diff --git a/src/blackmisc/worker.cpp b/src/blackmisc/worker.cpp
index 13484882c..661314254 100644
--- a/src/blackmisc/worker.cpp
+++ b/src/blackmisc/worker.cpp
@@ -56,6 +56,7 @@ namespace BlackMisc
     CWorker *CWorker::fromTaskImpl(QObject *owner, const QString &name, int typeId, std::function<CVariant()> task)
     {
         auto *worker = new CWorker(task);
+        emit worker->aboutToStart();
         worker->setStarted();
         auto *thread = new CRegularThread(owner);
 
@@ -122,6 +123,7 @@ namespace BlackMisc
 
         if (m_name.isEmpty()) { m_name = metaObject()->className(); }
 
+        emit aboutToStart();
         setStarted();
         auto *thread = new CRegularThread(m_owner);
 
diff --git a/src/blackmisc/worker.h b/src/blackmisc/worker.h
index 9de5d58c3..adf1d7e6d 100644
--- a/src/blackmisc/worker.h
+++ b/src/blackmisc/worker.h
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@
 #include <QMutex>
 #include <QMutexLocker>
 #include <QObject>
+#include <QPointer>
 #include <QSharedPointer>
 #include <QString>
 #include <QThread>
@@ -31,12 +32,16 @@
 #include <QtGlobal>
 #include <algorithm>
 #include <functional>
+#include <memory>
 #include <type_traits>
 #include <atomic>
 
 namespace BlackMisc
 {
 
+    template <typename T>
+    class CWorkerPointer;
+
     /*!
      * Starts a single-shot timer which will call a task in the thread of the given object when it times out.
      *
@@ -158,6 +163,9 @@ namespace BlackMisc
         void abandonAndWait() noexcept;
 
     signals:
+        //! Emitted when the task is about to start.
+        void aboutToStart();
+
         //! Emitted when the task is finished.
         void finished();
 
@@ -292,6 +300,9 @@ namespace BlackMisc
         void ps_finish();
 
     private:
+        template <typename T>
+        friend class CWorkerPointer;
+
         using CWorkerBase::hasStarted;
         using CWorkerBase::setStarted;
         using CWorkerBase::setFinished;
@@ -300,6 +311,59 @@ namespace BlackMisc
         QString m_name;
     };
 
+    /*!
+     * RAII smart pointer to manage a CContinuousWorker instance.
+     *
+     * Not required if the worker is immediately started after construction.
+     * Before the worker starts, it is owned by the pointer.
+     * After the worker starts, becomes a non-owning pointer, as ownership is tied to the lifetime of the thread.
+     */
+    template <typename T>
+    class CWorkerPointer
+    {
+    public:
+        static_assert(std::is_base_of<CContinuousWorker, T>::value, "T must be a CContinuousWorker subclass");
+
+        //! Constructor. Takes ownership.
+        explicit CWorkerPointer(T *ptr) : m_weak(ptr)
+        {
+            if (!ptr || static_cast<const CContinuousWorker *>(ptr)->hasStarted()) { return; }
+            m_strong.reset(ptr);
+            QObject::connect(ptr, &CWorkerBase::aboutToStart, [this] { m_strong.reset(); });
+        }
+
+        //! Construct a null pointer.
+        //! @{
+        CWorkerPointer() = default;
+        CWorkerPointer(std::nullptr_t) {}
+        //! @}
+
+        //! Factory method.
+        //! Arguments are forwarded to the constructor of T. Strictly more exception-safe than calling the constructor with new.
+        template <typename... Ts>
+        static CWorkerPointer create(Ts &&... args) { return CWorkerPointer(new T(std::forward<Ts>(args)...)); }
+
+        //! Access the raw pointer.
+        //! @{
+        T *data() const { return m_weak.data(); }
+        T &operator *() const { return *data(); }
+        T *operator ->() const { return &*data(); }
+        //! @}
+
+        //! True if it points to a valid worker.
+        //! @{
+        explicit operator bool() const { return m_weak; }
+        bool isValid() const { return m_weak; }
+        //! @}
+
+        //! True if it owns the worker it points to (i.e. worker has not yet started).
+        bool isOwner() const { return m_strong; }
+
+    private:
+        std::unique_ptr<T> m_strong;
+        QPointer<T> m_weak;
+    };
+
 }
 
 #endif
diff --git a/src/swiftdata/swiftdata.cpp b/src/swiftdata/swiftdata.cpp
index 42f35ac18..801ebd156 100644
--- a/src/swiftdata/swiftdata.cpp
+++ b/src/swiftdata/swiftdata.cpp
@@ -8,7 +8,6 @@
  */
 
 #include "swiftdata.h"
-#include "blackcore/db/backgrounddataupdater.h"
 #include "blackcore/data/globalsetup.h"
 #include "blackgui/components/datamaininfoareacomponent.h"
 #include "blackgui/components/dbmappingcomponent.h"
@@ -163,14 +162,14 @@ void CSwiftData::consolidationSettingChanged()
         {
             ui->comp_MainInfoArea->getDataSettingsComponent()->setBackgroundUpdater(nullptr);
             m_updater->gracefulShutdown();
-            m_updater.reset(nullptr);
+            m_updater = nullptr;
         }
     }
     else
     {
         if (!m_updater)
         {
-            m_updater.reset(new CBackgroundDataUpdater(this));
+            m_updater = m_updater.create(this);
             m_updater->start(QThread::LowestPriority);
             ui->comp_MainInfoArea->getDataSettingsComponent()->setBackgroundUpdater(m_updater.data());
         }
diff --git a/src/swiftdata/swiftdata.h b/src/swiftdata/swiftdata.h
index 35bdc5d76..3f149eed0 100644
--- a/src/swiftdata/swiftdata.h
+++ b/src/swiftdata/swiftdata.h
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@
 #include "blackgui/settings/guisettings.h"
 #include "blackgui/mainwindowaccess.h"
 #include "blackgui/managedstatusbar.h"
+#include "blackcore/db/backgrounddataupdater.h"
 #include "blackmisc/identifiable.h"
 #include "blackmisc/statusmessage.h"
 
@@ -28,10 +29,6 @@ namespace Ui { class CSwiftData; }
 namespace BlackCore
 {
     class CWebDataServices;
-    namespace Db
-    {
-        class CBackgroundDataUpdater;
-    }
 }
 
 /*!
@@ -83,7 +80,7 @@ private:
 
     BlackGui::CManagedStatusBar    m_statusBar;
     QScopedPointer<Ui::CSwiftData> ui;
-    QScopedPointer<BlackCore::Db::CBackgroundDataUpdater, QScopedPointerDeleteLater> m_updater;
+    BlackMisc::CWorkerPointer<BlackCore::Db::CBackgroundDataUpdater> m_updater;
     BlackMisc::CSettingReadOnly<BlackGui::Settings::TBackgroundConsolidation> m_consolidationSettings { this, &CSwiftData::consolidationSettingChanged }; //!< consolidation time
 };