diff --git a/object.hpp b/object.hpp
index 4251cee..f5d257d 100644
--- a/object.hpp
+++ b/object.hpp
@@ -27,9 +27,9 @@
 namespace cruft::vk {
     /// the base class for all non-trivial vulkan objects requiring lifetime
     /// management.
-    template <typename T>
+    template <typename SelfT>
     struct object {
-        object (native_t<T> _native):
+        object (native_t<SelfT> _native):
             m_native (_native)
         {
             CHECK_NEQ (m_native, VK_NULL_HANDLE);
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ namespace cruft::vk {
         auto& native (void)& { return m_native; }
 
     protected:
-        native_t<T> m_native;
+        native_t<SelfT> m_native;
     };
 
 
@@ -71,13 +71,13 @@ namespace cruft::vk {
     /// a vulkan object that must be directly instantiated through
     /// constructor arguments, rather than being enumerated and owned by
     /// another object.
-    template <typename T>
-    struct descendant : public object<T> {
+    template <typename SelfT>
+    struct descendant : public object<SelfT> {
         template <typename ParentT, typename ...Args>
         descendant (ParentT &parent, Args &&...args):
-            object<T> (
+            object<SelfT> (
                 cruft::vk::error::try_query(
-                    life_traits<native_t<T>>::create,
+                    life_traits<native_t<SelfT>>::create,
                     parent.native (),
                     std::forward<Args> (args)...
                 )
@@ -87,17 +87,17 @@ namespace cruft::vk {
 
         ~descendant ()
         {
-            life_traits<native_t<T>>::destroy (this->native (), nullptr);
+            life_traits<native_t<SelfT>>::destroy (this->native (), nullptr);
         }
     };
 
 
     /// a vulkan object that is obtained by listings from a parent object.
-    template <typename T>
-    struct enumerated : public object<T> {
-        using object<T>::object;
+    template <typename SelfT>
+    struct enumerated : public object<SelfT> {
+        using object<SelfT>::object;
 
-        static std::vector<T>
+        static std::vector<SelfT>
         find (const instance &parent);
     };