diff --git a/coreapi/linphonecore.c b/coreapi/linphonecore.c
index 7ee7180dde23e1b598b26e0386fb78113f29e595..775e785a7a0da83ca8aa626ee94bcb14fd802b8f 100644
--- a/coreapi/linphonecore.c
+++ b/coreapi/linphonecore.c
@@ -6007,9 +6007,8 @@ void linphone_core_enable_mic(LinphoneCore *lc, bool_t enable) {
 	const bctbx_list_t *list;
 	const bctbx_list_t *elem;
 
-	ms_message("linphone_core_enable_mic(): new state is [%s], current state is [%s]",
-				enable ? "enabled" : "disabled",
-				lc->sound_conf.mic_enabled ? "enabled" : "disabled");
+	ms_message("linphone_core_enable_mic(): new state is [%s], current state is [%s]", enable ? "enabled" : "disabled",
+	           lc->sound_conf.mic_enabled ? "enabled" : "disabled");
 	lc->sound_conf.mic_enabled = enable; /* this is a global switch read everywhere the microphone is used. */
 	/* apply to conference and calls */
 	if (linphone_core_is_in_conference(lc)) {
@@ -6056,7 +6055,7 @@ void linphone_core_send_dtmf(LinphoneCore *lc, char dtmf) {
 void linphone_core_set_stun_server(LinphoneCore *lc, const char *server) {
 	if (lc->nat_policy != NULL) {
 		linphone_nat_policy_set_stun_server(lc->nat_policy, server);
-		NatPolicy::toCpp(lc->nat_policy)->saveToConfig();
+		L_GET_PRIVATE_FROM_C_OBJECT(lc)->writeNatPolicyConfigurations();
 	} else {
 		linphone_config_set_string(lc->config, "net", "stun_server", server);
 	}
@@ -6175,7 +6174,7 @@ void linphone_core_set_nat_policy(LinphoneCore *lc, LinphoneNatPolicy *policy) {
 		/*start an immediate (but asynchronous) resolution.*/
 		linphone_nat_policy_resolve_stun_server(policy);
 		linphone_config_set_string(lc->config, "net", "nat_policy_ref", NatPolicy::toCpp(policy)->getRef().c_str());
-		NatPolicy::toCpp(policy)->saveToConfig();
+		L_GET_PRIVATE_FROM_C_OBJECT(lc)->writeNatPolicyConfigurations();
 	}
 
 	lc->sal->enableNatHelper(!!linphone_config_get_int(lc->config, "net", "enable_nat_helper", 1));
diff --git a/coreapi/lpconfig.c b/coreapi/lpconfig.c
index 77872e78845b3e9871c7bf43fa707ac2d7786ba3..bfa6e5824f75d350ac50fb3dd6b01ec313b7eb38 100644
--- a/coreapi/lpconfig.c
+++ b/coreapi/lpconfig.c
@@ -112,8 +112,10 @@ struct _LpConfig {
 BELLE_SIP_DECLARE_NO_IMPLEMENTED_INTERFACES(LinphoneConfig);
 BELLE_SIP_DECLARE_VPTR_NO_EXPORT(LinphoneConfig);
 
+#ifndef _MSC_VER
 #pragma GCC diagnostic push
 #pragma GCC diagnostic ignored "-Wunused-parameter"
+#endif
 
 char *lp_realpath(const char *file, char *name) {
 #if defined(_WIN32) || defined(__QNX__) || defined(__ANDROID__)
diff --git a/coreapi/proxy.c b/coreapi/proxy.c
index 674b902fba8caff64c02cfd3a97116c56c5dc6e5..f7b4692b6970e9c4020e51e7d0554a9a47c0ce04 100644
--- a/coreapi/proxy.c
+++ b/coreapi/proxy.c
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@
 
 #include "mediastreamer2/mediastream.h"
 
+#include "core/core-p.h"
 #include "core/core.h"
 #include "enum.h"
 #include "private.h"
@@ -81,6 +82,7 @@ void linphone_proxy_config_write_all_to_config_file(LinphoneCore *lc) {
 	/*to ensure removed configs are erased:*/
 	linphone_proxy_config_write_to_config_file(lc->config, NULL, i);
 	linphone_config_set_int(lc->config, "sip", "default_proxy", linphone_core_get_default_proxy_config_index(lc));
+	L_GET_PRIVATE_FROM_C_OBJECT(lc)->writeNatPolicyConfigurations();
 }
 
