diff --git a/src/background.c b/src/background.c
index 8cc75370..ff6667c2 100644
--- a/src/background.c
+++ b/src/background.c
@@ -99,8 +99,13 @@ void background_draw(struct background* background, CGContextRef context) {
   draw_rect(context, background->bounds, &background->color, background->corner_radius, background->border_width, &background->border_color, false);
 }
 
+void background_clear_pointers(struct background* background) {
+  image_clear_pointers(&background->image);
+}
+
 void background_destroy(struct background* background) {
   image_destroy(&background->image);
+  background_clear_pointers(background);
 }
 
 static bool background_parse_sub_domain(struct background* background, FILE* rsp, struct token property, char* message) {
diff --git a/src/background.h b/src/background.h
index c00233ad..8d3d1193 100644
--- a/src/background.h
+++ b/src/background.h
@@ -29,6 +29,9 @@ bool background_set_padding_right(struct background* background, uint32_t pad);
 void background_calculate_bounds(struct background* background, uint32_t x, uint32_t y);
 void background_draw(struct background* background, CGContextRef context);
 
+void background_clear_pointers(struct background* background);
+void background_destroy(struct background* background);
+
 static bool background_parse_sub_domain(struct background* background, FILE* rsp, struct token property, char* message);
 
 #endif // !BACKGROUND_H
diff --git a/src/bar_item.c b/src/bar_item.c
index 2c155b76..cf50274d 100644
--- a/src/bar_item.c
+++ b/src/bar_item.c
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ void bar_item_clear_pointers(struct bar_item* bar_item) {
   bar_item->signal_args.env_vars.count = 0;
   text_clear_pointers(&bar_item->icon);
   text_clear_pointers(&bar_item->label);
+  background_clear_pointers(&bar_item->background);
 }
 
 void bar_item_inherit_from_item(struct bar_item* bar_item, struct bar_item* ancestor) {
@@ -52,6 +53,10 @@ void bar_item_inherit_from_item(struct bar_item* bar_item, struct bar_item* ance
   bar_item_set_script(bar_item, string_copy(ancestor->script));
   bar_item_set_click_script(bar_item, string_copy(ancestor->click_script));
 
+  image_copy(&bar_item->background.image, ancestor->background.image.image_ref);
+  image_copy(&bar_item->icon.background.image, ancestor->icon.background.image.image_ref);
+  image_copy(&bar_item->label.background.image, ancestor->label.background.image.image_ref);
+
   if (bar_item->type == BAR_COMPONENT_SPACE) {
     env_vars_set(&bar_item->signal_args.env_vars, string_copy("SELECTED"), string_copy("false"));
     env_vars_set(&bar_item->signal_args.env_vars, string_copy("SID"), string_copy(env_vars_get_value_for_key(&ancestor->signal_args.env_vars, "DID")));
diff --git a/src/image.c b/src/image.c
index ca4b804e..1acf2236 100644
--- a/src/image.c
+++ b/src/image.c
@@ -63,6 +63,10 @@ bool image_data_equals(struct image* image, CFDataRef new_data_ref) {
   return equals;
 }
 
+void image_copy(struct image* image, CGImageRef source) {
+  if (source) image->image_ref = CGImageCreateCopy(source);
+}
+
 bool image_set_image(struct image* image, CGImageRef new_image_ref, CGRect bounds, bool forced) {
   CFDataRef new_data_ref = CGDataProviderCopyData(CGImageGetDataProvider(new_image_ref));
 
@@ -100,9 +104,15 @@ void image_draw(struct image* image, CGContextRef context) {
   CGContextDrawImage(context, image->bounds, image->image_ref);
 }
 
+void image_clear_pointers(struct image* image) {
+  image->image_ref = NULL;
+  image->data_ref = NULL;
+}
+
 void image_destroy(struct image* image) {
   CGImageRelease(image->image_ref);
   if (image->data_ref) CFRelease(image->data_ref);
+  image_clear_pointers(image);
 }
 
 static bool image_parse_sub_domain(struct image* image, FILE* rsp, struct token property, char* message) {
diff --git a/src/image.h b/src/image.h
index a2aa48ad..99dc68ef 100644
--- a/src/image.h
+++ b/src/image.h
@@ -15,10 +15,13 @@ struct image {
 void image_init(struct image* image);
 bool image_set_enabled(struct image* image, bool enabled);
 bool image_data_equals(struct image* image, CFDataRef new_data_ref);
+void image_copy(struct image* image, CGImageRef source);
 bool image_set_image(struct image* image, CGImageRef new_image_ref, CGRect bounds, bool forced);
 bool image_load(struct image* image, char* path, FILE* rsp);
 void image_calculate_bounds(struct image* image, uint32_t x, uint32_t y);
 void image_draw(struct image* image, CGContextRef context);
+
+void image_clear_pointers(struct image* image);
 void image_destroy(struct image* image);
 
 #endif
diff --git a/src/text.c b/src/text.c
index 1f215dce..cc74c830 100644
--- a/src/text.c
+++ b/src/text.c
@@ -112,6 +112,7 @@ void text_clear_pointers(struct text* text) {
   text->font_name = NULL;
   text->font = NULL;
   text->line.line = NULL;
+  background_clear_pointers(&text->background);
 }
 
 uint32_t text_get_length(struct text* text, bool override) {