diff --git a/GUI/host/textthread.cpp b/GUI/host/textthread.cpp
index 8313186..50984a0 100644
--- a/GUI/host/textthread.cpp
+++ b/GUI/host/textthread.cpp
@@ -8,12 +8,9 @@ TextThread::TextThread(ThreadParam tp, HookParam hp, std::optional<std::wstring>
 	handle(threadCounter++), 
 	name(name.value_or(Util::StringToWideString(hp.name).value())), 
 	tp(tp), 
-	hp(hp),
-	timer(NULL)
+	hp(hp)
 {
-	HANDLE newTimer;
-	CreateTimerQueueTimer(&newTimer, NULL, Flush, this, 25, 25, WT_EXECUTELONGFUNCTION);
-	timer = newTimer;
+	CreateTimerQueueTimer(timer, NULL, Flush, this, 25, 25, WT_EXECUTELONGFUNCTION);
 	OnCreate(this);
 }
 
diff --git a/GUI/host/textthread.h b/GUI/host/textthread.h
index 8979dd6..db6b280 100644
--- a/GUI/host/textthread.h
+++ b/GUI/host/textthread.h
@@ -36,6 +36,6 @@ private:
 	std::wstring buffer;
 	std::unordered_set<wchar_t> repeatingChars;
 	std::mutex bufferMutex;
-	AutoHandle<TimerDeleter> timer;
 	DWORD lastPushTime;
+	AutoHandle<TimerDeleter> timer = NULL; // this needs to be last so it's destructed first
 };
diff --git a/include/types.h b/include/types.h
index 0f91bd6..166548c 100644
--- a/include/types.h
+++ b/include/types.h
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ class AutoHandle
 public:
 	AutoHandle(HANDLE h) : h(h) {}
 	operator HANDLE() { return h.get(); }
+	operator PHANDLE() { return &h._Myptr(); }
 	operator bool() { return h.get() != NULL && h.get() != INVALID_HANDLE_VALUE; }
 
 private: