diff --git a/RainmeterStudio.Core/Model/Project.cs b/RainmeterStudio.Core/Model/Project.cs
index e7b4fcf0..ee40b754 100644
--- a/RainmeterStudio.Core/Model/Project.cs
+++ b/RainmeterStudio.Core/Model/Project.cs
@@ -12,14 +12,18 @@ namespace RainmeterStudio.Core.Model
     /// </summary>
     public class Project
     {
-        #region Name property
+        #region Private fields
 
         private string _name;
+        private string _path;
+        
+        #endregion
+
+        #region Properties
 
         /// <summary>
         /// Gets or sets the name of the project
         /// </summary>
-        [XmlElement("name")]
         public string Name
         {
             get
@@ -35,16 +39,9 @@ namespace RainmeterStudio.Core.Model
             }
         }
 
-        private string _path;
-
-        #endregion
-
-        #region Path property
-
         /// <summary>
         /// Gets or sets the file path of this project
         /// </summary>
-        [XmlIgnore]
         public string Path
         {
             get
@@ -60,137 +57,41 @@ namespace RainmeterStudio.Core.Model
             }
         }
 
-        #endregion
-
-        #region Author property
-
         /// <summary>
         /// Gets or sets the author of the project
         /// </summary>
-        [XmlElement("author")]
         public string Author { get; set; }
 
-        #endregion
-
-        #region Version property
-
         /// <summary>
         /// Gets or sets the version of the project
         /// </summary>
-        [XmlIgnore]
         public Version Version { get; set; }
 
-        /// <summary>
-        /// Gets or sets the string representation of the project version
-        /// </summary>
-        [XmlElement("version")]
-        public string VersionString
-        {
-            get
-            {
-                return Version.ToString();
-            }
-            set
-            {
-                Version = new Version(value);
-            }
-        }
-
-        #endregion
-
-        #region Auto-load file property
-
         /// <summary>
         /// Gets or sets the reference to the file to automatically load at package installation
         /// </summary>
-        [XmlElement("autoLoadFile")]
         public Reference AutoLoadFile { get; set; }
 
-        #endregion
-
-        #region Variable files property
-
         /// <summary>
         /// Gets or sets the list of variable files
         /// </summary>
-        [XmlArray("variableFiles")]
         public List<Reference> VariableFiles { get; set; }
 
-        #endregion
-
-        #region Minimum rainmeter & windows properties
-
         /// <summary>
         /// Gets or sets the minimum rainmeter version
         /// </summary>
-        [XmlIgnore]
         public Version MinimumRainmeter { get; set; }
 
-        /// <summary>
-        /// Gets or sets the string representation of the minimum rainmeter version
-        /// </summary>
-        [XmlElement("minimumRainmeter")]
-        public string MinimumRainmeterString
-        {
-            get
-            {
-                return MinimumRainmeter.ToString();
-            }
-            set
-            {
-                MinimumRainmeter = new Version(value);
-            }
-        }
-
         /// <summary>
         /// Gets or sets the minimum Windows version
         /// </summary>
-        [XmlIgnore]
         public Version MinimumWindows { get; set; }
 
-        /// <summary>
-        /// Gets or sets the string representation of the minimum Windows version
-        /// </summary>
-        [XmlElement("minimumWindows")]
-        public string MinimumWindowsString
-        {
-            get
-            {
-                return MinimumWindows.ToString();
-            }
-            set
-            {
-                MinimumWindows = new Version(value);
-            }
-        }
-
-        #endregion
-
-        #region Root property
-
         /// <summary>
         /// Gets or sets the root node
         /// </summary>
-        [XmlIgnore]
         public Tree<Reference> Root { get; set; }
 
-        /// <summary>
-        /// Gets or sets the serializable root node
-        /// </summary>
-        /// <remarks>Warning: not efficient</remarks>
-        [XmlElement("root")]
-        public SerializableTree<Reference> SerializableRoot
-        {
-            get
-            {
-                return Root.AsSerializableTree();
-            }
-            set
-            {
-                Root = value.AsTree();
-            }
-        }
-
         #endregion
 
