diff --git a/thorlcr/thorutil/thbuf.cpp b/thorlcr/thorutil/thbuf.cpp
index d47124262d6..5472c3b7470 100644
--- a/thorlcr/thorutil/thbuf.cpp
+++ b/thorlcr/thorutil/thbuf.cpp
@@ -607,7 +607,8 @@ class CSmartRowInMemoryBuffer: public CSimpleInterface, implements ISmartRowBuff
 
 ISmartRowBuffer * createSmartBuffer(CActivityBase *activity, const char * tempname, size32_t buffsize, IThorRowInterfaces *rowif)
 {
-    return new CSmartRowBuffer(activity,createIFile(tempname),buffsize,rowif);
+    Owned<IFile> file = createIFile(tempname);
+    return new CSmartRowBuffer(activity,file,buffsize,rowif);
 }
 
 ISmartRowBuffer * createSmartInMemoryBuffer(CActivityBase *activity, IThorRowInterfaces *rowIf, size32_t buffsize)