diff --git a/rstar/src/primitives/mod.rs b/rstar/src/primitives/mod.rs
index 51dcf85..27e1ebc 100644
--- a/rstar/src/primitives/mod.rs
+++ b/rstar/src/primitives/mod.rs
@@ -3,11 +3,13 @@
 mod cached_envelope;
 mod geom_with_data;
 mod line;
+mod object_ref;
 mod point_with_data;
 mod rectangle;
 
 pub use self::cached_envelope::CachedEnvelope;
 pub use self::geom_with_data::GeomWithData;
 pub use self::line::Line;
+pub use self::object_ref::ObjectRef;
 pub use self::point_with_data::PointWithData;
 pub use self::rectangle::Rectangle;
diff --git a/rstar/src/primitives/object_ref.rs b/rstar/src/primitives/object_ref.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0608d81
--- /dev/null
+++ b/rstar/src/primitives/object_ref.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,62 @@
+use crate::envelope::Envelope;
+use crate::object::PointDistance;
+use crate::{object::RTreeObject, point::Point};
+use core::ops::Deref;
+
+/// An [RTreeObject] that is a possibly short-lived reference to another object.
+///
+/// Sometimes it can be useful to build an [RTree] that does not own its constituent
+/// objects but references them from elsewhere. Wrapping the bare references with this
+/// combinator makes this possible.
+///
+/// **Note:** the wrapper implements [RTreeObject] and referenced object `T` can be
+/// accessed via an implementation of `Deref<Target=T>`.
+#[derive(Clone, Copy, Debug, PartialEq, Eq, PartialOrd, Ord, Hash)]
+pub struct ObjectRef<'a, T: RTreeObject> {
+    inner: &'a T,
+}
+
+impl<'a, T: RTreeObject> RTreeObject for ObjectRef<'a, T> {
+    type Envelope = T::Envelope;
+
+    fn envelope(&self) -> Self::Envelope {
+        self.inner.envelope()
+    }
+}
+
+impl<'a, T: PointDistance> PointDistance for ObjectRef<'a, T> {
+    fn distance_2(
+        &self,
+        point: &<Self::Envelope as Envelope>::Point,
+    ) -> <<Self::Envelope as Envelope>::Point as Point>::Scalar {
+        self.inner.distance_2(point)
+    }
+
+    fn contains_point(&self, p: &<Self::Envelope as Envelope>::Point) -> bool {
+        self.inner.contains_point(p)
+    }
+
+    fn distance_2_if_less_or_equal(
+        &self,
+        point: &<Self::Envelope as Envelope>::Point,
+        max_distance_2: <<Self::Envelope as Envelope>::Point as Point>::Scalar,
+    ) -> Option<<<Self::Envelope as Envelope>::Point as Point>::Scalar> {
+        self.inner
+            .distance_2_if_less_or_equal(point, max_distance_2)
+    }
+}
+
+impl<'a, T: RTreeObject> ObjectRef<'a, T> {
+    /// Create a new [ObjectRef] struct using the object.
+    pub fn new(inner: &'a T) -> Self {
+        Self { inner }
+    }
+}
+
+impl<'a, T: RTreeObject> Deref for ObjectRef<'a, T> {
+    type Target = T;
+
+    fn deref(&self) -> &Self::Target {
+        self.inner
+    }
+}
diff --git a/rstar/src/rtree.rs b/rstar/src/rtree.rs
index 0dd1279..0d87d53 100644
--- a/rstar/src/rtree.rs
+++ b/rstar/src/rtree.rs
@@ -436,7 +436,7 @@ where
     pub fn intersection_candidates_with_other_tree<'a, U>(
         &'a self,
         other: &'a RTree<U>,
-    ) -> IntersectionIterator<T, U>
+    ) -> IntersectionIterator<'a, T, U>
     where
         U: RTreeObject<Envelope = T::Envelope>,
     {