diff --git a/src/backend-device-factory.cpp b/src/backend-device-factory.cpp
index dcb4fb498ae..d033b95c955 100644
--- a/src/backend-device-factory.cpp
+++ b/src/backend-device-factory.cpp
@@ -126,13 +126,18 @@ std::shared_ptr< platform::backend > backend_device::get_backend()
 }
 
 
-backend_device_factory::backend_device_factory( context & ctx, callback && cb )
+backend_device_factory::backend_device_factory( std::shared_ptr< context > const & ctx, callback && cb )
     : super( ctx )
     , _device_watcher( backend_device_watcher.instance() )
     , _dtor( _device_watcher->subscribe(
-          [this, cb = std::move( cb )]( platform::backend_device_group const & old,
-                                        platform::backend_device_group const & curr )
+          [this, liveliness = std::weak_ptr< context >( ctx ), cb = std::move( cb )](
+              platform::backend_device_group const & old, platform::backend_device_group const & curr )
           {
+              // the factory should be alive as long as the context is alive
+              auto live_ctx = liveliness.lock();
+              if( ! live_ctx )
+                  return;
+
               auto old_list = create_devices_from_group( old, RS2_PRODUCT_LINE_ANY );
               auto new_list = create_devices_from_group( curr, RS2_PRODUCT_LINE_ANY );
 
@@ -166,7 +171,11 @@ backend_device_factory::~backend_device_factory()
 
 std::vector< std::shared_ptr< device_info > > backend_device_factory::query_devices( unsigned requested_mask ) const
 {
-    if( ( requested_mask & RS2_PRODUCT_LINE_SW_ONLY ) || ( _context.get_device_mask() & RS2_PRODUCT_LINE_SW_ONLY ) )
+    auto ctx = get_context();
+    if( ! ctx )
+        return {};
+
+    if( ( requested_mask & RS2_PRODUCT_LINE_SW_ONLY ) || ( ctx->get_device_mask() & RS2_PRODUCT_LINE_SW_ONLY ) )
         return {};  // We don't carry any software devices
 
     auto backend = _device_watcher->get_backend();
@@ -181,33 +190,34 @@ std::vector< std::shared_ptr< device_info > > backend_device_factory::query_devi
 std::vector< std::shared_ptr< platform::platform_device_info > >
 backend_device_factory::create_devices_from_group( platform::backend_device_group devices, int requested_mask ) const
 {
+    auto ctx = get_context();
     std::vector< std::shared_ptr< platform::platform_device_info > > list;
-    unsigned const mask = context::combine_device_masks( requested_mask, _context.get_device_mask() );
+    unsigned const mask = context::combine_device_masks( requested_mask, ctx->get_device_mask() );
     if( ! ( mask & RS2_PRODUCT_LINE_SW_ONLY ) )
     {
         if( mask & RS2_PRODUCT_LINE_D400 )
         {
-            auto d400_devices = d400_info::pick_d400_devices( _context.shared_from_this(), devices );
+            auto d400_devices = d400_info::pick_d400_devices( ctx, devices );
             std::copy( std::begin( d400_devices ), end( d400_devices ), std::back_inserter( list ) );
         }
 
         if( mask & RS2_PRODUCT_LINE_D500 )
         {
-            auto d500_devices = d500_info::pick_d500_devices( _context.shared_from_this(), devices );
+            auto d500_devices = d500_info::pick_d500_devices( ctx, devices );
             std::copy( begin( d500_devices ), end( d500_devices ), std::back_inserter( list ) );
         }
 
         // Supported recovery devices
         {
             auto recovery_devices
-                = fw_update_info::pick_recovery_devices( _context.shared_from_this(), devices.usb_devices, mask );
+                = fw_update_info::pick_recovery_devices( ctx, devices.usb_devices, mask );
             std::copy( begin( recovery_devices ), end( recovery_devices ), std::back_inserter( list ) );
         }
 
         if( mask & RS2_PRODUCT_LINE_NON_INTEL )
         {
             auto uvc_devices
-                = platform_camera_info::pick_uvc_devices( _context.shared_from_this(), devices.uvc_devices );
+                = platform_camera_info::pick_uvc_devices( ctx, devices.uvc_devices );
             std::copy( begin( uvc_devices ), end( uvc_devices ), std::back_inserter( list ) );
         }
     }
diff --git a/src/backend-device-factory.h b/src/backend-device-factory.h
index 1b71faf922b..7bd52d35895 100644
--- a/src/backend-device-factory.h
+++ b/src/backend-device-factory.h
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ class backend_device_factory : public device_factory
     rsutils::subscription const _dtor;  // raii generic code, used to automatically unsubscribe our callback
 
 public:
-    backend_device_factory( context &, callback && );
+    backend_device_factory( std::shared_ptr< context > const &, callback && );
     ~backend_device_factory();
 
