diff --git a/Examples/test-suite/python/refcount_runme.py b/Examples/test-suite/python/refcount_runme.py
index d7c708774..b429404e7 100644
--- a/Examples/test-suite/python/refcount_runme.py
+++ b/Examples/test-suite/python/refcount_runme.py
@@ -13,3 +13,20 @@ if a.ref_count() != 3:
   print "This program will crash... now"
 
 
+rca = b2.get_rca()
+b3 = B.create(rca)
+
+if a.ref_count() != 5:
+  print "This program will crash... now"
+
+
+v = vector_A(2)
+v[0] = a
+v[1] = a
+
+x = v[0]
+del v
+
+
+
+
diff --git a/Examples/test-suite/refcount.i b/Examples/test-suite/refcount.i
index 33c27c20b..5dfd951d3 100644
--- a/Examples/test-suite/refcount.i
+++ b/Examples/test-suite/refcount.i
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 %module refcount
 
-%warnfilter(362);
+%warnfilter(SWIGWARN_IGNORE_OPERATOR_EQ,SWIGWARN_LANG_IDENTIFIER);
 
 %{ 
 #include <iostream> 
@@ -20,6 +20,8 @@
 %newobject B::create(A* a);
 %newobject B::cloner();
 
+
+ 
 %inline %{
 
   struct A : RCObj
@@ -50,6 +52,15 @@
   struct A3 : A1, private A2
   {    
   };
+
+%}
+
+#ifdef SWIGPYTHON
+%extend_smart_pointer(RCPtr<A>);
+%template(RCPtr_A) RCPtr<A>;
+#endif
+
+%inline %{
   
   struct B : RCObj
   {
@@ -75,8 +86,19 @@
       // std::cout << "deleting b" << std::endl;
     }
 
+    RCPtr<A> get_rca() {
+      return _a;      
+    }
+
   private:
     RCPtr<A> _a;
   };
 
 %}
+
+#ifdef SWIGPYTHON
+
+%include <std_vector.i>
+%template(vector_A) std::vector<RCPtr<A> >;
+
+#endif
diff --git a/Lib/python/pytypemaps.swg b/Lib/python/pytypemaps.swg
index 58dc067ab..79db179d9 100644
--- a/Lib/python/pytypemaps.swg
+++ b/Lib/python/pytypemaps.swg
@@ -91,6 +91,26 @@
 %typemap(constcode) SWIGTYPE ((*)(ANY)) "";
 
 
+/* Smart Pointers */
+%typemap(out,noblock=1) const SWIGTYPE & SMARTPOINTER  {
+  $result = SWIG_NewPointerObj(%new_copy(*$1, $*ltype), $descriptor, SWIG_POINTER_OWN | %newpointer_flags);
+}
 
+%typemap(ret,noblock=1) const SWIGTYPE & SMARTPOINTER, SWIGTYPE SMARTPOINTER {
+  if ($result) {
+    PyObject *robj = PyObject_CallMethod($result, "__deref__", NULL);
+    if (robj && !PyErr_Occurred()) {
+      PySwigObject_append((PyObject *) SWIG_Python_GetSwigThis($result), 
+			  (PyObject *) SWIG_Python_GetSwigThis(robj));
+      Py_DECREF(robj);
+    }
+  }
+}
 
+/* Use this macro to extend the smart pointer support */
+%define %extend_smart_pointer(Type...)
+%implicitconv Type;
+%apply const SWIGTYPE& SMARTPOINTER { const Type& };
+%apply SWIGTYPE SMARTPOINTER { Type };
+%enddef