diff --git a/main.cpp b/main.cpp
index d823966..4539d83 100644
--- a/main.cpp
+++ b/main.cpp
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@
 #include <list>
 #include <map>
 #include <memory>
+#include <optional>
 #include <unordered_map>
 #include <utility>
 #include <vector>
@@ -68,7 +69,7 @@
 /* The timers used by the PID loop */
 static std::vector<std::shared_ptr<boost::asio::steady_timer>> timers;
 /* The sensors build from configuration */
-static SensorManager mgmr;
+static std::optional<SensorManager> mgmr;
 } // namespace state
 
 } // namespace pid_control
@@ -162,7 +163,7 @@
 
     state::mgmr = buildSensors(sensorConfig, passiveBus, hostBus);
     state::zones =
-        buildZones(zoneConfig, zoneDetailsConfig, state::mgmr, modeControlBus);
+        buildZones(zoneConfig, zoneDetailsConfig, *state::mgmr, modeControlBus);
     // Set `logMaxCountPerSecond` to 20 will limit the number of logs output per
     // second in each zone. Using 20 here would limit the output rate to be no
     // larger than 100 per sec for most platforms as the number of zones are
diff --git a/sensors/builder.cpp b/sensors/builder.cpp
index 166977b..1c63623 100644
--- a/sensors/builder.cpp
+++ b/sensors/builder.cpp
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@
     const std::map<std::string, conf::SensorConfig>& config,
     sdbusplus::bus_t& passive, sdbusplus::bus_t& host)
 {
-    SensorManager mgmr(passive, host);
+    SensorManager mgmr{passive, host};
     auto& hostSensorBus = mgmr.getHostBus();
     auto& passiveListeningBus = mgmr.getPassiveBus();
 
diff --git a/sensors/manager.hpp b/sensors/manager.hpp
index e02e1c9..6ae39fd 100644
--- a/sensors/manager.hpp
+++ b/sensors/manager.hpp
@@ -20,13 +20,13 @@
 {
   public:
     SensorManager(sdbusplus::bus_t& pass, sdbusplus::bus_t& host) :
-        _passiveListeningBus(&pass), _hostSensorBus(&host)
+        _passiveListeningBus(pass), _hostSensorBus(host)
     {
         // manager gets its interface from the bus. :D
-        sdbusplus::server::manager_t(*_hostSensorBus, SensorRoot);
+        sdbusplus::server::manager_t(_hostSensorBus, SensorRoot);
     }
 
-    SensorManager() = default;
+    SensorManager() = delete;
     ~SensorManager() = default;
     SensorManager(const SensorManager&) = delete;
     SensorManager& operator=(const SensorManager&) = delete;
@@ -47,20 +47,20 @@
 
     sdbusplus::bus_t& getPassiveBus(void)
     {
-        return *_passiveListeningBus;
+        return _passiveListeningBus;
     }
 
     sdbusplus::bus_t& getHostBus(void)
     {
-        return *_hostSensorBus;
+        return _hostSensorBus;
     }
 
   private:
     std::map<std::string, std::unique_ptr<Sensor>> _sensorMap;
     std::map<std::string, std::vector<std::string>> _sensorTypeList;
 
-    sdbusplus::bus_t* _passiveListeningBus;
-    sdbusplus::bus_t* _hostSensorBus;
+    std::reference_wrapper<sdbusplus::bus_t> _passiveListeningBus;
+    std::reference_wrapper<sdbusplus::bus_t> _hostSensorBus;
 
     static constexpr auto SensorRoot = "/xyz/openbmc_project/extsensors";
 };
diff --git a/test/pid_zone_unittest.cpp b/test/pid_zone_unittest.cpp
index ea8ac91..e4e7a26 100644
--- a/test/pid_zone_unittest.cpp
+++ b/test/pid_zone_unittest.cpp
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@
 
 #include <chrono>
 #include <cstring>
+#include <optional>
 #include <unordered_map>
 #include <vector>
 
@@ -104,9 +105,7 @@
         auto bus_mock_mode = sdbusplus::get_mocked_new(&sdbus_mock_mode);
         auto bus_mock_enable = sdbusplus::get_mocked_new(&sdbus_mock_enable);
 
-        // Compiler weirdly not happy about just instantiating mgr(...);
-        SensorManager m(bus_mock_passive, bus_mock_host);
-        mgr = std::move(m);
+        mgr = SensorManager(bus_mock_passive, bus_mock_host);
 
         SetupDbusObject(&sdbus_mock_mode, defer, objPath, modeInterface,
                         properties, &property_index);
@@ -118,7 +117,7 @@
                         &propertyenable_index);
 
         zone = std::make_unique<DbusPidZone>(
-            zoneId, minThermalOutput, failSafePercent, cycleTime, mgr,
+            zoneId, minThermalOutput, failSafePercent, cycleTime, *mgr,
             bus_mock_mode, objPath, defer, accSetPoint);
     }
 
@@ -139,7 +138,7 @@
     bool defer = true;
     bool accSetPoint = false;
     const char* objPath = "/path/";
-    SensorManager mgr;
+    std::optional<SensorManager> mgr;
     conf::CycleTime cycleTime;
 
     std::string sensorname = "temp1";
@@ -381,10 +380,10 @@
     SensorMock* sensor_ptr2 = reinterpret_cast<SensorMock*>(sensor2.get());
 
     std::string type = "unchecked";
-    mgr.addSensor(type, name1, std::move(sensor1));
-    EXPECT_EQ(mgr.getSensor(name1), sensor_ptr1);
-    mgr.addSensor(type, name2, std::move(sensor2));
-    EXPECT_EQ(mgr.getSensor(name2), sensor_ptr2);
+    mgr->addSensor(type, name1, std::move(sensor1));
+    EXPECT_EQ(mgr->getSensor(name1), sensor_ptr1);
+    mgr->addSensor(type, name2, std::move(sensor2));
+    EXPECT_EQ(mgr->getSensor(name2), sensor_ptr2);
 
