diff --git a/src/rcu.h b/src/rcu.h
index 0c40fabbb..832797565 100644
--- a/src/rcu.h
+++ b/src/rcu.h
@@ -1,163 +1,206 @@
 // Copyright (c) 2018 The Bitcoin developers
 // Distributed under the MIT software license, see the accompanying
 // file COPYING or http://www.opensource.org/licenses/mit-license.php.
 
 #ifndef BITCOIN_RCU_H
 #define BITCOIN_RCU_H
 
 #include <boost/noncopyable.hpp>
 
 #include <atomic>
 #include <cassert>
 #include <cstdint>
 #include <functional>
 #include <map>
 #include <type_traits>
 #include <utility>
 
 class RCUInfos;
 class RCUReadLock;
 
 class RCUInfos {
     std::atomic<uint64_t> state;
     std::atomic<RCUInfos *> next;
 
     std::map<uint64_t, std::function<void()>> cleanups;
 
     // The largest revision possible means unlocked.
     static const uint64_t UNLOCKED = -uint64_t(1);
 
     RCUInfos();
     ~RCUInfos();
 
     void readLock() {
         assert(!isLocked());
         state.store(revision.load());
     }
 
     void readFree() {
         assert(isLocked());
         state.store(UNLOCKED);
     }
 
     bool isLocked() const { return state.load() != UNLOCKED; }
     void registerCleanup(const std::function<void()> &f) {
         cleanups.emplace(++revision, f);
     }
 
     void synchronize();
     void runCleanups();
     uint64_t hasSyncedTo(uint64_t cutoff = UNLOCKED);
 
     friend class RCULock;
     friend struct RCUTest;
 
     static std::atomic<uint64_t> revision;
     static thread_local RCUInfos infos;
 };
 
 class RCULock : public boost::noncopyable {
     RCUInfos *infos;
 
     RCULock(RCUInfos *infosIn) : infos(infosIn) { infos->readLock(); }
     friend class RCUInfos;
 
 public:
     RCULock() : RCULock(&RCUInfos::infos) {}
     ~RCULock() { infos->readFree(); }
 
     static bool isLocked() { return RCUInfos::infos.isLocked(); }
     static void registerCleanup(const std::function<void()> &f) {
         RCUInfos::infos.registerCleanup(f);
     }
 
     static void synchronize() { RCUInfos::infos.synchronize(); }
 };
 
 template <typename T> class RCUPtr {
     T *ptr;
 
+    // Private construction, so factories have to be used.
+    explicit RCUPtr(T *ptrIn) : ptr(ptrIn) {}
+
 public:
     RCUPtr() : ptr(nullptr) {}
-    explicit RCUPtr(T *ptrIn) : ptr(ptrIn) {}
 
     ~RCUPtr() {
         if (ptr != nullptr) {
             ptr->release();
         }
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Acquire ownership of some pointer.
+     */
+    static RCUPtr acquire(T *&ptrIn) {
+        RCUPtr ret(ptrIn);
+        ptrIn = nullptr;
+        return ret;
+    }
+
     /**
      * Construct a new object that is owned by the pointer.
      */
     template <typename... Args> static RCUPtr make(Args &&... args) {
         return RCUPtr(new T(std::forward<Args>(args)...));
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Construct a new RCUPtr without transfering owership.
+     */
+    static RCUPtr copy(T *ptr) {
+        if (ptr != nullptr) {
+            ptr->acquire();
+        }
+
+        return RCUPtr::acquire(ptr);
+    }
+
     /**
      * Copy semantic.
      */
     RCUPtr(const RCUPtr &src) : ptr(src.ptr) {
         if (ptr != nullptr) {
             ptr->acquire();
         }
     }
 
     RCUPtr &operator=(const RCUPtr &rhs) {
         RCUPtr tmp(rhs);
         std::swap(ptr, tmp.ptr);
         return *this;
     }
 
     /**
      * Move semantic.
      */
     RCUPtr(RCUPtr &&src) : RCUPtr() { std::swap(ptr, src.ptr); }
     RCUPtr &operator=(RCUPtr &&rhs) {
         std::swap(ptr, rhs.ptr);
         return *this;
     }
 
     /**
-     * Accessors
+     * Get allows to access the undelying pointer. RCUPtr keeps ownership.
+     */
+    T *get() { return ptr; }
+    const T *get() const { return ptr; }
+
+    /**
+     * Release transfers ownership of the pointer from RCUPtr to the caller.
+     */
+    T *release() {
+        T *oldPtr = ptr;
+        ptr = nullptr;
+        return oldPtr;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Operator overloading for convenience.
      */
     T *operator->() { return ptr; }
+    const T *operator->() const { return ptr; }
+
+    T &operator*() { return *ptr; }
+    const T &operator*() const { return *ptr; }
+
+    explicit operator bool() const { return ptr != nullptr; }
 };
 
