diff --git a/include/channelimpl.h b/include/channelimpl.h
index 9aaaf3f..ad02d27 100644
--- a/include/channelimpl.h
+++ b/include/channelimpl.h
@@ -43,12 +43,6 @@ private:
      */
     uint16_t _id;
 
-    /**
-     *  Monitor to check if the connection is still alive
-     *  @var    Monitor
-     */
-    Monitor _monitor;
-
     /**
      *  State of the channel object
      *  @var enum
@@ -90,6 +84,15 @@ public:
      */
     virtual ~ChannelImpl();
 
+    /**
+     *  Invalidate the channel
+     *  This method is called when the connection is destructed
+     */
+    void invalidate()
+    {
+        _connection = nullptr;
+    }
+
     /**
      *  Pause deliveries on a channel
      * 
diff --git a/libamqp.h b/libamqp.h
index 83dc696..28c3675 100644
--- a/libamqp.h
+++ b/libamqp.h
@@ -29,7 +29,6 @@
 #include <libamqp/receivedframe.h>
 #include <libamqp/outbuffer.h>
 #include <libamqp/watchable.h>
-#include <libamqp/monitor.h>
 
 // amqp types
 #include <libamqp/field.h>
diff --git a/src/channelimpl.cpp b/src/channelimpl.cpp
index aaeee2c..9d0a88f 100644
--- a/src/channelimpl.cpp
+++ b/src/channelimpl.cpp
@@ -51,8 +51,7 @@ namespace AMQP {
 ChannelImpl::ChannelImpl(Channel *parent, Connection *connection, ChannelHandler *handler) :
     _parent(parent),
     _connection(&connection->_implementation),
-    _handler(handler),
-    _monitor(_connection)
+    _handler(handler)
 {
     // add the channel to the connection
     _id = _connection->add(this);
@@ -86,7 +85,7 @@ ChannelImpl::~ChannelImpl()
     _message = nullptr;
     
     // remove this channel from the connection (but not if the connection is already destructed)
-    if (_monitor.valid()) _connection->remove(this);
+    if (_connection) _connection->remove(this);
     
     // close the channel now
     close();
@@ -334,7 +333,7 @@ bool ChannelImpl::publish(const std::string &exchange, const std::string &routin
     if (!send(BasicHeaderFrame(_id, envelope))) return false;
     
     // channel and connection still valid?
-    if (!monitor.valid() || !_monitor.valid()) return false;
+    if (!monitor.valid() || !_connection) return false;
     
     // the max payload size is the max frame size minus the bytes for headers and trailer
     uint32_t maxpayload = _connection->maxPayload();
@@ -444,10 +443,10 @@ bool ChannelImpl::recover(int flags)
 bool ChannelImpl::send(const Frame &frame)
 {
     // skip if channel is not connected
-    if (_state != state_connected) return false;
+    if (_state != state_connected || !_connection) return false;
     
-    // send to tcp connection (first check if connection object was not destructed)
-    return _monitor.valid() && _connection->send(frame);
+    // send to tcp connection
+    return _connection->send(frame);
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/src/connectionimpl.cpp b/src/connectionimpl.cpp
index 8b99873..e12a431 100644
--- a/src/connectionimpl.cpp
+++ b/src/connectionimpl.cpp
@@ -42,6 +42,9 @@ ConnectionImpl::~ConnectionImpl()
 {
     // close the connection in a nice fashion
     close();
+    
+    // invalidate all channels, so they will no longer call methods on this channel object
+    for (auto iter = _channels.begin(); iter != _channels.end(); iter++) iter->second->invalidate();
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/src/includes.h b/src/includes.h
index 6d3b1b1..c24f5f3 100644
--- a/src/includes.h
+++ b/src/includes.h
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
 #include "../libamqp.h"
 
 // classes that are very commonly used
+#include "monitor.h"
 #include "exception.h"
 #include "protocolexception.h"
 #include "frame.h"
diff --git a/include/monitor.h b/src/monitor.h
similarity index 100%
rename from include/monitor.h
rename to src/monitor.h
diff --git a/tests/myconnection.cpp b/tests/myconnection.cpp
index c57fb56..94eb6f3 100644
--- a/tests/myconnection.cpp
+++ b/tests/myconnection.cpp
@@ -88,6 +88,7 @@ void MyConnection::onConnected(Network::TcpSocket *socket)
     
     // we declare a queue, an exchange and we publish a message
     _channel->declareQueue("my_queue");
+//    _channel->declareQueue("my_queue", AMQP::autodelete);
     _channel->declareExchange("my_exchange", AMQP::direct);
     _channel->bindQueue("my_exchange", "my_queue", "key");
 }