         #region Constructor
diff --git a/RainmeterStudio.Core/Model/Reference.cs b/RainmeterStudio.Core/Model/Reference.cs
index 2f9e14b0..d78424a5 100644
--- a/RainmeterStudio.Core/Model/Reference.cs
+++ b/RainmeterStudio.Core/Model/Reference.cs
@@ -11,22 +11,32 @@ namespace RainmeterStudio.Core.Model
     /// </summary>
     public class Reference
     {
-        [XmlAttribute("name")]
-        public string Name { get; set; }
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Gets the name of the reference
+        /// </summary>
+        public string Name { get; private set; }
 
-        [XmlAttribute("path")]
-        public string Path { get; set; }
-
-        public Reference()
-        {
-        }
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Gets the path of the reference
+        /// </summary>
+        public string Path { get; private set; }
 
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Initializes the reference
+        /// </summary>
+        /// <param name="name">Name of reference</param>
+        /// <param name="path">Path to item referenced</param>
         public Reference(string name, string path = null)
         {
             Name = name;
             Path = path;
         }
 
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Compares a reference to another objects
+        /// </summary>
+        /// <param name="obj">Another object</param>
+        /// <returns>True if objects are equal</returns>
         public override bool Equals(object obj)
         {
             var other = obj as Reference;
@@ -39,6 +49,10 @@ namespace RainmeterStudio.Core.Model
             return String.Equals(Name, other.Name) && String.Equals(Path, other.Path);
         }
 