 #define IMPLEMENT_RCU_REFCOUNT(T)                                              \
 private:                                                                       \
     std::atomic<T> refcount{0};                                                \
                                                                                \
     void acquire() { refcount++; }                                             \
                                                                                \
     bool tryDecrement() {                                                      \
         T count = refcount.load();                                             \
         while (count > 0) {                                                    \
             if (refcount.compare_exchange_weak(count, count - 1)) {            \
                 return true;                                                   \
             }                                                                  \
         }                                                                      \
                                                                                \
         return false;                                                          \
     }                                                                          \
                                                                                \
     void release() {                                                           \
         if (tryDecrement()) {                                                  \
             return;                                                            \
         }                                                                      \
                                                                                \
         RCULock::registerCleanup([this] {                                      \
             if (tryDecrement()) {                                              \
                 return;                                                        \
             }                                                                  \
                                                                                \
             delete this;                                                       \
         });                                                                    \
     }                                                                          \
                                                                                \
     static_assert(std::is_integral<T>::value, "T must be an integral type.");  \
     static_assert(std::is_unsigned<T>::value, "T must be unsigned.");          \
                                                                                \
     template <typename> friend class ::RCUPtr
 
 #endif // BITCOIN_RCU_H
diff --git a/src/test/rcu_tests.cpp b/src/test/rcu_tests.cpp
index 2176d08db..2131361f0 100644
--- a/src/test/rcu_tests.cpp
+++ b/src/test/rcu_tests.cpp
@@ -1,317 +1,366 @@
 // Copyright (c) 2018 The Bitcoin developers
 // Distributed under the MIT software license, see the accompanying
 // file COPYING or http://www.opensource.org/licenses/mit-license.php.
 
 #include "rcu.h"
 
 #include "test/test_bitcoin.h"
 
 #include <boost/test/unit_test.hpp>
 
 #include <chrono>
 
 struct RCUTest {
     static uint64_t getRevision() { return RCUInfos::revision.load(); }
 
     static uint64_t hasSyncedTo(uint64_t syncRev) {
         return RCUInfos::infos.hasSyncedTo(syncRev);
     }
 
     static std::map<uint64_t, std::function<void()>> &getCleanups() {
         return RCUInfos::infos.cleanups;
     }
 };
 
 BOOST_FIXTURE_TEST_SUITE(rcu_tests, BasicTestingSetup)
 
 enum RCUTestStep {
     Init,
     Locked,
     LockAck,
     RCULocked,
     Synchronizing,
     Synchronized,
 };
 
 #define WAIT_FOR_STEP(step)                                                    \
     do {                                                                       \
         cond.notify_all();                                                     \
     } while (!cond.wait_for(lock, std::chrono::milliseconds(1),                \
                             [&] { return otherstep == step; }))
 
 void synchronize(std::atomic<RCUTestStep> &step,
                  const std::atomic<RCUTestStep> &otherstep,
                  CWaitableCriticalSection &cs, std::condition_variable &cond,
                  std::atomic<uint64_t> &syncRev) {
     assert(step == RCUTestStep::Init);
 
     {
         WAIT_LOCK(cs, lock);
         step = RCUTestStep::Locked;
 
         // Wait for our lock to be acknowledged.
         WAIT_FOR_STEP(RCUTestStep::LockAck);
 
         RCULock rculock;
 
         // Update step.
         step = RCUTestStep::RCULocked;
 
         // Wait for master.
         WAIT_FOR_STEP(RCUTestStep::RCULocked);
     }
 
     // Update step.
     syncRev = RCUTest::getRevision() + 1;
     step = RCUTestStep::Synchronizing;
 
     assert(!RCUTest::hasSyncedTo(syncRev));
 
     // We wait for readers.
     RCULock::synchronize();
 
     // Update step.
     step = RCUTestStep::Synchronized;
 }
 
 void lockAndWaitForSynchronize(std::atomic<RCUTestStep> &step,
                                const std::atomic<RCUTestStep> &otherstep,
                                CWaitableCriticalSection &cs,
                                std::condition_variable &cond,
                                std::atomic<uint64_t> &syncRev) {
     assert(step == RCUTestStep::Init);
     WAIT_LOCK(cs, lock);
 
     // Wait for th eother thread to be locked.
     WAIT_FOR_STEP(RCUTestStep::Locked);
     step = RCUTestStep::LockAck;
 
     // Wait for the synchronizing tread to take its RCU lock.
     WAIT_FOR_STEP(RCUTestStep::RCULocked);
     assert(!RCUTest::hasSyncedTo(syncRev));
 
     {
         RCULock rculock;
 