     // Query any subset of available devices and return them as device-info objects
diff --git a/src/context.cpp b/src/context.cpp
index e490c46babf..23d1c6adb45 100644
--- a/src/context.cpp
+++ b/src/context.cpp
@@ -67,16 +67,23 @@ namespace librealsense {
             version_logged = true;
             LOG_DEBUG( "Librealsense VERSION: " << RS2_API_FULL_VERSION_STR );
         }
+    }
+
+
+    void context::create_factories()
+    {
+        // This can only get called once the constructor is done:
+        auto sptr = shared_from_this();
 
         _factories.push_back( std::make_shared< backend_device_factory >(
-            *this,
+            sptr,
             [this]( std::vector< std::shared_ptr< device_info > > const & removed,
                     std::vector< std::shared_ptr< device_info > > const & added )
             { invoke_devices_changed_callbacks( removed, added ); } ) );
 
 #ifdef BUILD_WITH_DDS
         _factories.push_back( std::make_shared< rsdds_device_factory >(
-            *this,
+            sptr,
             [this]( std::vector< std::shared_ptr< device_info > > const & removed,
                     std::vector< std::shared_ptr< device_info > > const & added )
             { invoke_devices_changed_callbacks( removed, added ); } ) );
@@ -84,9 +91,17 @@ namespace librealsense {
     }
 
 
-    context::context( char const * json_settings )
-        : context( json_settings ? json::parse( json_settings ) : json::object() )
+    /*static*/ std::shared_ptr< context > context::make( json const & settings )
+    {
+        std::shared_ptr< context > ctx( new context( settings ) );
+        ctx->create_factories();
+        return ctx;
+    }
+
+
+    /*static*/ std::shared_ptr< context > context::make( char const * json_settings )
     {
+        return make( json_settings ? json::parse( json_settings ) : json::object() );
     }
 
 
diff --git a/src/context.h b/src/context.h
index 629bad3a3ad..5b8342ca82d 100644
--- a/src/context.h
+++ b/src/context.h
@@ -18,9 +18,13 @@ namespace librealsense
 
     class context : public std::enable_shared_from_this<context>
     {
+        context( nlohmann::json const & );  // private! use make()
+
+        void create_factories();
+
     public:
-        explicit context( nlohmann::json const & );
-        explicit context( char const * json_settings );
+        static std::shared_ptr< context > make( nlohmann::json const & );
+        static std::shared_ptr< context > make( char const * json_settings );
 
         ~context();
 
diff --git a/src/dds/rsdds-device-factory.cpp b/src/dds/rsdds-device-factory.cpp
index 36bf2a7acfd..ec1a3ffde67 100644
--- a/src/dds/rsdds-device-factory.cpp
+++ b/src/dds/rsdds-device-factory.cpp
@@ -80,10 +80,10 @@ static std::map< realdds::dds_domain_id, domain_context > domain_context_by_id;
 static std::mutex domain_context_by_id_mutex;
 
 
-rsdds_device_factory::rsdds_device_factory( context & ctx, callback && cb )
+rsdds_device_factory::rsdds_device_factory( std::shared_ptr< context > const & ctx, callback && cb )
     : super( ctx )
 {
-    nlohmann::json const & dds_settings = rsutils::json::nested( _context.get_settings(), std::string( "dds", 3 ) );
+    nlohmann::json const & dds_settings = rsutils::json::nested( ctx->get_settings(), std::string( "dds", 3 ) );
     if( dds_settings.is_object() && rsutils::json::get( dds_settings, std::string( "enabled", 7 ), true ) )
     {
         auto domain_id = rsutils::json::get< realdds::dds_domain_id >( dds_settings, std::string( "domain", 6 ), 0 );
@@ -109,9 +109,11 @@ rsdds_device_factory::rsdds_device_factory( context & ctx, callback && cb )
         _subscription = _watcher_singleton->subscribe(
             [this, cb = std::move( cb )]( std::shared_ptr< realdds::dds_device > const & dev, bool added )
             {
+                auto ctx = get_context();
+                if( ! ctx )
+                    return;
                 std::vector< std::shared_ptr< device_info > > infos_added;
                 std::vector< std::shared_ptr< device_info > > infos_removed;
-                auto ctx = _context.shared_from_this();
                 auto dev_info = std::make_shared< dds_device_info >( ctx, dev );
                 if( added )
                     infos_added.push_back( dev_info );
@@ -131,7 +133,7 @@ std::vector< std::shared_ptr< device_info > > rsdds_device_factory::query_device
     std::vector< std::shared_ptr< device_info > > list;
     if( _watcher_singleton )
     {
-        unsigned const mask = context::combine_device_masks( requested_mask, _context.get_device_mask() );
+        unsigned const mask = context::combine_device_masks( requested_mask, get_context()->get_device_mask() );
 