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Obtains the hash code of this reference
+        /// </summary>
+        /// <returns>Hash code</returns>
         public override int GetHashCode()
         {
             int hash = (Name == null) ? 0 : Name.GetHashCode();
diff --git a/RainmeterStudio.Core/RainmeterStudio.Core.csproj b/RainmeterStudio.Core/RainmeterStudio.Core.csproj
index aa876854..98a0758f 100644
--- a/RainmeterStudio.Core/RainmeterStudio.Core.csproj
+++ b/RainmeterStudio.Core/RainmeterStudio.Core.csproj
@@ -62,6 +62,8 @@
     <Compile Include="Model\Reference.cs" />
     <Compile Include="Model\Tree.cs" />
     <Compile Include="Properties\AssemblyInfo.cs" />
+    <Compile Include="Storage\SerializableProject.cs" />
+    <Compile Include="Storage\SerializableReference.cs" />
     <Compile Include="Storage\SerializableTree.cs" />
     <Compile Include="Utils\DirectoryHelper.cs" />
     <Compile Include="Utils\InputHelper.cs" />
diff --git a/RainmeterStudio.Core/Storage/SerializableProject.cs b/RainmeterStudio.Core/Storage/SerializableProject.cs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..7d590273
--- /dev/null
+++ b/RainmeterStudio.Core/Storage/SerializableProject.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,212 @@
+using System;
+using System.Collections.Generic;
+using System.Linq;
+using System.Text;
+using System.Xml.Serialization;
+using RainmeterStudio.Core.Model;
+using RainmeterStudio.Core.Utils;
+
+namespace RainmeterStudio.Core.Storage
+{
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Helper class to serialize or deserialize project objects
+    /// </summary>
+    public class SerializableProject
+    {
+        private Project _project;
+        private SerializableReference _autoLoadFile;
+        private List<SerializableReference> _variableFiles;
+        private SerializableTree<SerializableReference> _root;
+
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Gets or sets the project
+        /// </summary>
+        [XmlIgnore]
+        public Project Project
+        {
+            get
+            {
+                _project.AutoLoadFile = _autoLoadFile.Reference;
+                _project.VariableFiles = _variableFiles.Select(x => x.Reference).ToList();
+                _project.Root = _root.AsTree().TransformData(x => x.Reference);
+                return _project;
+            }
+            set
+            {
+                _project = value;
+                UpdateSelf();
+            }
+        }
+
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Gets or sets the project name
+        /// </summary>
+        [XmlElement("name")]
+        public string Name
+        {
+            get
+            {
+                return Project.Name;
+            }
+            set
+            {
+                Project.Name = value;
+                UpdateSelf();
+            }
+        }
+
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Gets or sets the project path
+        /// </summary>
+        [XmlIgnore]
+        public string Path
+        {
+            get
+            {
+                return Project.Path;
+            }
+            set
+            {
+                Project.Path = value;
+                UpdateSelf();
+            }
+        }
+
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Gets or sets the author of the project
+        /// </summary>
+        [XmlElement("author")]
+        public string Author
+        {
+            get
+            {
+                return Project.Author;
+            }
+            set
+            {
+                Project.Author = value;
+                UpdateSelf();
+            }
+        }
+
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Gets or sets the project version
+        /// </summary>
+        [XmlElement("version")]
+        public string Version
+        {
+            get
+            {
+                return Project.Version.ToString();
+            }
+            set
+            {
+                Project.Version = new Version(value);
+                UpdateSelf();
+            }
+        }
+
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Gets or sets the reference to the file to automatically load at package installation
+        /// </summary>
+        [XmlElement("autoLoadFile")]
+        public SerializableReference AutoLoadFile
+        {
+            get
+            {
+                return _autoLoadFile;
+            }
+            set
+            {
+                _autoLoadFile = value;
+            }
+        }
+
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Gets or sets the list of variable files
+        /// </summary>
+        [XmlArray("variableFiles")]
+        public List<SerializableReference> VariableFiles
+        {
+            get
+            {
+                return _variableFiles;
+            }
+            set
+            {
+                _variableFiles = value;
+            }
+        }
+
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Gets or sets the minimum rainmeter version
+        /// </summary>
+        public string MinimumRainmeter
+        {
+            get
+            {
+                return Project.MinimumRainmeter.ToString();
+            }
+            set
+            {
+                Project.MinimumRainmeter = new Version(value);
+                UpdateSelf();
+            }
+        }
+
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Gets or sets the minimum Windows version
+        /// </summary>
+        public string MinimumWindows
+        {
+            get
+            {
+                return Project.MinimumWindows.ToString();
+            }
+            set
+            {
+                Project.MinimumWindows = new Version(value);
+                UpdateSelf();
+            }
+        }
+
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Gets or sets the root node
+        /// </summary>
+        public SerializableTree<SerializableReference> Root
+        {
+            get
+            {
+                return _root;
+            }
+            set
+            {
+                _root = value;
+            }
+        }
+
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Initializes the serializable project
+        /// </summary>
+        public SerializableProject()
+        {
+            Project = new Project();
+        }
+
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Initializes the serializable project
+        /// </summary>
+        /// <param name="project">Base project</param>
+        public SerializableProject(Project project)
+        {
+            Project = project;
+        }
+
+        private void UpdateSelf()
+        {
+            _autoLoadFile = new SerializableReference(_project.AutoLoadFile);
+            _variableFiles = _project.VariableFiles.Select(x => new SerializableReference(x)).ToList();
+            _root = _project.Root.TransformData(x => new SerializableReference(x)).AsSerializableTree();
+        }
+    }
+}
diff --git a/RainmeterStudio.Core/Storage/SerializableReference.cs b/RainmeterStudio.Core/Storage/SerializableReference.cs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..880fb4bc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/RainmeterStudio.Core/Storage/SerializableReference.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,75 @@
+using System;
+using System.Collections.Generic;
+using System.Linq;
+using System.Text;
+using System.Xml.Serialization;
+using RainmeterStudio.Core.Model;
+
+namespace RainmeterStudio.Core.Storage
+{
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Represents a reference that can be serialized
+    /// </summary>
+    public class SerializableReference
+    {
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Gets or sets the name of the reference
+        /// </summary>
+        [XmlElement("name")]
+        public string Name
+        {
+            get
+            {
+                if (Reference != null)
+                    return Reference.Name;
+
+                return null;
+            }
+            set
+            {
+                Reference = new Reference(value, Path);
+            }
+        }
+
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Gets or sets the path of the reference
+        /// </summary>
+        [XmlElement("path")]
+        public string Path
+        {
+            get
+            {
+                if (Reference != null)
+                    return Reference.Path;
+
+                return null;
+            }
+            set
+            {
+                Reference = new Reference(Name, value);
+            }
+        }
+
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Gets or sets the (immutable) reference
+        /// </summary>
+        [XmlIgnore]
+        public Reference Reference
+        {
+            get;
+            set;
+        }
+
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Initializes this serializable reference
+        /// </summary>
+        public SerializableReference()
+        {
+        }
+
+        public SerializableReference(Reference reference)
+        {
+            Reference = reference;
+        }
+    }
+}
diff --git a/RainmeterStudio.TextEditor/TextStorage.cs b/RainmeterStudio.TextEditor/TextStorage.cs
index 445334fe..bee9d4b5 100644
--- a/RainmeterStudio.TextEditor/TextStorage.cs
+++ b/RainmeterStudio.TextEditor/TextStorage.cs
@@ -16,8 +16,7 @@ namespace RainmeterStudio.TextEditorPlugin
         IDocument IDocumentStorage.Read(string path)
         {
             TextDocument document = new TextDocument();
-            document.Reference.Path = path;
-            document.Reference.Name = Path.GetFileName(path);
+            document.Reference = new Reference(Path.GetFileName(path), path);
             document.Lines.AddRange(File.ReadAllLines(path));
 