 static void linphone_proxy_config_init(LinphoneCore *lc, LinphoneProxyConfig *cfg) {
diff --git a/src/account/account-params.cpp b/src/account/account-params.cpp
index d0705720705debaa9728d54154ee7654a89cece5..e1a594181a43a0d98958ff4a300fd09ba2fdb388 100644
--- a/src/account/account-params.cpp
+++ b/src/account/account-params.cpp
@@ -108,8 +108,7 @@ AccountParams::AccountParams(LinphoneCore *lc) {
 			                       natPolicyRef);
 		}
 		if (policy) {
-			setNatPolicy(policy->toC());
-			policy->unref();
+			setNatPolicy(policy->toSharedPtr());
 		} else {
 			lError() << "Cannot create default nat policy with ref [" << natPolicyRef << "] for account [" << this
 			         << "]";
@@ -234,18 +233,19 @@ AccountParams::AccountParams(LinphoneCore *lc, int index) : AccountParams(lc) {
 
 	const char *nat_policy_ref = linphone_config_get_string(config, key, "nat_policy_ref", NULL);
 	if (nat_policy_ref != NULL) {
-		if (mNatPolicy) linphone_nat_policy_unref(mNatPolicy);
 		/* CAUTION: the nat_policy_ref meaning in default values is different than in usual [nat_policy_%i] section.
 		 * This is not consistent and error-prone.
 		 * Normally, the nat_policy_ref refers to a "ref" entry within a [nat_policy_%i] section.
 		 */
+		LinphoneNatPolicy *natPolicy;
 		if (linphone_config_has_section(config, nat_policy_ref)) {
 			/* Odd method - to be deprecated, inconsistent */
-			mNatPolicy = linphone_core_create_nat_policy_from_config(lc, nat_policy_ref);
+			natPolicy = linphone_core_create_nat_policy_from_config(lc, nat_policy_ref);
 		} else {
 			/* Usual method */
-			mNatPolicy = linphone_core_create_nat_policy_from_ref(lc, nat_policy_ref);
+			natPolicy = linphone_core_create_nat_policy_from_ref(lc, nat_policy_ref);
 		}
+		mNatPolicy = NatPolicy::toCpp(natPolicy)->toSharedPtr();
 	}
 
 	mConferenceFactoryUri =
@@ -323,7 +323,6 @@ AccountParams::~AccountParams() {
 	if (mProxyAddress) linphone_address_unref(mProxyAddress);
 	if (mRoutes) bctbx_list_free_with_data(mRoutes, (bctbx_list_free_func)linphone_address_unref);
 	if (mRoutesString) bctbx_list_free_with_data(mRoutesString, (bctbx_list_free_func)bctbx_free);
-	if (mNatPolicy) linphone_nat_policy_unref(mNatPolicy);
 	if (mPushNotificationConfig) mPushNotificationConfig->unref();
 	if (mAudioVideoConferenceFactoryAddress) linphone_address_unref(mAudioVideoConferenceFactoryAddress);
 	if (mCustomContact) linphone_address_unref(mCustomContact);
@@ -557,11 +556,7 @@ void AccountParams::setAvpfMode(LinphoneAVPFMode avpfMode) {
 	mAvpfMode = avpfMode;
 }
 
-void AccountParams::setNatPolicy(LinphoneNatPolicy *natPolicy) {
-	if (natPolicy != nullptr) {
-		linphone_nat_policy_ref(natPolicy); /* Prevent object destruction if the same policy is used */
-	}
-	if (mNatPolicy != nullptr) linphone_nat_policy_unref(mNatPolicy);
+void AccountParams::setNatPolicy(const shared_ptr<NatPolicy> &natPolicy) {
 	mNatPolicy = natPolicy;
 }
 
@@ -750,7 +745,7 @@ LinphoneAVPFMode AccountParams::getAvpfMode() const {
 	return mAvpfMode;
 }
 
-LinphoneNatPolicy *AccountParams::getNatPolicy() const {
+shared_ptr<NatPolicy> AccountParams::getNatPolicy() const {
 	return mNatPolicy;
 }
 
@@ -916,8 +911,7 @@ void AccountParams::writeToConfigFile(LinphoneConfig *config, int index) {
 	linphone_config_set_int(config, key, "publish_expires", mPublishExpires);
 
 	if (mNatPolicy != NULL) {
-		linphone_config_set_string(config, key, "nat_policy_ref", NatPolicy::toCpp(mNatPolicy)->getRef().c_str());
-		NatPolicy::toCpp(mNatPolicy)->saveToConfig();
+		linphone_config_set_string(config, key, "nat_policy_ref", mNatPolicy->getRef().c_str());
 	}
 
 	linphone_config_set_string(config, key, "conference_factory_uri", mConferenceFactoryUri.c_str());
diff --git a/src/account/account-params.h b/src/account/account-params.h
index 3bb7104e270509feb5c03b81216ba2df518f55ed..64a02dd0aa89af20ea7f605cc6c0b704fcf52be9 100644
--- a/src/account/account-params.h
+++ b/src/account/account-params.h
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@
 
