diff --git a/src/plugins/projectexplorer/devicesupport/idevice.cpp b/src/plugins/projectexplorer/devicesupport/idevice.cpp
index 96b9c2e0ca6..bb5479539f6 100644
--- a/src/plugins/projectexplorer/devicesupport/idevice.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/projectexplorer/devicesupport/idevice.cpp
@@ -794,4 +794,57 @@ void DeviceProcessKillerTaskAdapter::start()
     task()->start();
 }
 
+// DeviceConstRef
+
+DeviceConstRef::DeviceConstRef(const IDevice::ConstPtr &device)
+    : m_constDevice(device)
+{}
+
+DeviceConstRef::DeviceConstRef(const IDevice::Ptr &device)
+    : m_constDevice(device)
+{}
+
+DeviceConstRef::~DeviceConstRef() = default;
+
+Id DeviceConstRef::id() const
+{
+    const IDevice::ConstPtr device = m_constDevice.lock();
+    QTC_ASSERT(device, return {});
+    return device->id();
+}
+
+QString DeviceConstRef::displayName() const
+{
+    const IDevice::ConstPtr device = m_constDevice.lock();
+    QTC_ASSERT(device, return {});
+    return device->displayName();
+}
+
+SshParameters DeviceConstRef::sshParameters() const
+{
+    const IDevice::ConstPtr device = m_constDevice.lock();
+    QTC_ASSERT(device, return {});
+    return device->sshParameters();
+}
+
+// DeviceRef, mutable
+
+DeviceRef::DeviceRef(const IDevice::Ptr &device)
+    : DeviceConstRef(device), m_mutableDevice(device)
+{}
+
+void DeviceRef::setDisplayName(const QString &displayName)
+{
+    const IDevice::Ptr device = m_mutableDevice.lock();
+    QTC_ASSERT(device, return);
+    device->setDisplayName(displayName);
+}
+
+void DeviceRef::setSshParameters(const SshParameters &params)
+{
+    const IDevice::Ptr device = m_mutableDevice.lock();
+    QTC_ASSERT(device, return);
+    device->setSshParameters(params);
+}
+
 } // namespace ProjectExplorer
diff --git a/src/plugins/projectexplorer/devicesupport/idevice.h b/src/plugins/projectexplorer/devicesupport/idevice.h
index ec6220d30b1..58737ec6c7a 100644
--- a/src/plugins/projectexplorer/devicesupport/idevice.h
+++ b/src/plugins/projectexplorer/devicesupport/idevice.h
@@ -245,6 +245,33 @@ private:
     friend class DeviceManager;
 };
 
+class PROJECTEXPLORER_EXPORT DeviceConstRef
+{
+public:
+    DeviceConstRef(const IDevice::ConstPtr &device);
+    DeviceConstRef(const IDevice::Ptr &device);
+    virtual ~DeviceConstRef();
+
+    Utils::Id id() const;
+    QString displayName() const;
+    SshParameters sshParameters() const;
+
+private:
+    std::weak_ptr<const IDevice> m_constDevice;
+};
+
+class PROJECTEXPLORER_EXPORT DeviceRef : public DeviceConstRef
+{
+public:
+    DeviceRef(const IDevice::Ptr &device);
+
+    void setDisplayName(const QString &displayName);
+    void setSshParameters(const SshParameters &params);
+
+private:
+    std::weak_ptr<IDevice> m_mutableDevice;
+};
+
 class PROJECTEXPLORER_EXPORT DeviceTester : public QObject
 {
     Q_OBJECT
diff --git a/src/plugins/projectexplorer/devicesupport/idevicefwd.h b/src/plugins/projectexplorer/devicesupport/idevicefwd.h
index 533e88beb1c..236c10f2d31 100644
--- a/src/plugins/projectexplorer/devicesupport/idevicefwd.h
+++ b/src/plugins/projectexplorer/devicesupport/idevicefwd.h
@@ -7,6 +7,9 @@
 
 namespace ProjectExplorer {
 
+class DeviceRef;
+class DeviceConstRef;
+
 class IDevice;
 
 using IDevicePtr = std::shared_ptr<IDevice>;
diff --git a/src/plugins/remotelinux/publickeydeploymentdialog.cpp b/src/plugins/remotelinux/publickeydeploymentdialog.cpp
index b0da7f2b1d0..c7fdaaf50f9 100644
--- a/src/plugins/remotelinux/publickeydeploymentdialog.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/remotelinux/publickeydeploymentdialog.cpp
@@ -28,19 +28,21 @@ public:
 };
 
