diff --git a/scripts/templates/ldrddi.cpp.mako b/scripts/templates/ldrddi.cpp.mako
index 9c797a0ec3..1b7d19fa67 100644
--- a/scripts/templates/ldrddi.cpp.mako
+++ b/scripts/templates/ldrddi.cpp.mako
@@ -273,11 +273,17 @@ namespace ur_loader
 
         %endif
         %endif
-        ## Before we can re-enable the releases we will need ref-counted object_t.
-        ## See unified-runtime github issue #1784
-        ##%if item['release']:
-        ##// release loader handle
-        ##${item['factory']}.release( ${item['name']} );
+        ## Possibly handle release/retain ref counting - there are no ur_exp-image factories
+        %if 'factory' in item and '_exp_image_' not in item['factory']:
+            %if item['release']:
+            // release loader handle
+            context->factories.${item['factory']}.release( ${item['name']} );
+            %endif
+            %if item['retain']:
+            // increment refcount of handle
+            context->factories.${item['factory']}.retain( ${item['name']} );
+            %endif
+        %endif
         %if not item['release'] and not item['retain'] and not '_native_object_' in item['obj'] or th.make_func_name(n, tags, obj) == 'urPlatformCreateWithNativeHandle':
         try
         {
diff --git a/source/common/ur_singleton.hpp b/source/common/ur_singleton.hpp
index b469c8b8a7..4bc3ad2b33 100644
--- a/source/common/ur_singleton.hpp
+++ b/source/common/ur_singleton.hpp
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
 #ifndef UR_SINGLETON_H
 #define UR_SINGLETON_H 1
 
+#include <cassert>
 #include <memory>
 #include <mutex>
 #include <unordered_map>
@@ -18,13 +19,18 @@
 //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 /// a abstract factory for creation of singleton objects
 template <typename singleton_tn, typename key_tn> class singleton_factory_t {
+    struct entry_t {
+        std::unique_ptr<singleton_tn> ptr;
+        size_t ref_count;
+    };
+
   protected:
     using singleton_t = singleton_tn;
     using key_t = typename std::conditional<std::is_pointer<key_tn>::value,
                                             size_t, key_tn>::type;
 
     using ptr_t = std::unique_ptr<singleton_t>;
-    using map_t = std::unordered_map<key_t, ptr_t>;
+    using map_t = std::unordered_map<key_t, entry_t>;
 
     std::mutex mut; ///< lock for thread-safety
     map_t map;      ///< single instance of singleton for each unique key
@@ -60,16 +66,29 @@ template <typename singleton_tn, typename key_tn> class singleton_factory_t {
         if (map.end() == iter) {
             auto ptr =
                 std::make_unique<singleton_t>(std::forward<Ts>(params)...);
-            iter = map.emplace(key, std::move(ptr)).first;
+            iter = map.emplace(key, entry_t{std::move(ptr), 0}).first;
         }
-        return iter->second.get();
+        return iter->second.ptr.get();
+    }
+
+    void retain(key_tn key) {
+        std::lock_guard<std::mutex> lk(mut);
+        auto iter = map.find(getKey(key));
+        assert(iter != map.end());
+        iter->second.ref_count++;
     }
 
     //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
     /// once the key is no longer valid, release the singleton
     void release(key_tn key) {
         std::lock_guard<std::mutex> lk(mut);
-        map.erase(getKey(key));
+        auto iter = map.find(getKey(key));
+        assert(iter != map.end());
+        if (iter->second.ref_count == 0) {
+            map.erase(iter);
+        } else {
+            iter->second.ref_count--;
+        }
     }
 
     void clear() {
diff --git a/source/loader/ur_ldrddi.cpp b/source/loader/ur_ldrddi.cpp
index a67879a9eb..7560f6122d 100644
--- a/source/loader/ur_ldrddi.cpp
+++ b/source/loader/ur_ldrddi.cpp
@@ -85,6 +85,9 @@ __urdlllocal ur_result_t UR_APICALL urAdapterRelease(
     // forward to device-platform
     result = pfnAdapterRelease(hAdapter);
 
+    // release loader handle
+    context->factories.ur_adapter_factory.release(hAdapter);
+
     return result;
 }
 
@@ -110,6 +113,9 @@ __urdlllocal ur_result_t UR_APICALL urAdapterRetain(
     // forward to device-platform
     result = pfnAdapterRetain(hAdapter);
 