         _watcher_singleton->get_device_watcher()->foreach_device(
             [&]( std::shared_ptr< realdds::dds_device > const & dev ) -> bool
@@ -156,9 +158,11 @@ std::vector< std::shared_ptr< device_info > > rsdds_device_factory::query_device
                     return true;
                 }
 
-                std::shared_ptr< device_info > info
-                    = std::make_shared< dds_device_info >( _context.shared_from_this(), dev );
-                list.push_back( info );
+                if( auto ctx = get_context() )
+                {
+                    std::shared_ptr< device_info > info = std::make_shared< dds_device_info >( ctx, dev );
+                    list.push_back( info );
+                }
                 return true;  // continue iteration
             } );
     }
diff --git a/src/dds/rsdds-device-factory.h b/src/dds/rsdds-device-factory.h
index 2fa2f053912..a5914350824 100644
--- a/src/dds/rsdds-device-factory.h
+++ b/src/dds/rsdds-device-factory.h
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ class rsdds_device_factory : public device_factory
     rsutils::subscription _subscription;
 
 public:
-    rsdds_device_factory( context &, callback && );
+    rsdds_device_factory( std::shared_ptr< context > const &, callback && );
     ~rsdds_device_factory();
 
     // Query any subset of available devices and return them as device-info objects
diff --git a/src/rs.cpp b/src/rs.cpp
index 5bbff81fdd1..116d02af1f0 100644
--- a/src/rs.cpp
+++ b/src/rs.cpp
@@ -188,7 +188,7 @@ rs2_context* rs2_create_context(int api_version, rs2_error** error) BEGIN_API_CA
     verify_version_compatibility(api_version);
 
     nlohmann::json settings;
-    return new rs2_context{ std::make_shared< librealsense::context >( settings ) };
+    return new rs2_context{ context::make( settings ) };
 }
 HANDLE_EXCEPTIONS_AND_RETURN(nullptr, api_version)
 
@@ -196,8 +196,7 @@ rs2_context* rs2_create_context_ex(int api_version, const char * json_settings,
 {
     verify_version_compatibility(api_version);
 
-    return new rs2_context{
-        std::make_shared< librealsense::context >( json_settings ) };
+    return new rs2_context{ context::make( json_settings ) };
 }
 HANDLE_EXCEPTIONS_AND_RETURN(nullptr, api_version, json_settings)
 
@@ -2652,7 +2651,7 @@ NOARGS_HANDLE_EXCEPTIONS_AND_RETURN(0)
 rs2_device* rs2_create_software_device(rs2_error** error) BEGIN_API_CALL
 {
     // We're not given a context...
-    auto ctx = std::make_shared< context >( nlohmann::json::object( { { "dds", false } } ) );
+    auto ctx = context::make( nlohmann::json::object( { { "dds", false } } ) );
     auto dev_info = std::make_shared< software_device_info >( ctx );
     auto dev = std::make_shared< software_device >( dev_info );
     dev_info->set_device( dev );
diff --git a/src/rscore/device-factory.h b/src/rscore/device-factory.h
index 7705800a331..5378fbc5904 100644
--- a/src/rscore/device-factory.h
+++ b/src/rscore/device-factory.h
@@ -25,10 +25,10 @@ class context;
 
 class device_factory
 {
-protected:
-    context & _context;
+    std::weak_ptr< context > _context;
 
-    device_factory( context & ctx )
+protected:
+    device_factory( std::shared_ptr< context > const & ctx )
         : _context( ctx )
     {
     }
@@ -41,6 +41,8 @@ class device_factory
 
     virtual ~device_factory() = default;
 
+    std::shared_ptr< context > get_context() const { return _context.lock(); }
+
     // Query any subset of available devices and return them as device-info objects from which actual devices can be
     // created as needed.
     //