diff --git a/configure.in b/configure.in
index 9fa6ac5a..d7bb9265 100644
--- a/configure.in
+++ b/configure.in
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ fi
 # FIXME
 AC_PROG_CXX
 
-CXXFLAGS="-O4 -Wall $CXXFLAGS -I.."
+CXXFLAGS="-O4 -Wall $CXXFLAGS -I.. -I../c"
 
 
 AM_CONDITIONAL(ENABLE_CXX, test "$enable_cxx" != "no")
diff --git a/cpp/object.hpp b/cpp/object.hpp
index 08e715dc..c3f2872b 100644
--- a/cpp/object.hpp
+++ b/cpp/object.hpp
@@ -18,8 +18,10 @@
 #ifndef MSGPACK_OBJECT_HPP__
 #define MSGPACK_OBJECT_HPP__
 
+#include "msgpack/object.h"
 #include "msgpack/pack.hpp"
 #include <stdint.h>
+#include <string.h>
 #include <stdexcept>
 #include <typeinfo>
 #include <limits>
@@ -72,6 +74,7 @@ struct object {
 		object_array array;
 		object_map map;
 		object_raw raw;
+		object_raw ref;  // obsolete
 	};
 
 	type::object_type type;
@@ -85,6 +88,10 @@ struct object {
 	template <typename T>
 	void convert(T* v);
 
+	object();
+	object(msgpack_object obj);
+	operator msgpack_object();
+
 private:
 	struct implicit_type;
 
@@ -192,6 +199,23 @@ inline bool operator!=(const object x, const object y)
 { return !(x == y); }
 
 
+inline object::object() { }
+
+inline object::object(msgpack_object obj)
+{
+	// FIXME beter way?
+	::memcpy(this, &obj, sizeof(obj));
+}
+
+inline object::operator msgpack_object()
+{
+	// FIXME beter way?
+	msgpack_object obj;
+	::memcpy(&obj, this, sizeof(obj));
+	return obj;
+}
+
+
 inline object::implicit_type object::convert()
 {
 	return implicit_type(*this);
diff --git a/cpp/unpack.hpp b/cpp/unpack.hpp
index 8c77726c..57623f2e 100644
--- a/cpp/unpack.hpp
+++ b/cpp/unpack.hpp
@@ -191,8 +191,7 @@ inline bool unpacker::execute()
 
 inline object unpacker::data()
 {
-	msgpack_object obj = msgpack_unpacker_data(this);
-	return *reinterpret_cast<object*>(&obj);
+	return msgpack_unpacker_data(this);
 }
 
 inline zone* unpacker::release_zone()