+    // increment refcount of handle
+    context->factories.ur_adapter_factory.retain(hAdapter);
+
     return result;
 }
 
@@ -614,6 +620,9 @@ __urdlllocal ur_result_t UR_APICALL urDeviceRetain(
     // forward to device-platform
     result = pfnRetain(hDevice);
 
+    // increment refcount of handle
+    context->factories.ur_device_factory.retain(hDevice);
+
     return result;
 }
 
@@ -640,6 +649,9 @@ __urdlllocal ur_result_t UR_APICALL urDeviceRelease(
     // forward to device-platform
     result = pfnRelease(hDevice);
 
+    // release loader handle
+    context->factories.ur_device_factory.release(hDevice);
+
     return result;
 }
 
@@ -910,6 +922,9 @@ __urdlllocal ur_result_t UR_APICALL urContextRetain(
     // forward to device-platform
     result = pfnRetain(hContext);
 
+    // increment refcount of handle
+    context->factories.ur_context_factory.retain(hContext);
+
     return result;
 }
 
@@ -936,6 +951,9 @@ __urdlllocal ur_result_t UR_APICALL urContextRelease(
     // forward to device-platform
     result = pfnRelease(hContext);
 
+    // release loader handle
+    context->factories.ur_context_factory.release(hContext);
+
     return result;
 }
 
@@ -1238,6 +1256,9 @@ __urdlllocal ur_result_t UR_APICALL urMemRetain(
     // forward to device-platform
     result = pfnRetain(hMem);
 
+    // increment refcount of handle
+    context->factories.ur_mem_factory.retain(hMem);
+
     return result;
 }
 
@@ -1264,6 +1285,9 @@ __urdlllocal ur_result_t UR_APICALL urMemRelease(
     // forward to device-platform
     result = pfnRelease(hMem);
 
+    // release loader handle
+    context->factories.ur_mem_factory.release(hMem);
+
     return result;
 }
 
@@ -1615,6 +1639,9 @@ __urdlllocal ur_result_t UR_APICALL urSamplerRetain(
     // forward to device-platform
     result = pfnRetain(hSampler);
 
+    // increment refcount of handle
+    context->factories.ur_sampler_factory.retain(hSampler);
+
     return result;
 }
 
@@ -1641,6 +1668,9 @@ __urdlllocal ur_result_t UR_APICALL urSamplerRelease(
     // forward to device-platform
     result = pfnRelease(hSampler);
 
+    // release loader handle
+    context->factories.ur_sampler_factory.release(hSampler);
+
     return result;
 }
 
@@ -2074,6 +2104,9 @@ __urdlllocal ur_result_t UR_APICALL urUSMPoolRetain(
     // forward to device-platform
     result = pfnPoolRetain(pPool);
 
+    // increment refcount of handle
+    context->factories.ur_usm_pool_factory.retain(pPool);
+
     return result;
 }
 
@@ -2099,6 +2132,9 @@ __urdlllocal ur_result_t UR_APICALL urUSMPoolRelease(
     // forward to device-platform
     result = pfnPoolRelease(pPool);
 
+    // release loader handle
+    context->factories.ur_usm_pool_factory.release(pPool);
+
     return result;
 }
 
@@ -2484,6 +2520,9 @@ __urdlllocal ur_result_t UR_APICALL urPhysicalMemRetain(
     // forward to device-platform
     result = pfnRetain(hPhysicalMem);
 
+    // increment refcount of handle
+    context->factories.ur_physical_mem_factory.retain(hPhysicalMem);
+
     return result;
 }
 
@@ -2512,6 +2551,9 @@ __urdlllocal ur_result_t UR_APICALL urPhysicalMemRelease(
     // forward to device-platform
     result = pfnRelease(hPhysicalMem);
 
+    // release loader handle
+    context->factories.ur_physical_mem_factory.release(hPhysicalMem);
+
     return result;
 }
 
@@ -2759,6 +2801,9 @@ __urdlllocal ur_result_t UR_APICALL urProgramRetain(
     // forward to device-platform
     result = pfnRetain(hProgram);
 
+    // increment refcount of handle
+    context->factories.ur_program_factory.retain(hProgram);
+
     return result;
 }
 
