diff --git a/include/mav/Connection.h b/include/mav/Connection.h
index a3eda87..10738af 100644
--- a/include/mav/Connection.h
+++ b/include/mav/Connection.h
@@ -55,6 +55,7 @@ namespace mav {
         using Expectation = std::shared_ptr<std::promise<Message>>;
 
     private:
+        using ExpectationWeakRef = std::weak_ptr<std::promise<Message>>;
 
         struct FunctionCallback {
             std::function<void(const Message &message)> callback;
@@ -62,7 +63,7 @@ namespace mav {
         };
 
         struct PromiseCallback {
-            Expectation promise;
+            ExpectationWeakRef promise;
             std::function<bool(const Message &message)> selector;
         };
 
@@ -126,11 +127,16 @@ namespace mav {
                             }
                             it++;
                         } else if constexpr (std::is_same_v<T, PromiseCallback>) {
-                            if (arg.selector(message)) {
-                                arg.promise->set_value(message);
+                            auto promise = arg.promise.lock();
+                            if (!promise) {
                                 it = _message_callbacks.erase(it);
                             } else {
-                                it++;
+                                if (arg.selector(message)) {
+                                    promise->set_value(message);
+                                    it = _message_callbacks.erase(it);
+                                } else {
+                                    it++;
+                                }
                             }
                         }
                     }, callback);
@@ -152,8 +158,13 @@ namespace mav {
                         }
                         it++;
                     } else if constexpr (std::is_same_v<T, PromiseCallback>) {
-                        arg.promise->set_exception(exception);
-                        it = _message_callbacks.erase(it);
+                        auto promise = arg.promise.lock();
+                        if (!promise) {
+                            it = _message_callbacks.erase(it);
+                        } else {
+                            promise->set_exception(exception);
+                            it = _message_callbacks.erase(it);
+                        }
                     }
                 }, callback);
             }
diff --git a/tests/Network.cpp b/tests/Network.cpp
index ab1bc59..6d9cc3d 100644
--- a/tests/Network.cpp
+++ b/tests/Network.cpp
@@ -272,6 +272,10 @@ TEST_CASE("Create network runtime") {
             auto expectation = connection->expect("TEST_MESSAGE");
             CHECK_THROWS_AS(auto message = connection->receive(expectation, 100), TimeoutException);
         }
+        // send a heartbeat. Any message will clear expired expectations
+        interface.addToReceiveQueue("\xfd\x09\x00\x00\x00\xfd\x01\x00\x00\x00\x04\x00\x00\x00\x01\x02\x03\x05\x06\x77\x53"s, interface_partner);
+        // wait for the heartbeat to be received, to make sure timing is correct in test
+        connection->receive("HEARTBEAT");
         CHECK_EQ(connection->callbackCount(), 0);
     }
 }