     // Now that the sensors exist, add them to the zone.
     zone->addThermalInput(name1, false);
@@ -437,10 +436,10 @@
     SensorMock* sensor_ptr2 = reinterpret_cast<SensorMock*>(sensor2.get());
 
     std::string type = "unchecked";
-    mgr.addSensor(type, name1, std::move(sensor1));
-    EXPECT_EQ(mgr.getSensor(name1), sensor_ptr1);
-    mgr.addSensor(type, name2, std::move(sensor2));
-    EXPECT_EQ(mgr.getSensor(name2), sensor_ptr2);
+    mgr->addSensor(type, name1, std::move(sensor1));
+    EXPECT_EQ(mgr->getSensor(name1), sensor_ptr1);
+    mgr->addSensor(type, name2, std::move(sensor2));
+    EXPECT_EQ(mgr->getSensor(name2), sensor_ptr2);
 
     // Now that the sensors exist, add them to the zone.
     zone->addFanInput(name1, false);
@@ -489,10 +488,10 @@
     SensorMock* sensor_ptr2 = reinterpret_cast<SensorMock*>(sensor2.get());
 
     std::string type = "unchecked";
-    mgr.addSensor(type, name1, std::move(sensor1));
-    EXPECT_EQ(mgr.getSensor(name1), sensor_ptr1);
-    mgr.addSensor(type, name2, std::move(sensor2));
-    EXPECT_EQ(mgr.getSensor(name2), sensor_ptr2);
+    mgr->addSensor(type, name1, std::move(sensor1));
+    EXPECT_EQ(mgr->getSensor(name1), sensor_ptr1);
+    mgr->addSensor(type, name2, std::move(sensor2));
+    EXPECT_EQ(mgr->getSensor(name2), sensor_ptr2);
 
     zone->addThermalInput(name1, false);
     zone->addThermalInput(name2, false);
@@ -555,10 +554,10 @@
     SensorMock* sensor_ptr2 = reinterpret_cast<SensorMock*>(sensor2.get());
 
     std::string type = "unchecked";
-    mgr.addSensor(type, name1, std::move(sensor1));
-    EXPECT_EQ(mgr.getSensor(name1), sensor_ptr1);
-    mgr.addSensor(type, name2, std::move(sensor2));
-    EXPECT_EQ(mgr.getSensor(name2), sensor_ptr2);
+    mgr->addSensor(type, name1, std::move(sensor1));
+    EXPECT_EQ(mgr->getSensor(name1), sensor_ptr1);
+    mgr->addSensor(type, name2, std::move(sensor2));
+    EXPECT_EQ(mgr->getSensor(name2), sensor_ptr2);
 
     // Only sensor1 has MissingIsAcceptable enabled for it
     zone->addThermalInput(name1, true);
@@ -655,10 +654,10 @@
     SensorMock* sensor_ptr2 = reinterpret_cast<SensorMock*>(sensor2.get());
 
     std::string type = "unchecked";
-    mgr.addSensor(type, name1, std::move(sensor1));
-    EXPECT_EQ(mgr.getSensor(name1), sensor_ptr1);
-    mgr.addSensor(type, name2, std::move(sensor2));
-    EXPECT_EQ(mgr.getSensor(name2), sensor_ptr2);
+    mgr->addSensor(type, name1, std::move(sensor1));
+    EXPECT_EQ(mgr->getSensor(name1), sensor_ptr1);
+    mgr->addSensor(type, name2, std::move(sensor2));
+    EXPECT_EQ(mgr->getSensor(name2), sensor_ptr2);
 
     // Now that the sensors exist, add them to the zone.
     zone->addFanInput(name1, false);
@@ -712,10 +711,10 @@
     SensorMock* sensor_ptr2 = reinterpret_cast<SensorMock*>(sensor2.get());
 
     std::string type = "unchecked";
-    mgr.addSensor(type, name1, std::move(sensor1));
-    EXPECT_EQ(mgr.getSensor(name1), sensor_ptr1);
-    mgr.addSensor(type, name2, std::move(sensor2));
-    EXPECT_EQ(mgr.getSensor(name2), sensor_ptr2);
+    mgr->addSensor(type, name1, std::move(sensor1));
+    EXPECT_EQ(mgr->getSensor(name1), sensor_ptr1);
+    mgr->addSensor(type, name2, std::move(sensor2));
+    EXPECT_EQ(mgr->getSensor(name2), sensor_ptr2);
 
     // Now that the sensors exist, add them to the zone.
     zone->addFanInput(name1, false);
@@ -770,13 +769,13 @@
     SensorMock* sensor_ptr1 = reinterpret_cast<SensorMock*>(sensor1.get());
 
     std::string type = "unchecked";
-    mgr.addSensor(type, name1, std::move(sensor1));
-    EXPECT_EQ(mgr.getSensor(name1), sensor_ptr1);
+    mgr->addSensor(type, name1, std::move(sensor1));
+    EXPECT_EQ(mgr->getSensor(name1), sensor_ptr1);
 
     zone->addThermalInput(name1, false);
 
     // Verify method under test returns the pointer we expect.
-    EXPECT_EQ(mgr.getSensor(name1), zone->getSensor(name1));
+    EXPECT_EQ(mgr->getSensor(name1), zone->getSensor(name1));
 }
 
 TEST_F(PidZoneTest, AddThermalPIDTest_VerifiesThermalPIDsProcessed)