 PublicKeyDeploymentDialog *PublicKeyDeploymentDialog::createDialog(
-        const IDevice::ConstPtr &deviceConfig, QWidget *parent)
+        const DeviceConstRef &device, QWidget *parent)
 {
-    const FilePath dir = deviceConfig->sshParameters().privateKeyFile.parentDir();
+    const FilePath dir = device.sshParameters().privateKeyFile.parentDir();
     const FilePath publicKeyFileName = FileUtils::getOpenFilePath(nullptr,
         Tr::tr("Choose Public Key File"), dir,
         Tr::tr("Public Key Files (*.pub);;All Files (*)"));
     if (publicKeyFileName.isEmpty())
         return nullptr;
-    return new PublicKeyDeploymentDialog(deviceConfig, publicKeyFileName, parent);
+    return new PublicKeyDeploymentDialog(device, publicKeyFileName, parent);
 }
 
-PublicKeyDeploymentDialog::PublicKeyDeploymentDialog(const IDevice::ConstPtr &deviceConfig,
-        const FilePath &publicKeyFileName, QWidget *parent)
+PublicKeyDeploymentDialog::PublicKeyDeploymentDialog(
+        const DeviceConstRef &device,
+        const FilePath &publicKeyFileName,
+        QWidget *parent)
     : QProgressDialog(parent), d(new PublicKeyDeploymentDialogPrivate)
 {
     setAutoReset(false);
@@ -76,7 +78,7 @@ PublicKeyDeploymentDialog::PublicKeyDeploymentDialog(const IDevice::ConstPtr &de
             + QString::fromLocal8Bit(reader.data())
             + "' >> .ssh/authorized_keys && chmod 0600 .ssh/authorized_keys";
 
-    const SshParameters params = deviceConfig->sshParameters();
+    const SshParameters params = device.sshParameters();
     const QString hostKeyCheckingString = params.hostKeyCheckingMode == SshHostKeyCheckingStrict
             ? QLatin1String("yes") : QLatin1String("no");
     const bool isWindows = HostOsInfo::isWindowsHost()
diff --git a/src/plugins/remotelinux/publickeydeploymentdialog.h b/src/plugins/remotelinux/publickeydeploymentdialog.h
index 8177e58935e..68b023e8133 100644
--- a/src/plugins/remotelinux/publickeydeploymentdialog.h
+++ b/src/plugins/remotelinux/publickeydeploymentdialog.h
@@ -18,11 +18,12 @@ class PublicKeyDeploymentDialog : public QProgressDialog
     Q_OBJECT
 public:
     // Asks for public key and returns null if the file dialog is canceled.
-    static PublicKeyDeploymentDialog *createDialog(
-        const ProjectExplorer::IDeviceConstPtr &deviceConfig, QWidget *parent = nullptr);
+    static PublicKeyDeploymentDialog *createDialog(const ProjectExplorer::DeviceConstRef &device,
+                                                   QWidget *parent = nullptr);
 
-    PublicKeyDeploymentDialog(const ProjectExplorer::IDeviceConstPtr &deviceConfig,
-                              const Utils::FilePath &publicKeyFileName, QWidget *parent = nullptr);
+    PublicKeyDeploymentDialog(const ProjectExplorer::DeviceConstRef &device,
+                              const Utils::FilePath &publicKeyFileName,
+                              QWidget *parent = nullptr);
 
     ~PublicKeyDeploymentDialog() override;
 
diff --git a/src/plugins/remotelinux/sshdevicewizard.cpp b/src/plugins/remotelinux/sshdevicewizard.cpp
index 1bea0cfa950..b1f41777fca 100644
--- a/src/plugins/remotelinux/sshdevicewizard.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/remotelinux/sshdevicewizard.cpp
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ namespace RemoteLinux {
 class SetupPage : public QWizardPage
 {
 public:
-    explicit SetupPage(const ProjectExplorer::IDevicePtr &device)
+    explicit SetupPage(const DeviceRef &device)
         : m_device(device)
     {
         setTitle(Tr::tr("Connection"));
@@ -65,11 +65,11 @@ public:
 
