diff --git a/src/core/ddsc/src/dds__entity.h b/src/core/ddsc/src/dds__entity.h
index 992c15a..34c13c5 100644
--- a/src/core/ddsc/src/dds__entity.h
+++ b/src/core/ddsc/src/dds__entity.h
@@ -84,6 +84,9 @@ dds_entity_claim (
   dds_entity_t hdl,
   dds_entity **eptr);
 
+DDS_EXPORT void dds_entity_release (
+  dds_entity *e);
+
 DDS_EXPORT dds_retcode_t
 dds_entity_lock(
   dds_entity_t hdl,
diff --git a/src/core/ddsc/src/dds_entity.c b/src/core/ddsc/src/dds_entity.c
index f8a4e14..e06beee 100644
--- a/src/core/ddsc/src/dds_entity.c
+++ b/src/core/ddsc/src/dds_entity.c
@@ -761,6 +761,11 @@ dds_retcode_t dds_entity_claim (dds_entity_t hdl, dds_entity **eptr)
   }
 }
 
+void dds_entity_release (dds_entity *e)
+{
+  dds_handle_release (&e->m_hdllink);
+}
+
 dds_retcode_t dds_entity_lock (dds_entity_t hdl, dds_entity_kind_t kind, dds_entity **eptr)
 {
   dds_retcode_t hres;
@@ -989,7 +994,7 @@ dds_return_t dds_generic_unimplemented_operation_manykinds (dds_entity_t handle,
         break;
       }
     }
-    dds_handle_release (&e->m_hdllink);
+    dds_entity_release (e);
     return DDS_ERRNO (ret);
   }
 }
diff --git a/src/core/ddsc/src/dds_readcond.c b/src/core/ddsc/src/dds_readcond.c
index 322af8e..ee37521 100644
--- a/src/core/ddsc/src/dds_readcond.c
+++ b/src/core/ddsc/src/dds_readcond.c
@@ -100,13 +100,11 @@ dds_entity_t dds_get_datareader (dds_entity_t condition)
         rdh = DDS_ERRNO (DDS_RETCODE_ILLEGAL_OPERATION);
         break;
     }
-    dds_handle_release (&e->m_hdllink);
+    dds_entity_release (e);
     return rdh;
   }
 }
 
-
-
 dds_return_t dds_get_mask (dds_entity_t condition, uint32_t *mask)
 {
   dds_entity *entity;
diff --git a/src/core/ddsc/src/dds_reader.c b/src/core/ddsc/src/dds_reader.c
index 2c14994..dcc3289 100644
--- a/src/core/ddsc/src/dds_reader.c
+++ b/src/core/ddsc/src/dds_reader.c
@@ -384,7 +384,7 @@ dds_create_reader(
             } else {
                 subscriber = participant_or_subscriber;
             }
-            dds_handle_release (&p_or_s->m_hdllink);
+            dds_entity_release (p_or_s);
             internal_topic = false;
             t = topic;
             break;
@@ -512,7 +512,7 @@ void dds_reader_ddsi2direct (dds_entity_t entity, ddsi2direct_directread_cb_t cb
 
   if (dds_entity_kind (dds_entity) != DDS_KIND_READER)
   {
-    dds_handle_release (&dds_entity->m_hdllink);
+    dds_entity_release (dds_entity);
     return;
   }
 
@@ -552,7 +552,7 @@ void dds_reader_ddsi2direct (dds_entity_t entity, ddsi2direct_directread_cb_t cb
     ddsrt_mutex_lock (&rd->e.lock);
   }
   ddsrt_mutex_unlock (&rd->e.lock);
-  dds_handle_release (&dds_rd->m_entity.m_hdllink);
+  dds_entity_release (dds_entity);
 }
 
 uint32_t dds_reader_lock_samples (dds_entity_t reader)
@@ -613,7 +613,7 @@ dds_entity_t dds_get_subscriber (dds_entity_t entity)
         subh = DDS_ERRNO (DDS_RETCODE_ILLEGAL_OPERATION);
         break;
     }
-    dds_handle_release (&e->m_hdllink);
+    dds_entity_release (e);
     return subh;
   }
 }
diff --git a/src/core/ddsc/src/dds_writer.c b/src/core/ddsc/src/dds_writer.c
index 06a13ef..5bd81d6 100644
--- a/src/core/ddsc/src/dds_writer.c
+++ b/src/core/ddsc/src/dds_writer.c
@@ -388,7 +388,7 @@ dds_create_writer(
         } else {
             publisher = participant_or_publisher;
         }
-        dds_handle_release (&p_or_p->m_hdllink);
+        dds_entity_release (p_or_p);
     }
 
     if ((rc = dds_publisher_lock(publisher, &pub)) != DDS_RETCODE_OK) {
@@ -494,7 +494,7 @@ dds_get_publisher(
       assert (dds_entity_kind (e->m_parent) == DDS_KIND_PUBLISHER);
       pubh = e->m_parent->m_hdllink.hdl;
     }
-    dds_handle_release (&e->m_hdllink);
+    dds_entity_release (e);
     return pubh;
   }
 }