diff --git a/include/fc/thread/future.hpp b/include/fc/thread/future.hpp
index a6937c6..0adc69a 100644
--- a/include/fc/thread/future.hpp
+++ b/include/fc/thread/future.hpp
@@ -72,6 +72,7 @@ namespace fc {
 
       void set_exception( const fc::exception_ptr& e );
 
+      // HERE BE DRAGONS
       void retain();
       void release();
 
diff --git a/include/fc/thread/parallel.hpp b/include/fc/thread/parallel.hpp
index f66e1c6..433dfbf 100644
--- a/include/fc/thread/parallel.hpp
+++ b/include/fc/thread/parallel.hpp
@@ -99,6 +99,7 @@ namespace fc {
       typedef typename fc::deduce<Functor>::type FunctorType;
       typename task<Result,sizeof(FunctorType)>::ptr tsk =
          task<Result,sizeof(FunctorType)>::create( fc::forward<Functor>(f), desc );
+      tsk->retain(); // HERE BE DRAFONS
       fc::future<Result> r( std::dynamic_pointer_cast< promise<Result> >(tsk) );
       detail::get_worker_pool().post( tsk.get() );
       return r;
diff --git a/include/fc/thread/thread.hpp b/include/fc/thread/thread.hpp
index 5c08b71..a01dc20 100644
--- a/include/fc/thread/thread.hpp
+++ b/include/fc/thread/thread.hpp
@@ -89,6 +89,7 @@ namespace fc {
          typedef typename fc::deduce<Functor>::type FunctorType;
          typename task<Result,sizeof(FunctorType)>::ptr tsk = 
               task<Result,sizeof(FunctorType)>::create( fc::forward<Functor>(f), desc );
+         tsk->retain(); // HERE BE DRAFONS
          fc::future<Result> r( std::dynamic_pointer_cast< promise<Result> >(tsk) );
          async_task(tsk.get(),prio);
          return r;
@@ -111,6 +112,7 @@ namespace fc {
          typedef decltype(f()) Result;
          typename task<Result,sizeof(Functor)>::ptr tsk = 
               task<Result,sizeof(Functor)>::create( fc::forward<Functor>(f), desc );
+         tsk->retain(); // HERE BE DRAFONS
          fc::future<Result> r( std::dynamic_pointer_cast< promise<Result> >(tsk) );
          async_task(tsk.get(),prio,when);
          return r;