacheData> dsacache::Cache::Access(uint8_t* dat
             std::cout << "[!] Found another cache instance for 0x" << std::hex << (uint64_t)task->GetSource() << std::dec << std::endl;
             return std::move(std::make_unique<CacheData>(state.first->second));
         }
+
+        // initialize the task now for thread safety
+        // as we are now sure that we will submit work
+        // to it and will not delete it beforehand
+
+        task->Init();
     }
 
     SubmitTask(task.get(), dst_node, src_node);
@@ -426,7 +444,7 @@ inline void dsacache::Cache::SubmitTask(CacheData* task, const int dst_node, con
         handlers->emplace_back(ExecuteCopy(local_src, local_dst, local_size, executing_nodes[i]));
     }
 
-    task->SetTaskHanldersAndCache(dst, handlers);
+    task->SetTaskHandlersAndCache(dst, handlers);
 
     // restore the previous nodemask
 
@@ -581,10 +599,11 @@ inline dsacache::Cache::~Cache() {
 inline dsacache::CacheData::CacheData(uint8_t* data, const size_t size) {
     src_ = data;
     size_ = size;
+    delete_ = false;
     active_ = new std::atomic<int32_t>(1);
-    cache_ = new std::atomic<uint8_t*>();
+    cache_ = new std::atomic<uint8_t*>(data);
     handlers_ = new std::atomic<std::vector<dml_handler>*>();
-    incomplete_cache_ = nullptr;
+    incomplete_cache_ = new uint8_t*(nullptr);
 }
 
 inline dsacache::CacheData::CacheData(const dsacache::CacheData& other) {
@@ -612,7 +631,7 @@ inline dsacache::CacheData::~CacheData() {
     // then we must execute proper deletion
     // as this was the last reference
 
-    if (v <= 0) {
+    if (v == 0) {
         // on deletion we must ensure that all offloaded
         // operations have completed successfully
 
@@ -625,6 +644,7 @@ inline dsacache::CacheData::~CacheData() {
         delete active_;
         delete cache_;
         delete handlers_;
+        delete incomplete_cache_;
     }
 }
 
@@ -636,8 +656,8 @@ inline void dsacache::CacheData::Deallocate() {
     // takes place for the retrieved local cache
 
     uint8_t* cache_local = cache_->exchange(nullptr);
-    if (cache_local != nullptr) numa_free(cache_local, size_);
-    else if (incomplete_cache_ != nullptr) numa_free(incomplete_cache_, size_);
+    if (cache_local != nullptr && delete_) numa_free(cache_local, size_);
+    else if (*incomplete_cache_ != nullptr) numa_free(*incomplete_cache_, size_);
     else;
 }
 
@@ -655,15 +675,17 @@ inline void dsacache::CacheData::WaitOnCompletion() {
 
     // exchange the global handlers pointer with nullptr to have a local
     // copy - this signals that this thread is the sole owner and therefore
-    // responsible for waiting for them
+    // responsible for waiting for them. we can not set to nullptr here but
+    // set to maximum of 64-bit in order to prevent deadlocks from the above
+    // waiting construct
 
-    std::vector<dml_handler>* local_handlers = handlers_->exchange(nullptr);
+    std::vector<dml_handler>* local_handlers = handlers_->exchange(reinterpret_cast<std::vector<dml_handler>*>(maxptr));
 
     // ensure that no other thread snatched the handlers before us
     // and in case one did, wait again and then return
 
-    if (local_handlers == nullptr) {
-        WaitOnCompletion();
+    if (local_handlers == nullptr || local_handlers == reinterpret_cast<std::vector<dml_handler>*>(maxptr)) {
+        cache_->wait(nullptr);
         return;
     }
 
@@ -693,10 +715,12 @@ inline void dsacache::CacheData::WaitOnCompletion() {
 
     if (error) {
         cache_->store(src_);
-        numa_free(incomplete_cache_, size_);
+        numa_free(*incomplete_cache_, size_);
+        delete_ = false;
+        *incomplete_cache_ = nullptr;
     }
     else {
-        cache_->store(incomplete_cache_);
+        cache_->store(*incomplete_cache_);
     }
 
     // notify all waiting threads so they wake up quickly
@@ -705,8 +729,13 @@ inline void dsacache::CacheData::WaitOnCompletion() {
     handlers_->notify_all();
 }
 
-void dsacache::CacheData::SetTaskHanldersAndCache(uint8_t* cache, std::vector<dml_handler>* handlers) {
-    incomplete_cache_ = cache;
+void dsacache::CacheData::SetTaskHandlersAndCache(uint8_t* cache, std::vector<dml_handler>* handlers) {
+    *incomplete_cache_ = cache;
     handlers_->store(handlers);
     handlers_->notify_one();
 }
+
+void dsacache::CacheData::Init() {
+    cache_->store(nullptr);
+    delete_ = true;
+}