             return document;
diff --git a/RainmeterStudio/Business/DocumentManager.cs b/RainmeterStudio/Business/DocumentManager.cs
index 4f667fd0..b69e48c8 100644
--- a/RainmeterStudio/Business/DocumentManager.cs
+++ b/RainmeterStudio/Business/DocumentManager.cs
@@ -176,8 +176,7 @@ namespace RainmeterStudio.Business
             storage.Write(path, document);
 
             // Update reference
-            document.Reference.Name = Path.GetFileName(path);
-            document.Reference.Path = path;
+            document.Reference = new Reference(Path.GetFileName(path), path);
 
             // Clear dirty flag
             document.IsDirty = false;
diff --git a/RainmeterStudio/Storage/ProjectStorage.cs b/RainmeterStudio/Storage/ProjectStorage.cs
index f8526815..8b45a0c5 100644
--- a/RainmeterStudio/Storage/ProjectStorage.cs
+++ b/RainmeterStudio/Storage/ProjectStorage.cs
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ using System.Linq;
 using System.Text;
 using System.Xml.Serialization;
 using RainmeterStudio.Core.Model;
+using RainmeterStudio.Core.Storage;
 
 namespace RainmeterStudio.Storage
 {
@@ -16,14 +17,14 @@ namespace RainmeterStudio.Storage
             var file = File.OpenText(path);
 
             // Deserialize file
-            var serializer = new XmlSerializer(typeof(Project), new XmlRootAttribute("project"));
-            Project project = serializer.Deserialize(file) as Project;
+            var serializer = new XmlSerializer(typeof(SerializableProject), new XmlRootAttribute("project"));
+            SerializableProject project = serializer.Deserialize(file) as SerializableProject;
             if (project != null)
                 project.Path = path;
 
             // Clean up
             file.Close();
-            return project;
+            return project.Project;
         }
 
         public void Save(string path, Project project)
@@ -32,8 +33,9 @@ namespace RainmeterStudio.Storage
             var file = File.OpenWrite(path);
 
             // Serialize file
-            var serializer = new XmlSerializer(typeof(Project), new XmlRootAttribute("project"));
-            serializer.Serialize(file, project);
+            var sProject = new SerializableProject(project);
+            var serializer = new XmlSerializer(typeof(SerializableProject), new XmlRootAttribute("project"));
+            serializer.Serialize(file, sProject);
 
             // Clean up
             file.Close();
diff --git a/RainmeterStudio/UI/ViewModel/ReferenceViewModel.cs b/RainmeterStudio/UI/ViewModel/ReferenceViewModel.cs
index 3ef23576..b9a8c984 100644
--- a/RainmeterStudio/UI/ViewModel/ReferenceViewModel.cs
+++ b/RainmeterStudio/UI/ViewModel/ReferenceViewModel.cs
@@ -28,13 +28,6 @@ namespace RainmeterStudio.UI.ViewModel
             {
                 return Reference.Data.Name;
             }
-            set
-            {
-                Reference.Data.Name = value;
-                
-                if (PropertyChanged != null)
-                    PropertyChanged(this, new PropertyChangedEventArgs("Name"));
-            }
         }
 
         /// <summary>
@@ -46,13 +39,6 @@ namespace RainmeterStudio.UI.ViewModel
             {
                 return Reference.Data.Path;
             }
-            set
-            {
-                Reference.Data.Path = value;
-
-                if (PropertyChanged != null)
-                    PropertyChanged(this, new PropertyChangedEventArgs("Path"));
-            }
         }