diff --git a/docs/reference/swe-glib/swe-glib-sections.txt b/docs/reference/swe-glib/swe-glib-sections.txt
index dcf4f09..0602752 100644
--- a/docs/reference/swe-glib/swe-glib-sections.txt
+++ b/docs/reference/swe-glib/swe-glib-sections.txt
@@ -58,10 +58,17 @@ gswe_moon_phase_data_get_type
 <SECTION>
 <FILE>gswe-sign-info</FILE>
 GsweSignInfo
-gswe_sign_info_get_element
-gswe_sign_info_get_name
-gswe_sign_info_get_quality
+gswe_sign_info_new
+gswe_sign_info_ref
+gswe_sign_info_unref
+gswe_sign_info_set_sign
 gswe_sign_info_get_sign
+gswe_sign_info_set_name
+gswe_sign_info_get_name
+gswe_sign_info_set_element
+gswe_sign_info_get_element
+gswe_sign_info_set_quality
+gswe_sign_info_get_quality
 <SUBSECTION Standard>
 GSWE_TYPE_SIGN_INFO
 gswe_sign_info_get_type
diff --git a/src/gswe-sign-info-private.h b/src/gswe-sign-info-private.h
index e69083b..d438efa 100644
--- a/src/gswe-sign-info-private.h
+++ b/src/gswe-sign-info-private.h
@@ -35,10 +35,10 @@ struct _GsweSignInfo {
 
     /* the quality of the sign */
     GsweQuality quality;
-};
 
-GsweSignInfo *gswe_sign_info_copy(GsweSignInfo *sign_info);
-void gswe_sign_info_free(GsweSignInfo *sign_info);
+    /* Reference counter */
+    guint refcount;
+};
 
 #endif /* __SWE_GLIB_GSWE_SIGN_INFO_PRIVATE_H__ */
 #else /* not defined __SWE_GLIB_BUILDING__ */
diff --git a/src/gswe-sign-info.c b/src/gswe-sign-info.c
index 07a57ac..b0d4ee6 100644
--- a/src/gswe-sign-info.c
+++ b/src/gswe-sign-info.c
@@ -30,28 +30,9 @@
  * The #GsweSignInfo stores information about a zodiac sign.
  */
 
-G_DEFINE_BOXED_TYPE(GsweSignInfo, gswe_sign_info, (GBoxedCopyFunc)gswe_sign_info_copy, (GBoxedFreeFunc)gswe_sign_info_free);
+G_DEFINE_BOXED_TYPE(GsweSignInfo, gswe_sign_info, (GBoxedCopyFunc)gswe_sign_info_ref, (GBoxedFreeFunc)gswe_sign_info_unref);
 
-GsweSignInfo *
-gswe_sign_info_copy(GsweSignInfo *sign_info)
-{
-    GsweSignInfo *ret;
-
-    if (sign_info == NULL) {
-        return NULL;
-    }
-
-    ret = g_new0(GsweSignInfo, 1);
-
-    ret->sign = sign_info->sign;
-    ret->name = g_strdup(sign_info->name);
-    ret->element = sign_info->element;
-    ret->quality = sign_info->quality;
-
-    return ret;
-}
-
-void
+static void
 gswe_sign_info_free(GsweSignInfo *sign_info)
 {
     if (sign_info) {
@@ -63,9 +44,70 @@ gswe_sign_info_free(GsweSignInfo *sign_info)
     }
 }
 
+/**
+ * gswe_sign_info_new:
+ *
+ * Creates a new GsweSignInfo object with reference count set to 1.
+ *
+ * Returns: (transfer full): a new #GsweSignInfo
+ */
+GsweSignInfo *
+gswe_sign_info_new(void)
+{
+    GsweSignInfo *ret;
+
+    ret = g_new0(GsweSignInfo, 1);
+    ret->refcount = 1;
+
+    return ret;
+}
+
+/**
+ * gswe_sign_info_ref:
+ * @sign_info: (in): a #GsweSignInfo
+ *
+ * Increases reference count on @sign_info.
+ *
+ * Returns: (transfer none): the same #GsweSignInfo
+ */
+GsweSignInfo *
+gswe_sign_info_ref(GsweSignInfo *sign_info)
+{
+    sign_info->refcount++;
+
+    return sign_info;
+}
+
+/**
+ * gswe_sign_info_unref:
+ * @sign_info: a #GsweSignInfo
+ *
+ * Decreases reference count or @sign_info. If reference count reaches zero, @sign_info is freed.
+ */
+void
+gswe_sign_info_unref(GsweSignInfo *sign_info)
+{
+    if (--sign_info->refcount == 0) {
+        gswe_sign_info_free(sign_info);
+    }
+}
+
+/**
+ * gswe_sign_info_set_sign:
+ * @sign_info: (in): a #GsweSignInfo
+ * @sign: the sign to set in @sign_info
+ *
+ * Sets the sign ID that is represented by this #GsweSignInfo.
+ */
+void
+gswe_sign_info_set_sign(GsweSignInfo *sign_info, GsweZodiac sign)
+{
+    sign_info->sign = sign;
+}
+
 /**
  * gswe_sign_info_get_sign:
- * @sign_info: (in) (allow-none): a #GsweSignInfo
+ * @sign_info: (in): a #GsweSignInfo
  *
  * Gets the sign ID that is represented by this #GsweSignInfo.
  *
@@ -74,16 +116,29 @@ gswe_sign_info_free(GsweSignInfo *sign_info)
 GsweZodiac
 gswe_sign_info_get_sign(GsweSignInfo *sign_info)
 {
-    if (sign_info) {
-        return sign_info->sign;
-    } else {
-        return GSWE_SIGN_NONE;
+    return sign_info->sign;
+}
+
+/**
+ * gswe_sign_info_set_name:
+ * @sign_info: (in): a #GsweSignInfo
+ * @name: (in): the name of the sign
+ *
+ * Sets the name of the sign.
+ */
+void
+gswe_sign_info_set_name(GsweSignInfo *sign_info, const gchar *name)
+{
+    if (sign_info->name) {
+        g_free(sign_info->name);
     }
+
+    sign_info->name = g_strdup(name);
 }
 
