diff --git a/object.hpp b/object.hpp
index 9a6248a..d86d462 100644
--- a/object.hpp
+++ b/object.hpp
@@ -158,15 +158,45 @@ namespace cruft::vk {
     };
 
 
-    private:
-        template <typename ...Args>
-        static
-        id_t make (OwnerT &owner, Args &&...args)
-        {
-            id_t id;
-            life_traits<SelfT>::get (owner.id (), std::forward<Args> (args)..., &id);
-            return id;
-        }
+    template <typename SelfT, typename OwnerT, typename ...Args>
+    auto
+    make_owned (OwnerT &owner, Args &&...args)
+    {
+        class destroyer {
+        public:
+            destroyer (SelfT &&_self, OwnerT &_owner):
+                m_self (std::move (_self)),
+                m_owner (_owner)
+            { ; }
+
+            destroyer (destroyer &&rhs):
+                m_self (std::move (rhs.m_self)),
+                m_owner (rhs.m_owner)
+            { ; }
+
+            ~destroyer ()
+            {
+                m_self.destroy (m_owner);
+            }
+
+            // it's unclear whether we want to work around reseating m_owner,
+            // or if this operation just isn't sufficiently prevalent to
+            // justify the work.
+            destroyer& operator= (destroyer &&rhs) = delete;
+
+            SelfT*
+            operator-> ()&
+            { return &m_self; }
+
+        private:
+            SelfT m_self;
+            OwnerT &m_owner;
+        };
+
+        return destroyer {
+            SelfT { owner, std::forward<Args> (args)... },
+            owner
+        };
     };
 };