diff --git a/src/nvector_wrapper.jl b/src/nvector_wrapper.jl
index 727e25a..3f46413 100644
--- a/src/nvector_wrapper.jl
+++ b/src/nvector_wrapper.jl
@@ -9,26 +9,26 @@
    NB: can be supplied to ccall when an N_Vector is required
    (ie implements cconvert / unsafe_convert).
 """
-struct NVector <: DenseVector{realtype}
-    ref_nv::Ref{N_Vector}   # reference to N_Vector
+mutable struct NVector <: DenseVector{realtype}
+    n_v::N_Vector           # reference (C pointer) to N_Vector
     v::Vector{realtype}     # array that is referenced by N_Vector
 
     function NVector(v::Vector{realtype})
         # note that N_VMake_Serial() creates N_Vector doesn't own the data,
         # so calling N_VDestroy_Serial() would not deallocate v
-        nv = new(Ref{N_Vector}(N_VMake_Serial(length(v), v)), v)
-        finalizer(release_handle, nv.ref_nv)
+        nv = new(N_VMake_Serial(length(v), v), v)
+        finalizer(release_handle, nv)
         return nv
     end
 
-    function NVector(nv::N_Vector)
+    function NVector(n_v::N_Vector)
         # wrap N_Vector into NVector and get non-owning access to `nv` data
         # via `v`, but don't register finalizer for `nv`
-        return new(Ref{N_Vector}(nv), asarray(nv))
+        return new(n_v, asarray(n_v))
     end
 end
 
-release_handle(ref_nv::Ref{N_Vector}) = N_VDestroy_Serial(ref_nv[])
+release_handle(nv::NVector) = N_VDestroy_Serial(nv.n_v)
 
 Base.size(nv::NVector, d...) = size(nv.v, d...)
 Base.stride(nv::NVector, d::Integer) = stride(nv.v, d)
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ Base.setindex!(nv::NVector, X, i::Real) = setindex!(nv.v, X, i)
 Base.setindex!(nv::NVector, X, i::AbstractArray) = setindex!(nv.v, X, i)
 Base.setindex!(nv::NVector, X, inds...) = setindex!(nv.v, X, inds...)
 
-Base.pointer(nv::NVector) = Sundials.N_VGetArrayPointer_Serial(nv.ref_nv[])
+Base.pointer(nv::NVector) = Sundials.N_VGetArrayPointer_Serial(nv.n_v)
 
 ##################################################################
 #
@@ -65,23 +65,19 @@ Base.convert(::Type{Vector}, nv::NVector) = nv.v
 
 
 """ 
-    Base.cconvert(::Type{N_Vector}, v::Vector{realtype}) -> nv::NVector
-    Base.unsafe_convert(::Type{N_Vector}, nv::NVector)
+    Base.cconvert(::Type{N_Vector}, v::Vector{realtype}) -> NVector
+    Base.unsafe_convert(::Type{N_Vector}, nv::NVector) -> N_Vector
 
-Convert NVector to N_Vector, for use by ccall
+Convert v to N_Vector, for use by ccall
 
-(NB: actually implemented to convert any Julia Vector, although only NVector is needed?)
-
-This replaces incorrect use of Base.convert, which fails with Julia >= 1.8 if used with a temporary NVector
-
-see https://discourse.julialang.org/t/how-to-keep-a-reference-for-c-structure-to-avoid-gc/9310/21
+(NB: actually implemented to convert any Julia Vector v, although only v::NVector is needed?)
 
 Conversion happens in two steps within ccall:
- - cconvert to convert to temporary NVector, which is preserved from garbage collection
- - unsafe_convert to get the pointer from the temporary NVector
+ - cconvert to convert to temporary NVector, which is preserved (by ccall) from garbage collection
+ - unsafe_convert to get the N_Vector pointer from the temporary NVector
 """
-Base.cconvert(::Type{N_Vector}, v::Vector{realtype}) = convert(NVector, v)
-Base.unsafe_convert(::Type{N_Vector}, nv::NVector) = nv.ref_nv[]
+Base.cconvert(::Type{N_Vector}, v::Vector{realtype}) = convert(NVector, v) # will just return v if v is an NVector
+Base.unsafe_convert(::Type{N_Vector}, nv::NVector) = nv.n_v
 
 
 Base.similar(nv::NVector) = NVector(similar(nv.v))