diff --git a/src/drivers/device/ringbuffer.h b/src/drivers/device/ringbuffer.h
index a9e22eaa6b..b26e2e7c83 100644
--- a/src/drivers/device/ringbuffer.h
+++ b/src/drivers/device/ringbuffer.h
@@ -162,6 +162,10 @@ private:
 	volatile unsigned	_tail;	/**< removal point in _item_size units */
 
 	unsigned		_next(unsigned index);
+
+	/* we don't want this class to be copied */
+	RingBuffer(const RingBuffer&);
+	RingBuffer operator=(const RingBuffer&);
 };
 
 RingBuffer::RingBuffer(unsigned num_items, size_t item_size) :
diff --git a/src/drivers/device/spi.h b/src/drivers/device/spi.h
index 54849c8c37..1d98376898 100644
--- a/src/drivers/device/spi.h
+++ b/src/drivers/device/spi.h
@@ -129,10 +129,15 @@ private:
 	uint32_t		_frequency;
 	struct spi_dev_s	*_dev;
 
+	/* this class does not allow copying */
+	SPI(const SPI&);
+	SPI operator=(const SPI&);
+
 protected:
 	int			_bus;
 
 	int	_transfer(uint8_t *send, uint8_t *recv, unsigned len);
+
 };
 
 } // namespace device