 LINPHONE_BEGIN_NAMESPACE
 class PushNotificationConfig;
+class NatPolicy;
 
 class AccountParams : public bellesip::HybridObject<LinphoneAccountParams, AccountParams>, public CustomParams {
 	friend class Account;
@@ -44,7 +45,6 @@ public:
 
 	AccountParams *clone() const override;
 
-	// Setters
 	void setExpires(int expires);
 	void setQualityReportingInterval(int qualityReportingInterval);
 	void setPublishExpires(int publishExpires);
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ public:
 	void setFileTranferServer(const std::string &fileTransferServer);
 	void setPrivacy(LinphonePrivacyMask privacy);
 	void setAvpfMode(LinphoneAVPFMode avpfMode);
-	void setNatPolicy(LinphoneNatPolicy *natPolicy);
+	void setNatPolicy(const std::shared_ptr<NatPolicy> &natPolicy);
 	void setPushNotificationConfig(PushNotificationConfig *pushNotificationConfig);
 	LinphoneStatus setIdentityAddress(const LinphoneAddress *identityAddress);
 	LinphoneStatus setRoutes(const bctbx_list_t *routes);
@@ -83,7 +83,6 @@ public:
 	void setCustomContact(const LinphoneAddress *contact);
 	void setLimeServerUrl(const std::string &url);
 
-	// Getters
 	int getExpires() const;
 	int getQualityReportingInterval() const;
 	int getPublishExpires() const;
@@ -117,7 +116,7 @@ public:
 	LinphonePrivacyMask getPrivacy() const;
 	LinphoneAddress *getIdentityAddress() const;
 	LinphoneAVPFMode getAvpfMode() const;
-	LinphoneNatPolicy *getNatPolicy() const;
+	std::shared_ptr<NatPolicy> getNatPolicy() const;
 	PushNotificationConfig *getPushNotificationConfig() const;
 	const LinphoneAddress *getAudioVideoConferenceFactoryAddress() const;
 	bool rtpBundleEnabled() const;
@@ -182,7 +181,7 @@ private:
 
 	LinphoneAVPFMode mAvpfMode;
 
-	LinphoneNatPolicy *mNatPolicy = nullptr;
+	std::shared_ptr<NatPolicy> mNatPolicy = nullptr;
 
 	PushNotificationConfig *mPushNotificationConfig;
 
diff --git a/src/account/account.cpp b/src/account/account.cpp
index c4e49592615e314add5715cb689a7009d197e40c..1f14b7eb6bc49be3bbf3cf7eabe8314915c05039 100644
--- a/src/account/account.cpp
+++ b/src/account/account.cpp
@@ -1216,7 +1216,7 @@ void Account::onAudioVideoConferenceFactoryAddressChanged(const LinphoneAddress
 	}
 }
 
-void Account::onNatPolicyChanged(BCTBX_UNUSED(LinphoneNatPolicy *policy)) {
+void Account::onNatPolicyChanged(BCTBX_UNUSED(const std::shared_ptr<NatPolicy> &policy)) {
 }
 
 LinphoneProxyConfig *Account::getConfig() const {
diff --git a/src/account/account.h b/src/account/account.h
index eddb76d7b7744d45114a555931982c65616b8a1c..4c7905a4cfff8ce2cc37a19afc1fd86bfd854189 100644
--- a/src/account/account.h
+++ b/src/account/account.h
@@ -141,7 +141,7 @@ private:
 	void onInternationalPrefixChanged();
 	void onConferenceFactoryUriChanged(const std::string &conferenceFactoryUri);
 	void onAudioVideoConferenceFactoryAddressChanged(const LinphoneAddress *audioVideoConferenceFactoryAddress);
-	void onNatPolicyChanged(LinphoneNatPolicy *policy);
+	void onNatPolicyChanged(const std::shared_ptr<NatPolicy> &policy);
 	void onLimeServerUrlChanged(const std::string &limeServerUrl);
 	bool customContactChanged();
 	std::list<SalAddress *> getOtherContacts();
diff --git a/src/c-wrapper/api/c-account-params.cpp b/src/c-wrapper/api/c-account-params.cpp
index 244c84720f0d264d8abcb5d20355faf9fd7bc097..24f6e342294267509833f3285bf91c90e0b1270a 100644
--- a/src/c-wrapper/api/c-account-params.cpp
+++ b/src/c-wrapper/api/c-account-params.cpp
@@ -20,11 +20,13 @@
 
