diff --git a/include/libbase/plist/model.h b/include/libbase/plist/model.h
index 5765214..844bb09 100644
--- a/include/libbase/plist/model.h
+++ b/include/libbase/plist/model.h
@@ -226,6 +226,13 @@ bspl_object_t *bspl_array_at(
 
 /* -- Static & inlined methods: Convenience wrappers ----------------------- */
 
+/** Gets a reference to `string_ptr`. */
+static inline bspl_string_t *bspl_string_ref(bspl_string_t *string_ptr)
+{
+    return bspl_string_from_object(
+        bspl_object_ref(bspl_object_from_string(string_ptr)));
+}
+
 /** Unreferences the string. Wraps to @ref bspl_object_unref. */
 static inline void bspl_string_unref(bspl_string_t *string_ptr)
 {
@@ -263,6 +270,12 @@ static inline const char *bspl_dict_get_string_value(
         bspl_string_from_object(bspl_dict_get(dict_ptr, key_ptr)));
 }
 
+/** Gets a reference to `array_ptr`. */
+static inline bspl_array_t *bspl_array_ref(bspl_array_t *array_ptr)
+{
+    return bspl_array_from_object(
+        bspl_object_ref(bspl_object_from_array(array_ptr)));
+}
 /** Unreferences the array. Wraps to @ref bspl_object_unref. */
 static inline void bspl_array_unref(bspl_array_t *array_ptr) {
     bspl_object_unref(bspl_object_from_array(array_ptr));
diff --git a/src/plist/model.c b/src/plist/model.c
index df2d4ff..1abcbfa 100644
--- a/src/plist/model.c
+++ b/src/plist/model.c
@@ -143,6 +143,7 @@ static void _bspl_dict_item_node_destroy(
 /* ------------------------------------------------------------------------- */
 bspl_object_t *bspl_object_ref(bspl_object_t *object_ptr)
 {
+    if (NULL == object_ptr) return NULL;
     ++object_ptr->references;
     return object_ptr;
 }
@@ -794,6 +795,7 @@ void test_string(bs_test_t *test_ptr)
     bspl_string_t *string_ptr;
 
     BS_TEST_VERIFY_EQ(test_ptr, NULL, bspl_string_create(NULL));
+    BS_TEST_VERIFY_EQ(test_ptr, NULL, bspl_string_ref(NULL));
 
     string_ptr = bspl_string_create("a test");
     BS_TEST_VERIFY_NEQ(test_ptr, NULL, string_ptr);
@@ -827,6 +829,8 @@ void test_string(bs_test_t *test_ptr)
 /** Tests the bspl_dict_t methods. */
 void test_dict(bs_test_t *test_ptr)
 {
+    BS_TEST_VERIFY_EQ(test_ptr, NULL, bspl_dict_ref(NULL));
+
     bspl_dict_t *dict_ptr = bspl_dict_create();
 
     bspl_object_t *obj0_ptr = BS_ASSERT_NOTNULL(
@@ -875,6 +879,8 @@ void test_dict(bs_test_t *test_ptr)
 /** Tests the bspl_array_t methods. */
 void test_array(bs_test_t *test_ptr)
 {
+    BS_TEST_VERIFY_EQ(test_ptr, NULL, bspl_array_ref(NULL));
+
     bspl_array_t *array_ptr = bspl_array_create();
 
     bspl_object_t *obj0_ptr = BS_ASSERT_NOTNULL(