diff --git a/object.cpp b/object.cpp
index e60713e..0811ba8 100644
--- a/object.cpp
+++ b/object.cpp
@@ -42,12 +42,12 @@ std::vector<T>
 cruft::vk::enumerated<T>::find (const instance &parent) {
     // find the total number of objects
     uint32_t expected = 0;
-    error::try_code (enum_traits<T>::enumerate (parent.native (), &expected, nullptr));
+    error::try_code (enum_traits<native_t<T>>::enumerate (parent.native (), &expected, nullptr));
 
     // allocate an array of handles and fetch them
     uint32_t found = expected;
     native_t<T> handles[expected];
-    error::try_code (enum_traits<T>::enumerate (parent.native (), &found, handles));
+    error::try_code (enum_traits<native_t<T>>::enumerate (parent.native (), &found, handles));
 
     // return an collection of objects from the handles
     return std::vector<T> (handles, handles + found);
diff --git a/object.hpp b/object.hpp
index 7d8d385..4251cee 100644
--- a/object.hpp
+++ b/object.hpp
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ namespace cruft::vk {
         root (Args &&...args):
             object<SelfT> (
                 cruft::vk::error::try_query (
-                    life_traits<SelfT>::create,
+                    life_traits<native_t<SelfT>>::create,
                     std::forward<Args> (args)...
                 )
             )
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ namespace cruft::vk {
 
         ~root ()
         {
-            life_traits<SelfT>::destroy (this->native (), nullptr);
+            life_traits<native_t<SelfT>>::destroy (this->native (), nullptr);
         }
     };
 
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ namespace cruft::vk {
         descendant (ParentT &parent, Args &&...args):
             object<T> (
                 cruft::vk::error::try_query(
-                    life_traits<T>::create,
+                    life_traits<native_t<T>>::create,
                     parent.native (),
                     std::forward<Args> (args)...
                 )
@@ -87,7 +87,7 @@ namespace cruft::vk {
 
         ~descendant ()
         {
-            life_traits<T>::destroy (this->native (), nullptr);
+            life_traits<native_t<T>>::destroy (this->native (), nullptr);
         }
     };
 
@@ -117,7 +117,7 @@ namespace cruft::vk {
         owned (OwnerT &owner, Args &&...args):
             object<SelfT> (
                 error::try_query (
-                    life_traits<SelfT>::create,
+                    life_traits<native_t<SelfT>>::create,
                     owner.native (),
                     std::forward<Args> (args)...
                 )
@@ -142,7 +142,7 @@ namespace cruft::vk {
         void
         destroy (OwnerT &owner)
         {
-            life_traits<SelfT>::destroy (owner.native (), this->native (), nullptr);
+            life_traits<native_t<SelfT>>::destroy (owner.native (), this->native (), nullptr);
             this->m_native = VK_NULL_HANDLE;
         }
     };
diff --git a/traits.hpp b/traits.hpp
index c055dac..30d13fd 100644
--- a/traits.hpp
+++ b/traits.hpp
@@ -93,24 +93,24 @@ namespace cruft::vk {
 
 
     //-------------------------------------------------------------------------
-    template <> struct native_traits<instance> { using type = VkInstance; };
-    template <> struct native_traits<physical_device> { using type = VkPhysicalDevice; };
-    template <> struct native_traits<device> { using type = VkDevice; };
-    template <> struct native_traits<queue> { using type = VkQueue; };
-    template <> struct native_traits<command_pool> { using type = VkCommandPool; };
-    template <> struct native_traits<command_buffer> { using type = VkCommandBuffer; };
-    template <> struct native_traits<fence> { using type = VkFence; };
-    template <> struct native_traits<semaphore> { using type = VkSemaphore; };
-    template <> struct native_traits<event> { using type = VkEvent; };
-    template <> struct native_traits<render_pass> { using type = VkRenderPass; };
-    template <> struct native_traits<framebuffer> { using type = VkFramebuffer; };
-    template <> struct native_traits<shader_module> { using type = VkShaderModule; };
-    template <> struct native_traits<pipeline> { using type = VkPipeline; };
-    template <> struct native_traits<pipeline_cache> { using type = VkPipelineCache; };
-    template <> struct native_traits<device_memory> { using type = VkDeviceMemory; };
-    template <> struct native_traits<buffer> { using type = VkBuffer; };
-    template <> struct native_traits<buffer_view> { using type = VkBufferView; };
-    template <> struct native_traits<surface> { using type = VkSurfaceKHR; };
+    template <> struct native_traits<instance>          { using type = VkInstance; };
+    template <> struct native_traits<physical_device>   { using type = VkPhysicalDevice; };
+    template <> struct native_traits<device>            { using type = VkDevice; };
+    template <> struct native_traits<queue>             { using type = VkQueue; };
+    template <> struct native_traits<command_pool>      { using type = VkCommandPool; };
+    template <> struct native_traits<command_buffer>    { using type = VkCommandBuffer; };
+    template <> struct native_traits<fence>             { using type = VkFence; };
+    template <> struct native_traits<semaphore>         { using type = VkSemaphore; };
+    template <> struct native_traits<event>             { using type = VkEvent; };
+    template <> struct native_traits<render_pass>       { using type = VkRenderPass; };
+    template <> struct native_traits<framebuffer>       { using type = VkFramebuffer; };
+    template <> struct native_traits<shader_module>     { using type = VkShaderModule; };
+    template <> struct native_traits<pipeline>          { using type = VkPipeline; };
+    template <> struct native_traits<pipeline_cache>    { using type = VkPipelineCache; };
+    template <> struct native_traits<device_memory>     { using type = VkDeviceMemory; };
+    template <> struct native_traits<buffer>            { using type = VkBuffer; };
+    template <> struct native_traits<buffer_view>       { using type = VkBufferView; };
+    template <> struct native_traits<surface>           { using type = VkSurfaceKHR; };
 
