diff --git a/TODO b/TODO
index 941a8c89f..d8d4d5612 100644
--- a/TODO
+++ b/TODO
@@ -9,8 +9,6 @@ General fixes:
 
 - Remove fixed-size feature/lookup arrays in hb-ot-map
 
-- Use templates instead of macros for objects?
-
 API issues to fix before 1.0:
 ============================
 
diff --git a/src/hb-blob.cc b/src/hb-blob.cc
index 7d1925f85..435d37bb6 100644
--- a/src/hb-blob.cc
+++ b/src/hb-blob.cc
@@ -87,7 +87,7 @@ hb_blob_create (const char        *data,
 {
   hb_blob_t *blob;
 
-  if (!length || !HB_OBJECT_DO_CREATE (hb_blob_t, blob)) {
+  if (!length || !(blob = hb_object_create<hb_blob_t> ())) {
     if (destroy)
       destroy (user_data);
     return &_hb_blob_nil;
@@ -122,7 +122,7 @@ hb_blob_create_sub_blob (hb_blob_t    *parent,
   hb_blob_t *blob;
   const char *pdata;
 
-  if (!length || offset >= parent->length || !HB_OBJECT_DO_CREATE (hb_blob_t, blob))
+  if (!length || offset >= parent->length || !(blob = hb_object_create<hb_blob_t> ()))
     return &_hb_blob_nil;
 
   pdata = hb_blob_lock (parent);
@@ -149,13 +149,13 @@ hb_blob_create_empty (void)
 hb_blob_t *
 hb_blob_reference (hb_blob_t *blob)
 {
-  HB_OBJECT_DO_REFERENCE (blob);
+  return hb_object_reference (blob);
 }
 
 void
 hb_blob_destroy (hb_blob_t *blob)
 {
-  HB_OBJECT_DO_DESTROY (blob);
+  if (!hb_object_destroy (blob)) return;
 
   _hb_blob_destroy_user_data (blob);
 
@@ -171,7 +171,7 @@ hb_blob_get_length (hb_blob_t *blob)
 const char *
 hb_blob_lock (hb_blob_t *blob)
 {
-  if (HB_OBJECT_IS_INERT (blob))
+  if (hb_object_is_inert (blob))
     return NULL;
 
   hb_mutex_lock (blob->lock);
@@ -190,7 +190,7 @@ hb_blob_lock (hb_blob_t *blob)
 void
 hb_blob_unlock (hb_blob_t *blob)
 {
-  if (HB_OBJECT_IS_INERT (blob))
+  if (hb_object_is_inert (blob))
     return;
 
   hb_mutex_lock (blob->lock);
@@ -210,7 +210,7 @@ hb_blob_is_writable (hb_blob_t *blob)
 {
   hb_memory_mode_t mode;
 
-  if (HB_OBJECT_IS_INERT (blob))
+  if (hb_object_is_inert (blob))
     return FALSE;
 
   hb_mutex_lock (blob->lock);
@@ -292,7 +292,7 @@ hb_blob_try_writable_inplace (hb_blob_t *blob)
 {
   hb_memory_mode_t mode;
 
-  if (HB_OBJECT_IS_INERT (blob))
+  if (hb_object_is_inert (blob))
     return FALSE;
 
   hb_mutex_lock (blob->lock);
@@ -312,7 +312,7 @@ hb_blob_try_writable (hb_blob_t *blob)
 {
   hb_memory_mode_t mode;
 
-  if (HB_OBJECT_IS_INERT (blob))
+  if (hb_object_is_inert (blob))
     return FALSE;
 
   hb_mutex_lock (blob->lock);
diff --git a/src/hb-buffer.cc b/src/hb-buffer.cc
index 54682702e..2ae29cac7 100644
--- a/src/hb-buffer.cc
+++ b/src/hb-buffer.cc
@@ -137,7 +137,7 @@ hb_buffer_create (unsigned int pre_alloc_size)
 {
   hb_buffer_t *buffer;
 