@@ -2785,6 +2830,9 @@ __urdlllocal ur_result_t UR_APICALL urProgramRelease(
     // forward to device-platform
     result = pfnRelease(hProgram);
 
+    // release loader handle
+    context->factories.ur_program_factory.release(hProgram);
+
     return result;
 }
 
@@ -3382,6 +3430,9 @@ __urdlllocal ur_result_t UR_APICALL urKernelRetain(
     // forward to device-platform
     result = pfnRetain(hKernel);
 
+    // increment refcount of handle
+    context->factories.ur_kernel_factory.retain(hKernel);
+
     return result;
 }
 
@@ -3408,6 +3459,9 @@ __urdlllocal ur_result_t UR_APICALL urKernelRelease(
     // forward to device-platform
     result = pfnRelease(hKernel);
 
+    // release loader handle
+    context->factories.ur_kernel_factory.release(hKernel);
+
     return result;
 }
 
@@ -3858,6 +3912,9 @@ __urdlllocal ur_result_t UR_APICALL urQueueRetain(
     // forward to device-platform
     result = pfnRetain(hQueue);
 
+    // increment refcount of handle
+    context->factories.ur_queue_factory.retain(hQueue);
+
     return result;
 }
 
@@ -3884,6 +3941,9 @@ __urdlllocal ur_result_t UR_APICALL urQueueRelease(
     // forward to device-platform
     result = pfnRelease(hQueue);
 
+    // release loader handle
+    context->factories.ur_queue_factory.release(hQueue);
+
     return result;
 }
 
@@ -4188,6 +4248,9 @@ __urdlllocal ur_result_t UR_APICALL urEventRetain(
     // forward to device-platform
     result = pfnRetain(hEvent);
 
+    // increment refcount of handle
+    context->factories.ur_event_factory.retain(hEvent);
+
     return result;
 }
 
@@ -4213,6 +4276,9 @@ __urdlllocal ur_result_t UR_APICALL urEventRelease(
     // forward to device-platform
     result = pfnRelease(hEvent);
 
+    // release loader handle
+    context->factories.ur_event_factory.release(hEvent);
+
     return result;
 }
 
@@ -6745,6 +6811,9 @@ __urdlllocal ur_result_t UR_APICALL urBindlessImagesReleaseExternalMemoryExp(
     // forward to device-platform
     result = pfnReleaseExternalMemoryExp(hContext, hDevice, hExternalMem);
 
+    // release loader handle
+    context->factories.ur_exp_external_mem_factory.release(hExternalMem);
+
     return result;
 }
 
@@ -6835,6 +6904,10 @@ __urdlllocal ur_result_t UR_APICALL urBindlessImagesReleaseExternalSemaphoreExp(
     result =
         pfnReleaseExternalSemaphoreExp(hContext, hDevice, hExternalSemaphore);
 
+    // release loader handle
+    context->factories.ur_exp_external_semaphore_factory.release(
+        hExternalSemaphore);
+
     return result;
 }
 
@@ -7062,6 +7135,9 @@ __urdlllocal ur_result_t UR_APICALL urCommandBufferRetainExp(
     // forward to device-platform
     result = pfnRetainExp(hCommandBuffer);
 
+    // increment refcount of handle
+    context->factories.ur_exp_command_buffer_factory.retain(hCommandBuffer);
+
     return result;
 }
 
@@ -7092,6 +7168,9 @@ __urdlllocal ur_result_t UR_APICALL urCommandBufferReleaseExp(
     // forward to device-platform
     result = pfnReleaseExp(hCommandBuffer);
 
+    // release loader handle
+    context->factories.ur_exp_command_buffer_factory.release(hCommandBuffer);
+
     return result;
 }
 
@@ -8408,6 +8487,9 @@ __urdlllocal ur_result_t UR_APICALL urCommandBufferRetainCommandExp(
     // forward to device-platform
     result = pfnRetainCommandExp(hCommand);
 
+    // increment refcount of handle
+    context->factories.ur_exp_command_buffer_command_factory.retain(hCommand);
+
     return result;
 }
 
@@ -8439,6 +8521,9 @@ __urdlllocal ur_result_t UR_APICALL urCommandBufferReleaseCommandExp(
     // forward to device-platform
     result = pfnReleaseCommandExp(hCommand);
 
+    // release loader handle
+    context->factories.ur_exp_command_buffer_command_factory.release(hCommand);
+
     return result;
 }