diff --git a/modules/juce_core/memory/juce_ReferenceCountedObject.h b/modules/juce_core/memory/juce_ReferenceCountedObject.h
index 052e136dc3..5088ce65cc 100644
--- a/modules/juce_core/memory/juce_ReferenceCountedObject.h
+++ b/modules/juce_core/memory/juce_ReferenceCountedObject.h
@@ -99,6 +99,15 @@ protected:
     /** Creates the reference-counted object (with an initial ref count of zero). */
     ReferenceCountedObject() {}
 
+    /** Copying from another object does not affect this one's reference-count. */
+    ReferenceCountedObject (const ReferenceCountedObject&) noexcept {}
+    /** Copying from another object does not affect this one's reference-count. */
+    ReferenceCountedObject (ReferenceCountedObject&&) noexcept {}
+    /** Copying from another object does not affect this one's reference-count. */
+    ReferenceCountedObject& operator= (const ReferenceCountedObject&) noexcept  { return *this; }
+    /** Copying from another object does not affect this one's reference-count. */
+    ReferenceCountedObject& operator= (ReferenceCountedObject&&) noexcept       { return *this; }
+
     /** Destructor. */
     virtual ~ReferenceCountedObject()
     {
@@ -116,10 +125,8 @@ protected:
 
 private:
     //==============================================================================
-    Atomic <int> refCount;
-
+    Atomic<int> refCount { 0 };
     friend struct ContainerDeletePolicy<ReferenceCountedObject>;
-    JUCE_DECLARE_NON_COPYABLE (ReferenceCountedObject)
 };
 
 
@@ -176,7 +183,16 @@ public:
 protected:
     //==============================================================================
     /** Creates the reference-counted object (with an initial ref count of zero). */
-    SingleThreadedReferenceCountedObject() : refCount (0)  {}
+    SingleThreadedReferenceCountedObject() {}
+
+    /** Copying from another object does not affect this one's reference-count. */
+    SingleThreadedReferenceCountedObject (const SingleThreadedReferenceCountedObject&) {}
+    /** Copying from another object does not affect this one's reference-count. */
+    SingleThreadedReferenceCountedObject (SingleThreadedReferenceCountedObject&&) {}
+    /** Copying from another object does not affect this one's reference-count. */
+    SingleThreadedReferenceCountedObject& operator= (const SingleThreadedReferenceCountedObject&) { return *this; }
+    /** Copying from another object does not affect this one's reference-count. */
+    SingleThreadedReferenceCountedObject& operator= (SingleThreadedReferenceCountedObject&&) { return *this; }
 
     /** Destructor. */
     virtual ~SingleThreadedReferenceCountedObject()
@@ -187,10 +203,8 @@ protected:
 
 private:
     //==============================================================================
-    int refCount;
-
+    int refCount = 0;
     friend struct ContainerDeletePolicy<ReferenceCountedObject>;
-    JUCE_DECLARE_NON_COPYABLE (SingleThreadedReferenceCountedObject)
 };
 
 
@@ -225,10 +239,10 @@ public:
 
     //==============================================================================
     /** Creates a pointer to a null object. */
-    ReferenceCountedObjectPtr() noexcept
-        : referencedObject (nullptr)
-    {
-    }
+    ReferenceCountedObjectPtr() noexcept {}
+
+    /** Creates a pointer to a null object. */
+    ReferenceCountedObjectPtr (decltype (nullptr)) noexcept {}
 
     /** Creates a pointer to an object.
         This will increment the object's reference-count.
@@ -239,12 +253,6 @@ public:
         incIfNotNull (refCountedObject);
     }
 
-    /** Creates a pointer to a null object. */
-    ReferenceCountedObjectPtr (decltype (nullptr)) noexcept
-        : referencedObject (nullptr)
-    {
-    }
-
     /** Copies another pointer.
         This will increment the object's reference-count.
     */
@@ -293,7 +301,7 @@ public:
         if (referencedObject != newObject)
         {
             incIfNotNull (newObject);
-            ReferencedType* const oldObject = referencedObject;
+            auto* oldObject = referencedObject;
             referencedObject = newObject;
             decIfNotNull (oldObject);
         }
@@ -349,7 +357,7 @@ public:
 
 private:
     //==============================================================================
-    ReferencedType* referencedObject;
+    ReferencedType* referencedObject = nullptr;
 
     static void incIfNotNull (ReferencedType* o) noexcept
     {