 #include "linphone/api/c-account-params.h"
 #include "account/account-params.h"
+
 #include "c-wrapper/c-wrapper.h"
 #include "c-wrapper/internal/c-tools.h"
 #include "linphone/api/c-address.h"
 #include "linphone/core.h"
 #include "linphone/lpconfig.h"
+#include "nat/nat-policy.h"
 #include "push-notification/push-notification-config.h"
 
 // =============================================================================
@@ -295,11 +297,12 @@ void linphone_account_params_set_idkey(LinphoneAccountParams *params, const char
 }
 
 LinphoneNatPolicy *linphone_account_params_get_nat_policy(const LinphoneAccountParams *params) {
-	return AccountParams::toCpp(params)->getNatPolicy();
+	auto pol = AccountParams::toCpp(params)->getNatPolicy();
+	return pol ? pol->toC() : nullptr;
 }
 
 void linphone_account_params_set_nat_policy(LinphoneAccountParams *params, LinphoneNatPolicy *policy) {
-	AccountParams::toCpp(params)->setNatPolicy(policy);
+	AccountParams::toCpp(params)->setNatPolicy(policy ? NatPolicy::toCpp(policy)->getSharedFromThis() : nullptr);
 }
 
 void linphone_account_params_set_conference_factory_uri(LinphoneAccountParams *params, const char *uri) {
@@ -421,4 +424,4 @@ void linphone_account_params_set_lime_server_url(LinphoneAccountParams *params,
 
 const char *linphone_account_params_get_lime_server_url(const LinphoneAccountParams *params) {
 	return L_STRING_TO_C(AccountParams::toCpp(params)->getLimeServerUrl());
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}
diff --git a/src/core/core-p.h b/src/core/core-p.h
index b851ab7e5899e154f925bafe433c4d26076b0b1e..0f105478af3c5ebacf649c92c212fa82dbf2e85c 100644
--- a/src/core/core-p.h
+++ b/src/core/core-p.h
@@ -180,6 +180,9 @@ public:
 	/* called by linphone_core_set_video_device() to update the video device in the running call or conference.*/
 	void updateVideoDevice();
 
+	/* centralized method to write down all NatPolicy used by Accounts or Core */
+	void writeNatPolicyConfigurations();
+
 	static const Utils::Version conferenceProtocolVersion;
 	static const Utils::Version groupChatProtocolVersion;
 	static const Utils::Version ephemeralProtocolVersion;
diff --git a/src/core/core.cpp b/src/core/core.cpp
index d55b15a8acebf2979b4aa2fc67c37bca860676c9..b5fb316d39a6fe0cf106fdf9fbbde33380ed0bb5 100644
--- a/src/core/core.cpp
+++ b/src/core/core.cpp
@@ -190,6 +190,30 @@ void CorePrivate::unregisterListener(CoreListener *listener) {
 	listeners.remove(listener);
 }
 
+void CorePrivate::writeNatPolicyConfigurations() {
+	int index = 0;
+	LinphoneCore *lc = getCCore();
+
+	if (!linphone_core_ready(lc)) return;
+
+	LinphoneConfig *config = linphone_core_get_config(lc);
+
+	if (lc->nat_policy) {
+		NatPolicy::toCpp(lc->nat_policy)->saveToConfig(config, index);
+		++index;
+	}
+	const bctbx_list_t *elem;
+	for (elem = linphone_core_get_account_list(lc); elem != nullptr; elem = elem->next) {
+		LinphoneAccount *account = (LinphoneAccount *)elem->data;
+		auto natPolicy = Account::toCpp(account)->getAccountParams()->getNatPolicy();
+		if (natPolicy) {
+			natPolicy->saveToConfig(config, index);
+			++index;
+		}
+	}
+	NatPolicy::clearConfigFromIndex(config, index);
+}
+
 void Core::onStopAsyncBackgroundTaskStarted() {
 	L_D();
 	d->stopAsyncEndEnabled = false;
diff --git a/src/nat/nat-policy.cpp b/src/nat/nat-policy.cpp
index 621a30be67fb3a3b4507b10645008dc0f5bcb09e..ee26778f1ffb1e0a11aa30862adc260f7f7f1097 100644
--- a/src/nat/nat-policy.cpp
+++ b/src/nat/nat-policy.cpp
@@ -121,25 +121,22 @@ void NatPolicy::saveToConfig(LinphoneConfig *config, int index) const {
 	bctbx_list_free(l);
 }
 