         // Update master step.
         step = RCUTestStep::RCULocked;
 
         while (RCUTest::getRevision() < syncRev) {
             WAIT_FOR_STEP(RCUTestStep::Synchronizing);
         }
 
         assert(RCUTest::getRevision() >= syncRev);
         assert(otherstep.load() == RCUTestStep::Synchronizing);
     }
 
     assert(RCUTest::hasSyncedTo(syncRev) >= syncRev);
     WAIT_FOR_STEP(RCUTestStep::Synchronized);
 }
 
 static const int COUNT = 128;
 
 BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE(synchronize_test) {
     CWaitableCriticalSection cs;
     std::condition_variable cond;
     std::atomic<RCUTestStep> parentstep;
     std::atomic<RCUTestStep> childstep;
     std::atomic<uint64_t> syncRev;
 
     for (int i = 0; i < COUNT; i++) {
         parentstep = RCUTestStep::Init;
         childstep = RCUTestStep::Init;
         syncRev = RCUTest::getRevision() + 1;
 
         std::thread tlock([&] {
             lockAndWaitForSynchronize(parentstep, childstep, cs, cond, syncRev);
         });
 
         std::thread tsync(
             [&] { synchronize(childstep, parentstep, cs, cond, syncRev); });
 
         tlock.join();
         tsync.join();
     }
 }
 
+/**
+ * Version of Boost::test prior to 1.64 have issues when dealing with nullptr_t.
+ * In order to work around this, we ensure that the null pointers are typed in a
+ * way that Boost will like better.
+ *
+ * TODO: Use nullptr directly once the minimum version of boost is 1.64 or more.
+ */
+#define NULLPTR(T) static_cast<T *>(nullptr)
+
 BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE(cleanup_test) {
     BOOST_CHECK(RCUTest::getCleanups().empty());
 
     bool isClean1 = false;
     RCULock::registerCleanup([&] { isClean1 = true; });
 
     BOOST_CHECK(!isClean1);
     BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(RCUTest::getCleanups().size(), 1);
     BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(RCUTest::getRevision(),
                       RCUTest::getCleanups().begin()->first);
 
     // Synchronize runs the cleanups.
     RCULock::synchronize();
     BOOST_CHECK(RCUTest::getCleanups().empty());
     BOOST_CHECK(isClean1);
 
     // Check multiple callbacks.
     isClean1 = false;
     bool isClean2 = false;
     bool isClean3 = false;
     RCULock::registerCleanup([&] { isClean1 = true; });
     RCULock::registerCleanup([&] { isClean2 = true; });
     RCULock::registerCleanup([&] { isClean3 = true; });
 
     BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(RCUTest::getCleanups().size(), 3);
     RCULock::synchronize();
     BOOST_CHECK(RCUTest::getCleanups().empty());
     BOOST_CHECK(isClean1);
     BOOST_CHECK(isClean2);
     BOOST_CHECK(isClean3);
 
     // Check callbacks adding each others.
     isClean1 = false;
     isClean2 = false;
     isClean3 = false;
 
     RCULock::registerCleanup([&] {
         isClean1 = true;
         RCULock::registerCleanup([&] {
             isClean2 = true;
             RCULock::registerCleanup([&] { isClean3 = true; });
         });
     });
 
     BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(RCUTest::getCleanups().size(), 1);
     RCULock::synchronize();
     BOOST_CHECK(RCUTest::getCleanups().empty());
     BOOST_CHECK(isClean1);
     BOOST_CHECK(isClean2);
     BOOST_CHECK(isClean3);
 }
 
 class RCURefTestItem {
     IMPLEMENT_RCU_REFCOUNT(uint32_t);
     const std::function<void()> cleanupfun;
 
 public:
     explicit RCURefTestItem(const std::function<void()> &fun)
         : cleanupfun(fun) {}
     ~RCURefTestItem() { cleanupfun(); }
 
     uint32_t getRefCount() const { return refcount.load(); }
 };
 
 BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE(rcuref_test) {
     // Make sure it works for null.
-    { RCUPtr<RCURefTestItem> rcuptr(nullptr); }
+    {
+        RCURefTestItem *ptr = nullptr;
+        RCUPtr<RCURefTestItem>::copy(ptr);
+        RCUPtr<RCURefTestItem>::acquire(ptr);
+    }
 
     // Check the destruction mechanism.
     bool isDestroyed = false;
 
     {
         auto rcuptr = RCUPtr<RCURefTestItem>::make([&] { isDestroyed = true; });
         BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(rcuptr->getRefCount(), 0);
     }
 
     // rcuptr waits for synchronization to destroy.
     BOOST_CHECK(!isDestroyed);
     RCULock::synchronize();
     BOOST_CHECK(isDestroyed);
 
     // Check that copy behaves properly.
     isDestroyed = false;
     RCUPtr<RCURefTestItem> gptr;
 
