diff --git a/app/src/MainWindow.cpp b/app/src/MainWindow.cpp
index 6bf9b47..8911e2a 100644
--- a/app/src/MainWindow.cpp
+++ b/app/src/MainWindow.cpp
@@ -64,8 +64,8 @@ MainWindow::MainWindow(QWidget *parent) : QMainWindow(parent), m_Ui(new Ui::Main
     mainToolBar->addAction("A1");
 
     // Widgets / controllers connections
-    connect(&sqpApp->dataSourceController(), SIGNAL(dataSourceItemSet(DataSourceItem &)),
-            m_Ui->dataSourceWidget, SLOT(addDataSource(DataSourceItem &)));
+    connect(&sqpApp->dataSourceController(), SIGNAL(dataSourceItemSet(DataSourceItem *)),
+            m_Ui->dataSourceWidget, SLOT(addDataSource(DataSourceItem *)));
 
     /*    QLopGUI::registerMenuBar(menuBar());
         this->setWindowIcon(QIcon(":/sciqlopLOGO.svg"));
diff --git a/core/include/DataSource/DataSourceController.h b/core/include/DataSource/DataSourceController.h
index 33a6049..6d3df61 100644
--- a/core/include/DataSource/DataSourceController.h
+++ b/core/include/DataSource/DataSourceController.h
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ public slots:
 
 signals:
     /// Signal emitted when a structure has been set for a data source
-    void dataSourceItemSet(DataSourceItem &dataSourceItem);
+    void dataSourceItemSet(DataSourceItem *dataSourceItem);
 
 private:
     void waitForFinish();
diff --git a/core/src/DataSource/DataSourceController.cpp b/core/src/DataSource/DataSourceController.cpp
index f3def90..c8066c1 100644
--- a/core/src/DataSource/DataSourceController.cpp
+++ b/core/src/DataSource/DataSourceController.cpp
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ void DataSourceController::setDataSourceItem(
         // Retrieves the data source item to emit the signal with it
         auto it = impl->m_DataSourceItems.find(dataSourceUid);
         if (it != impl->m_DataSourceItems.end()) {
-            emit dataSourceItemSet(*it->second);
+            emit dataSourceItemSet(it->second.get());
         }
     }
     else {
diff --git a/core/tests/DataSource/TestDataSourceController.cpp b/core/tests/DataSource/TestDataSourceController.cpp
index a8c0a24..24429e2 100644
--- a/core/tests/DataSource/TestDataSourceController.cpp
+++ b/core/tests/DataSource/TestDataSourceController.cpp
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ void TestDataSourceController::testSetDataSourceItem()
     DataSourceController dataSourceController{};
 
     // Spy to test controllers' signals
-    QSignalSpy signalSpy{&dataSourceController, SIGNAL(dataSourceItemSet(const DataSourceItem &))};
+    QSignalSpy signalSpy{&dataSourceController, SIGNAL(dataSourceItemSet(DataSourceItem *))};
 
     // Create a data source item
     auto source1Name = QStringLiteral("Source1");
diff --git a/gui/include/DataSource/DataSourceWidget.h b/gui/include/DataSource/DataSourceWidget.h
index e0634f7..19d351f 100644
--- a/gui/include/DataSource/DataSourceWidget.h
+++ b/gui/include/DataSource/DataSourceWidget.h
@@ -21,9 +21,9 @@ public slots:
     /**
      * Adds a data source. An item associated to the data source is created and then added to the
      * representation tree
-     * @param dataSource the data source to add
+     * @param dataSource the data source to add. The pointer has to be not null
      */
-    void addDataSource(DataSourceItem &dataSource) noexcept;
+    void addDataSource(DataSourceItem *dataSource) noexcept;
 
 private:
     class DataSourceWidgetPrivate;
diff --git a/gui/src/DataSource/DataSourceWidget.cpp b/gui/src/DataSource/DataSourceWidget.cpp
index 20e3014..79749aa 100644
--- a/gui/src/DataSource/DataSourceWidget.cpp
+++ b/gui/src/DataSource/DataSourceWidget.cpp
@@ -53,9 +53,11 @@ DataSourceWidget::DataSourceWidget(QWidget *parent)
 {
 }
 
-void DataSourceWidget::addDataSource(DataSourceItem &dataSource) noexcept
+void DataSourceWidget::addDataSource(DataSourceItem *dataSource) noexcept
 {
     // Creates the item associated to the source and adds it to the tree widget. The tree widget
     // takes the ownership of the item
-    impl->m_Ui->treeWidget->addTopLevelItem(createTreeWidgetItem(&dataSource));
+    if (dataSource) {
+        impl->m_Ui->treeWidget->addTopLevelItem(createTreeWidgetItem(dataSource));
+    }
 }