-void NatPolicy::saveToConfig() {
-	LinphoneConfig *config = linphone_core_get_config(getCore()->getCCore());
-	char *section;
-	int index;
-	bool_t finished = FALSE;
-
-	for (index = 0; finished != TRUE; index++) {
-		section = belle_sip_strdup_printf("nat_policy_%i", index);
-		if (linphone_config_has_section(config, section)) {
-			const char *config_ref = linphone_config_get_string(config, section, "ref", NULL);
-			if ((config_ref != NULL) && (strcmp(config_ref, mRef.c_str()) == 0)) {
-				saveToConfig(config, index);
-				finished = TRUE;
-			}
-		} else {
-			saveToConfig(config, index);
-			finished = TRUE;
-		}
-		belle_sip_free(section);
+void NatPolicy::clearConfigFromIndex(LinphoneConfig *config, int index) {
+	int purged = 0;
+	while (true) {
+		std::ostringstream ostr;
+		ostr << "nat_policy_" << index;
+		if (linphone_config_has_section(config, ostr.str().c_str())) {
+			linphone_config_clean_section(config, ostr.str().c_str());
+			++purged;
+		} else break;
+		++index;
+	}
+	/* Warn about suspicious number of orphan NatPolicy sections.
+	 * A bug occured December 2022 caused a massive leak of nat_policy_X sections in configuration file.
+	 */
+	if (purged > 5) {
+		lWarning() << "Purged [" << purged << "] unused NatPolicy sections from config file.";
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/src/nat/nat-policy.h b/src/nat/nat-policy.h
index 1bf003f4109302a6b77f47722f82665f6ac76a3c..b5ea4d076ca63b33a9ef2a208f6bb27439ecc13e 100644
--- a/src/nat/nat-policy.h
+++ b/src/nat/nat-policy.h
@@ -111,11 +111,11 @@ public:
 	void clear();
 	void release();
 	bool stunServerActivated() const;
-	void saveToConfig();
 	void resolveStunServer();
+	void saveToConfig(LinphoneConfig *config, int index) const;
+	static void clearConfigFromIndex(LinphoneConfig *config, int index);
 
 private:
-	void saveToConfig(LinphoneConfig *config, int index) const;
 	void initFromSection(const LinphoneConfig *config, const char *section);
 	static void sStunServerResolved(void *data, belle_sip_resolver_results_t *results);
 	void stunServerResolved(belle_sip_resolver_results_t *results);
diff --git a/tester/tester.c b/tester/tester.c
index 157c69681db95414392f7e75abb7d87cb220c6d0..ab702adce68e177d954a3b2e577193bcf7e60799 100644
--- a/tester/tester.c
+++ b/tester/tester.c
@@ -2690,6 +2690,25 @@ LinphoneCoreManager *linphone_core_manager_create_shared(const char *rc_file,
 	return manager;
 }
 
+static void check_orphan_nat_policy_section(LinphoneCoreManager *mgr) {
+	bctbx_list_t *l = linphone_config_get_sections_names_list(linphone_core_get_config(mgr->lc));
+	bctbx_list_t *elem;
+	int nat_policy_count = 0;
+	int proxy_count = 0;
+
+	for (elem = l; elem != NULL; elem = elem->next) {
+		const char *name = (const char *)elem->data;
+		if (strstr(name, "nat_policy_") == name) {
+			nat_policy_count++;
+		} else if (strstr(name, "proxy_") == name) {
+			proxy_count++;
+		}
+	}
+	/* There can't be more nat_policy_ section than proxy_? section + 1 */
+	BC_ASSERT_LOWER(nat_policy_count, proxy_count + 1, int, "%i");
+	bctbx_list_free(l);
+}
+
 void linphone_core_manager_stop(LinphoneCoreManager *mgr) {
 	if (mgr->lc) {
 		const char *record_file = linphone_core_get_record_file(mgr->lc);
@@ -2702,7 +2721,7 @@ void linphone_core_manager_stop(LinphoneCoreManager *mgr) {
 		}
 
 		linphone_core_stop(mgr->lc);
-
+		check_orphan_nat_policy_section(mgr);
 		linphone_core_unref(mgr->lc);
 		mgr->lc = NULL;
 	}