-  if (!HB_OBJECT_DO_CREATE (hb_buffer_t, buffer))
+  if (!(buffer = hb_object_create<hb_buffer_t> ()))
     return &_hb_buffer_nil;
 
   if (pre_alloc_size)
@@ -151,13 +151,13 @@ hb_buffer_create (unsigned int pre_alloc_size)
 hb_buffer_t *
 hb_buffer_reference (hb_buffer_t *buffer)
 {
-  HB_OBJECT_DO_REFERENCE (buffer);
+  return hb_object_reference (buffer);
 }
 
 void
 hb_buffer_destroy (hb_buffer_t *buffer)
 {
-  HB_OBJECT_DO_DESTROY (buffer);
+  if (!hb_object_destroy (buffer)) return;
 
   hb_unicode_funcs_destroy (buffer->unicode);
 
diff --git a/src/hb-font.cc b/src/hb-font.cc
index 149ca1966..5506480e1 100644
--- a/src/hb-font.cc
+++ b/src/hb-font.cc
@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@ hb_font_funcs_create (void)
 {
   hb_font_funcs_t *ffuncs;
 
-  if (!HB_OBJECT_DO_CREATE (hb_font_funcs_t, ffuncs))
+  if (!(ffuncs = hb_object_create<hb_font_funcs_t> ()))
     return &_hb_font_funcs_nil;
 
   ffuncs->v = _hb_font_funcs_nil.v;
@@ -113,13 +113,13 @@ hb_font_funcs_create (void)
 hb_font_funcs_t *
 hb_font_funcs_reference (hb_font_funcs_t *ffuncs)
 {
-  HB_OBJECT_DO_REFERENCE (ffuncs);
+  return hb_object_reference (ffuncs);
 }
 
 void
 hb_font_funcs_destroy (hb_font_funcs_t *ffuncs)
 {
-  HB_OBJECT_DO_DESTROY (ffuncs);
+  if (!hb_object_destroy (ffuncs)) return;
 
   free (ffuncs);
 }
@@ -129,7 +129,7 @@ hb_font_funcs_copy (hb_font_funcs_t *other_ffuncs)
 {
   hb_font_funcs_t *ffuncs;
 
-  if (!HB_OBJECT_DO_CREATE (hb_font_funcs_t, ffuncs))
+  if (!(ffuncs = hb_object_create<hb_font_funcs_t> ()))
     return &_hb_font_funcs_nil;
 
   ffuncs->v = other_ffuncs->v;
@@ -140,7 +140,7 @@ hb_font_funcs_copy (hb_font_funcs_t *other_ffuncs)
 void
 hb_font_funcs_make_immutable (hb_font_funcs_t *ffuncs)
 {
-  if (HB_OBJECT_IS_INERT (ffuncs))
+  if (hb_object_is_inert (ffuncs))
     return;
 
   ffuncs->immutable = TRUE;
@@ -308,7 +308,7 @@ hb_face_create_for_tables (hb_get_table_func_t  get_table,
 {
   hb_face_t *face;
 
-  if (!HB_OBJECT_DO_CREATE (hb_face_t, face)) {
+  if (!(face = hb_object_create<hb_face_t> ())) {
     if (destroy)
       destroy (user_data);
     return &_hb_face_nil;
@@ -389,13 +389,13 @@ hb_face_create_for_data (hb_blob_t    *blob,
 hb_face_t *
 hb_face_reference (hb_face_t *face)
 {
-  HB_OBJECT_DO_REFERENCE (face);
+  return hb_object_reference (face);
 }
 
 void
 hb_face_destroy (hb_face_t *face)
 {
-  HB_OBJECT_DO_DESTROY (face);
+  if (!hb_object_destroy (face)) return;
 
   _hb_ot_layout_free (face->ot_layout);
 
@@ -454,7 +454,7 @@ hb_font_create (void)
 {
   hb_font_t *font;
 