     {
         auto rcuptr = RCUPtr<RCURefTestItem>::make([&] { isDestroyed = true; });
         BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(rcuptr->getRefCount(), 0);
 
         gptr = rcuptr;
         BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(rcuptr->getRefCount(), 1);
         BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(gptr->getRefCount(), 1);
 
         auto rcuptrcopy = rcuptr;
         BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(rcuptrcopy->getRefCount(), 2);
         BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(rcuptr->getRefCount(), 2);
         BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(gptr->getRefCount(), 2);
     }
 
     BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(gptr->getRefCount(), 0);
     RCULock::synchronize();
     BOOST_CHECK(!isDestroyed);
 
     gptr = RCUPtr<RCURefTestItem>();
     BOOST_CHECK(!isDestroyed);
     RCULock::synchronize();
     BOOST_CHECK(isDestroyed);
+
+    // Check various operators.
+    BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(gptr.get(), NULLPTR(RCURefTestItem));
+    BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(gptr.get(), &*gptr);
+    BOOST_CHECK(!gptr);
+
+    auto ptr = new RCURefTestItem([] {});
+    auto oldPtr = ptr;
+    gptr = RCUPtr<RCURefTestItem>::acquire(ptr);
+
+    BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(gptr.get(), oldPtr);
+    BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(&*gptr, oldPtr);
+    BOOST_CHECK(gptr);
 }
 
 class RCURefMoveTestItem {
     const std::function<void()> cleanupfun;
 
 public:
     explicit RCURefMoveTestItem(const std::function<void()> &fun)
         : cleanupfun(fun) {}
     ~RCURefMoveTestItem() { cleanupfun(); }
 
     void acquire() {
         throw std::runtime_error("RCUPtr incremented the refcount");
     }
     void release() {
         RCULock::registerCleanup([this] { delete this; });
     }
 };
 
 BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE(move_rcuref_test) {
     bool isDestroyed = false;
 
     // Check tat copy is failing.
     auto rcuptr1 =
         RCUPtr<RCURefMoveTestItem>::make([&] { isDestroyed = true; });
     BOOST_CHECK_THROW(rcuptr1->acquire(), std::runtime_error);
     BOOST_CHECK_THROW(auto rcuptrcopy = rcuptr1;, std::runtime_error);
 
     // Try to move.
     auto rcuptr2 = std::move(rcuptr1);
     RCULock::synchronize();
     BOOST_CHECK(!isDestroyed);
 
     // Move to a local and check proper destruction.
     { auto rcuptr3 = std::move(rcuptr2); }
 
     BOOST_CHECK(!isDestroyed);
     RCULock::synchronize();
     BOOST_CHECK(isDestroyed);
 
     // Let's try to swap.
     isDestroyed = false;
     rcuptr1 = RCUPtr<RCURefMoveTestItem>::make([&] { isDestroyed = true; });
     std::swap(rcuptr1, rcuptr2);
 
     RCULock::synchronize();
     BOOST_CHECK(!isDestroyed);
 
     // Chain moves to make sure there are no double free.
     {
         auto rcuptr3 = std::move(rcuptr2);
         auto rcuptr4 = std::move(rcuptr3);
         std::swap(rcuptr1, rcuptr4);
     }
 
     RCULock::synchronize();
     BOOST_CHECK(!isDestroyed);
 
     // Check we can return from a function.
     {
         auto r = ([&] {
             auto moved = std::move(rcuptr1);
             return moved;
         })();
 
         RCULock::synchronize();
         BOOST_CHECK(!isDestroyed);
     }
 
     BOOST_CHECK(!isDestroyed);
     RCULock::synchronize();
     BOOST_CHECK(isDestroyed);
+
+    // Acquire/release workflow.
+    isDestroyed = false;
+    auto ptr = new RCURefMoveTestItem([&] { isDestroyed = true; });
+    auto ptrCopy = ptr;
+    BOOST_CHECK_THROW(RCUPtr<RCURefMoveTestItem>::copy(ptr),
+                      std::runtime_error);
+
+    rcuptr1 = RCUPtr<RCURefMoveTestItem>::acquire(ptr);
+    BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(rcuptr1.get(), ptrCopy);
+    BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(ptr, NULLPTR(RCURefMoveTestItem));
+
+    ptr = rcuptr1.release();
+    BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(rcuptr1.get(), NULLPTR(RCURefMoveTestItem));
+    BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(ptr, ptrCopy);
+
+    RCULock::synchronize();
+    BOOST_CHECK(!isDestroyed);
+
+    RCUPtr<RCURefMoveTestItem>::acquire(ptr);
+    BOOST_CHECK(!isDestroyed);
+    RCULock::synchronize();
+    BOOST_CHECK(isDestroyed);
 }
 
 BOOST_AUTO_TEST_SUITE_END()