 /**
  * gswe_sign_info_get_name:
- * @sign_info: (in) (allow-none): a #GsweSignInfo
+ * @sign_info: (in): a #GsweSignInfo
  *
  * Gets the name associated with this sign.
  *
@@ -92,16 +147,25 @@ gswe_sign_info_get_sign(GsweSignInfo *sign_info)
 const gchar *
 gswe_sign_info_get_name(GsweSignInfo *sign_info)
 {
-    if (sign_info) {
-        return sign_info->name;
-    } else {
-        return NULL;
-    }
+    return sign_info->name;
+}
+
+/**
+ * gswe_sign_info_set_element:
+ * @sign_info: (in): a #GsweSignInfo
+ * @element: a #GsweElement
+ *
+ * Sets the element @sign_info should belong to.
+ */
+void
+gswe_sign_info_set_element(GsweSignInfo *sign_info, GsweElement element)
+{
+    sign_info->element = element;
 }
 
 /**
  * gswe_sign_info_get_element:
- * @sign_info: (in) (allow-none): a #GsweSignInfo
+ * @sign_info: (in): a #GsweSignInfo
  *
  * Gets the element this sign belongs to.
  *
@@ -110,16 +174,25 @@ gswe_sign_info_get_name(GsweSignInfo *sign_info)
 GsweElement
 gswe_sign_info_get_element(GsweSignInfo *sign_info)
 {
-    if (sign_info) {
-        return sign_info->element;
-    } else {
-        return GSWE_ELEMENT_NONE;
-    }
+    return sign_info->element;
+}
+
+/**
+ * gswe_sign_info_set_quality:
+ * @sign_info: (in): a #GsweSignInfo
+ * @quality: a #GsweQuality
+ *
+ * Sets the quality @sign should belong to
+ */
+void
+gswe_sign_info_set_quality(GsweSignInfo *sign_info, GsweQuality quality)
+{
+    sign_info->quality = quality;
 }
 
 /**
  * gswe_sign_info_get_quality:
- * @sign_info: (in) (allow-none): a #GsweSignInfo
+ * @sign_info: (in): a #GsweSignInfo
  *
  * Gets the quality this sign belongs to.
  *
@@ -128,10 +201,6 @@ gswe_sign_info_get_element(GsweSignInfo *sign_info)
 GsweQuality
 gswe_sign_info_get_quality(GsweSignInfo *sign_info)
 {
-    if (sign_info) {
-        return sign_info->quality;
-    } else {
-        return GSWE_QUALITY_NONE;
-    }
+    return sign_info->quality;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/gswe-sign-info.h b/src/gswe-sign-info.h
index 8a1f5f5..e649afa 100644
--- a/src/gswe-sign-info.h
+++ b/src/gswe-sign-info.h
@@ -37,9 +37,21 @@ typedef struct _GsweSignInfo GsweSignInfo;
 GType gswe_sign_info_get_type(void);
 #define GSWE_TYPE_SIGN_INFO (gswe_sign_info_get_type())
 
+GsweSignInfo *gswe_sign_info_new(void);
+
+GsweSignInfo *gswe_sign_info_ref(GsweSignInfo *sign_info);
+void gswe_sign_info_unref(GsweSignInfo *sign_info);
+
+void gswe_sign_info_set_sign(GsweSignInfo *sign_info, GsweZodiac sign);
 GsweZodiac gswe_sign_info_get_sign(GsweSignInfo *sign_info);
+
+void gswe_sign_info_set_name(GsweSignInfo *sign_info, const gchar *name);
 const gchar *gswe_sign_info_get_name(GsweSignInfo *sign_info);
+
+void gswe_sign_info_set_element(GsweSignInfo *sign_info, GsweElement element);
 GsweElement gswe_sign_info_get_element(GsweSignInfo *sign_info);
+
+void gswe_sign_info_set_quality(GsweSignInfo *sign_info, GsweQuality quality);
 GsweQuality gswe_sign_info_get_quality(GsweSignInfo *sign_info);
 
 G_END_DECLS
diff --git a/src/swe-glib.c b/src/swe-glib.c
index 6ec2801..b32a21f 100644
--- a/src/swe-glib.c
+++ b/src/swe-glib.c
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ GsweTimestamp *gswe_full_moon_base_date;
     g_hash_table_replace((ht), GINT_TO_POINTER(i), (v));
 
 #define ADD_SIGN(ht, v, s, n, e, q) \
-    (v) = g_new0(GsweSignInfo, 1); \
+    (v) = gswe_sign_info_new(); \
     (v)->sign = (s); \
     (v)->name = g_strdup(n); \
     (v)->element = (e); \