 
     //-------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -149,57 +149,57 @@ namespace cruft::vk {
 
 
     //-------------------------------------------------------------------------
-    template <> struct life_traits<instance> {
+    template <> struct life_traits<VkInstance> {
         static constexpr auto& create  = vkCreateInstance;
         static constexpr auto& destroy = vkDestroyInstance;
     };
 
-    template <> struct life_traits<device> {
+    template <> struct life_traits<VkDevice> {
         static constexpr auto& create = vkCreateDevice;
         static constexpr auto& destroy = vkDestroyDevice;
     };
 
-    template <> struct life_traits<command_pool> {
+    template <> struct life_traits<VkCommandPool> {
         static constexpr auto& create = vkCreateCommandPool;
         static constexpr auto& destroy = vkDestroyCommandPool;
     };
 
-    template <> struct life_traits<fence> {
+    template <> struct life_traits<VkFence> {
         static constexpr auto& create = vkCreateFence;
         static constexpr auto& destroy = vkDestroyFence;
     };
 
-    template <> struct life_traits<semaphore> {
+    template <> struct life_traits<VkSemaphore> {
         static constexpr auto& create = vkCreateSemaphore;
         static constexpr auto& destroy = vkDestroySemaphore;
     };
 
-    template <> struct life_traits<event> {
+    template <> struct life_traits<VkEvent> {
         static constexpr auto& create = vkCreateEvent;
         static constexpr auto& destroy = vkDestroyEvent;
     };
 
-    template <> struct life_traits<render_pass> {
+    template <> struct life_traits<VkRenderPass> {
         static constexpr auto& create = vkCreateRenderPass;
         static constexpr auto& destroy = vkDestroyRenderPass;
     };
 
-    template <> struct life_traits<framebuffer> {
+    template <> struct life_traits<VkFramebuffer> {
         static constexpr auto& create = vkCreateFramebuffer;
         static constexpr auto& destroy = vkDestroyFramebuffer;
     };
 
-    template <> struct life_traits<shader_module> {
+    template <> struct life_traits<VkShaderModule> {
         static constexpr auto& create = vkCreateShaderModule;
         static constexpr auto& destroy = vkDestroyShaderModule;
     };
 
-    template <> struct life_traits<surface> {
+    template <> struct life_traits<VkSurfaceKHR> {
         static constexpr auto& destroy = vkDestroySurfaceKHR;
     };
 
     template <>
-    struct life_traits<queue> {
+    struct life_traits<VkQueue> {
         static constexpr auto& create = vkGetDeviceQueue;
 
         static constexpr auto destroy = ::util::tuple::ignore<
@@ -226,22 +226,22 @@ namespace cruft::vk {
     //    static constexpr auto destroy = vkDestroyPipeline;
     //};
 
-    template <> struct life_traits<pipeline_cache> {
+    template <> struct life_traits<VkPipelineCache> {
         static constexpr auto& create = vkCreatePipelineCache;
         static constexpr auto& destroy = vkDestroyPipelineCache;
     };
 
-    template <> struct life_traits<device_memory> {
+    template <> struct life_traits<VkDeviceMemory> {
         static constexpr auto& create = vkAllocateMemory;
         static constexpr auto& destroy = vkFreeMemory;
     };
 
-    template <> struct life_traits<buffer> {
+    template <> struct life_traits<VkBuffer> {
         static constexpr auto& create = vkCreateBuffer;
         static constexpr auto& destroy = vkDestroyBuffer;
     };
 
-    template <> struct life_traits<buffer_view> {
+    template <> struct life_traits<VkBufferView> {
         static constexpr auto& create = vkCreateBufferView;
     };
 
@@ -250,7 +250,7 @@ namespace cruft::vk {
     /// describes the functions required to enumerate native types
     template <typename> struct enum_traits { };
 
-    template <> struct enum_traits<physical_device> {
+    template <> struct enum_traits<VkPhysicalDevice> {
         static constexpr auto enumerate = vkEnumeratePhysicalDevices;
     };
 }