-  if (!HB_OBJECT_DO_CREATE (hb_font_t, font))
+  if (!(font = hb_object_create<hb_font_t> ()))
     return &_hb_font_nil;
 
   font->klass = &_hb_font_funcs_nil;
@@ -465,13 +465,13 @@ hb_font_create (void)
 hb_font_t *
 hb_font_reference (hb_font_t *font)
 {
-  HB_OBJECT_DO_REFERENCE (font);
+  return hb_object_reference (font);
 }
 
 void
 hb_font_destroy (hb_font_t *font)
 {
-  HB_OBJECT_DO_DESTROY (font);
+  if (!hb_object_destroy (font)) return;
 
   hb_font_funcs_destroy (font->klass);
   if (font->destroy)
@@ -486,7 +486,7 @@ hb_font_set_funcs (hb_font_t         *font,
 		   void              *user_data,
 		   hb_destroy_func_t  destroy)
 {
-  if (HB_OBJECT_IS_INERT (font))
+  if (hb_object_is_inert (font))
     return;
 
   if (font->destroy)
@@ -514,7 +514,7 @@ hb_font_unset_funcs (hb_font_t          *font,
   *user_data = font->user_data;
   *destroy = font->destroy;
 
-  if (HB_OBJECT_IS_INERT (font))
+  if (hb_object_is_inert (font))
     return;
 
   font->klass = NULL;
@@ -527,7 +527,7 @@ hb_font_set_scale (hb_font_t *font,
 		   int x_scale,
 		   int y_scale)
 {
-  if (HB_OBJECT_IS_INERT (font))
+  if (hb_object_is_inert (font))
     return;
 
   font->x_scale = x_scale;
@@ -548,7 +548,7 @@ hb_font_set_ppem (hb_font_t *font,
 		  unsigned int x_ppem,
 		  unsigned int y_ppem)
 {
-  if (HB_OBJECT_IS_INERT (font))
+  if (hb_object_is_inert (font))
     return;
 
   font->x_ppem = x_ppem;
diff --git a/src/hb-object-private.hh b/src/hb-object-private.hh
index c3cdeb541..8fbddd478 100644
--- a/src/hb-object-private.hh
+++ b/src/hb-object-private.hh
@@ -123,18 +123,9 @@ static inline bool hb_object_destroy (Type *obj)
 }
 
 
-
 HB_BEGIN_DECLS
 
 
-/* Object allocation and lifecycle manamgement macros */
-
-#define HB_OBJECT_DO_CREATE(Type, obj) likely (obj = hb_object_create<Type> ())
-#define HB_OBJECT_IS_INERT(obj) hb_object_is_inert (obj)
-#define HB_OBJECT_DO_REFERENCE(obj) return hb_object_reference (obj)
-#define HB_OBJECT_DO_DESTROY(obj) if (!hb_object_destroy (obj)) return
-
-
 HB_END_DECLS
 
 #endif /* HB_OBJECT_PRIVATE_HH */
diff --git a/src/hb-unicode.cc b/src/hb-unicode.cc
index b756461ba..992295540 100644
--- a/src/hb-unicode.cc
+++ b/src/hb-unicode.cc
@@ -107,7 +107,7 @@ hb_unicode_funcs_create (hb_unicode_funcs_t *parent)
 {
   hb_unicode_funcs_t *ufuncs;
 
-  if (!HB_OBJECT_DO_CREATE (hb_unicode_funcs_t, ufuncs))
+  if (!(ufuncs = hb_object_create<hb_unicode_funcs_t> ()))
     return &_hb_unicode_funcs_nil;
 
   if (parent != NULL)
@@ -133,13 +133,13 @@ hb_unicode_funcs_create (hb_unicode_funcs_t *parent)
 hb_unicode_funcs_t *
 hb_unicode_funcs_reference (hb_unicode_funcs_t *ufuncs)
 {
-  HB_OBJECT_DO_REFERENCE (ufuncs);
+  return hb_object_reference (ufuncs);
 }
 
 void
 hb_unicode_funcs_destroy (hb_unicode_funcs_t *ufuncs)
 {
-  HB_OBJECT_DO_DESTROY (ufuncs);
+  if (!hb_object_destroy (ufuncs)) return;
 
 #define DESTROY(name) if (ufuncs->destroy.name) ufuncs->destroy.name (ufuncs->user_data.name)
   DESTROY (combining_class);
@@ -158,7 +158,7 @@ hb_unicode_funcs_destroy (hb_unicode_funcs_t *ufuncs)
 void
 hb_unicode_funcs_make_immutable (hb_unicode_funcs_t *ufuncs)
 {
-  if (HB_OBJECT_IS_INERT (ufuncs))
+  if (hb_object_is_inert (ufuncs))
     return;
 
   ufuncs->immutable = TRUE;