 private:
     void initializePage() final {
-        m_nameLineEdit->setText(m_device->displayName());
-        m_hostNameLineEdit->setText(m_device->sshParameters().host());
+        m_nameLineEdit->setText(m_device.displayName());
+        m_hostNameLineEdit->setText(m_device.sshParameters().host());
         m_sshPortSpinBox->setValue(22);
         m_sshPortSpinBox->setRange(1, 65535);
-        m_userNameLineEdit->setText(m_device->sshParameters().userName());
+        m_userNameLineEdit->setText(m_device.sshParameters().userName());
     }
     bool isComplete() const final {
         return !m_nameLineEdit->text().trimmed().isEmpty()
@@ -77,12 +77,12 @@ private:
                && !m_userNameLineEdit->text().trimmed().isEmpty();
     }
     bool validatePage() final {
-        m_device->setDisplayName(m_nameLineEdit->text().trimmed());
-        SshParameters sshParams = m_device->sshParameters();
+        m_device.setDisplayName(m_nameLineEdit->text().trimmed());
+        SshParameters sshParams = m_device.sshParameters();
         sshParams.setHost(m_hostNameLineEdit->text().trimmed());
         sshParams.setUserName(m_userNameLineEdit->text().trimmed());
         sshParams.setPort(m_sshPortSpinBox->value());
-        m_device->setSshParameters(sshParams);
+        m_device.setSshParameters(sshParams);
         return true;
     }
 
@@ -90,13 +90,13 @@ private:
     FancyLineEdit *m_hostNameLineEdit;
     QSpinBox *m_sshPortSpinBox;
     FancyLineEdit *m_userNameLineEdit;
-    IDevicePtr m_device;
+    DeviceRef m_device;
 };
 
 class KeyDeploymentPage : public QWizardPage
 {
 public:
-    explicit KeyDeploymentPage(const ProjectExplorer::IDevicePtr &device)
+    explicit KeyDeploymentPage(const DeviceRef &device)
         : m_device(device)
     {
         setTitle(Tr::tr("Key Deployment"));
@@ -150,7 +150,7 @@ public:
 
 private:
     void initializePage() final {
-        if (!m_device->sshParameters().privateKeyFile.isEmpty())
+        if (!m_device.sshParameters().privateKeyFile.isEmpty())
             m_keyFileChooser.setFilePath(m_keyFileChooser.filePath());
         m_iconLabel.clear();
     }
@@ -160,10 +160,10 @@ private:
     }
     bool validatePage() final {
         if (!defaultKeys().contains(m_keyFileChooser.filePath())) {
-            SshParameters sshParams = m_device->sshParameters();
+            SshParameters sshParams = m_device.sshParameters();
             sshParams.authenticationType = SshParameters::AuthenticationTypeSpecificKey;
             sshParams.privateKeyFile = m_keyFileChooser.filePath();
-            m_device->setSshParameters(sshParams);
+            m_device.setSshParameters(sshParams);
         }
         return true;
     }
@@ -174,7 +174,7 @@ private:
 
     PathChooser m_keyFileChooser;
     QLabel m_iconLabel;
-    IDevicePtr m_device;
+    DeviceRef m_device;
 };
 
 class FinalPage final : public QWizardPage
@@ -193,7 +193,7 @@ public:
     }
 };
 
-SshDeviceWizard::SshDeviceWizard(const QString &title, const ProjectExplorer::IDevicePtr &device)
+SshDeviceWizard::SshDeviceWizard(const QString &title, const DeviceRef &device)
     : Wizard(Core::ICore::dialogParent())
 {
     setWindowTitle(title);
diff --git a/src/plugins/remotelinux/sshdevicewizard.h b/src/plugins/remotelinux/sshdevicewizard.h
index 3bd2af1ab22..319904b1234 100644
--- a/src/plugins/remotelinux/sshdevicewizard.h
+++ b/src/plugins/remotelinux/sshdevicewizard.h
@@ -5,15 +5,16 @@
 
 #include "remotelinux_export.h"
 
-#include <projectexplorer/devicesupport/idevicefwd.h>
 #include <utils/wizard.h>
 
+namespace ProjectExplorer { class DeviceRef; }
+
 namespace RemoteLinux {
 
 class REMOTELINUX_EXPORT SshDeviceWizard : public Utils::Wizard
 {
 public:
-    SshDeviceWizard(const QString &title, const ProjectExplorer::IDevicePtr &device);
+    SshDeviceWizard(const QString &title, const ProjectExplorer::DeviceRef &device);
 };
 
 } // namespace RemoteLinux