diff --git a/compiler/compiler_generate.c2 b/compiler/compiler_generate.c2
index a144a45ae..092afc11f 100644
--- a/compiler/compiler_generate.c2
+++ b/compiler/compiler_generate.c2
@@ -62,8 +62,7 @@ fn void Compiler.generate(Compiler* c, const char* target_name, const char* outp
         console.debug("generating C");
         u64 gen3 = utils.now();
 
-        string_list.List asm_files;
-        asm_files.init(c.auxPool);
+        string_list.List asm_files.init(c.auxPool);
         for (u32 i=0; i<c.target.numAsmFiles(); i++) {
             const file_list.File* file = c.target.getAsmFile(i);
             asm_files.add(file.name);
diff --git a/examples/event/main.c2 b/examples/event/main.c2
index 51de6babe..dd28c67f0 100644
--- a/examples/event/main.c2
+++ b/examples/event/main.c2
@@ -32,11 +32,9 @@ fn void timeout_func(void*) {
 }
 
 public fn i32 main() {
-    logger.Base logbase;
-    logbase.init(logger.Level.Info, unistd.isatty(1), true);
+    logger.Base logbase.init(logger.Level.Info, unistd.isatty(1), true);
 
-    logger.Log log;
-    log.init(&logbase, "main");
+    logger.Log log.init(&logbase, "main");
     mainlog = &log;
 
     log.info("starting");
diff --git a/examples/json_parser/main.c2 b/examples/json_parser/main.c2
index fb16c37c3..89c826697 100644
--- a/examples/json_parser/main.c2
+++ b/examples/json_parser/main.c2
@@ -161,8 +161,7 @@ public fn i32 main(i32 argc, char** argv) {
     parser.destroy();
 
 #if 0
-    json.Builder builder;
-    builder.init(1024);
+    json.Builder builder.init(1024);
     builder.addArray(nil);
     builder.addNumber(nil, 2);
     builder.addValue(nil, "19223201");
diff --git a/examples/list/main.c2 b/examples/list/main.c2
index 34657aaf0..5bac07d9f 100644
--- a/examples/list/main.c2
+++ b/examples/list/main.c2
@@ -55,10 +55,8 @@ fn void Module.addDep(Module* m, Module* dep) {
 }
 
 fn void check(Element* all, Module* top) {
-    Element todo;
-    Element done;
-    todo.init();
-    done.init();
+    Element todo.init();
+    Element done.init();
 
     i32 max_depth = (i32)all.size();
     top.list.remove();
@@ -88,8 +86,7 @@ fn void check(Element* all, Module* top) {
 public fn i32 main() {
     printf("this program orders a DAG by depth, using List\n");
 
-    Element modules;
-    modules.init();
+    Element modules.init();
 
     Module* a = createModule(&modules, "A");
     Module* b = createModule(&modules, "B");
diff --git a/examples/logger/main.c2 b/examples/logger/main.c2
index 3467064c2..a629a7891 100644
--- a/examples/logger/main.c2
+++ b/examples/logger/main.c2
@@ -18,12 +18,10 @@ import logger;
 import unistd;
 
 public fn i32 main(i32 argc, char** argv) {
-    logger.Base logbase;
     bool relative_times = (argc == 2 && !*argv[1] == 'r');
-    logbase.init(logger.Level.Info, unistd.isatty(1), relative_times);
+    logger.Base logbase.init(logger.Level.Info, unistd.isatty(1), relative_times);
 
-    logger.Log log;
-    log.init(&logbase, "main");
+    logger.Log log.init(&logbase, "main");
 
     log.info("call this example with an extra argument to show relative times");
     log.debug("debug msg");
@@ -32,8 +30,7 @@ public fn i32 main(i32 argc, char** argv) {
     log.error("Error number %d", 10);
 
     // meanwhile in another component..
-    logger.Log log2;
-    log2.init(&logbase, "server");
+    logger.Log log2.init(&logbase, "server");
     log2.setLevel(logger.Level.Debug);
     log2.info("got new connection");
     log2.debug("client connected from %s, fd %d", "127.0.0.1", 34);
diff --git a/examples/lua/main.c2 b/examples/lua/main.c2
index d37c6808a..0b5d71397 100644
--- a/examples/lua/main.c2
+++ b/examples/lua/main.c2
@@ -29,8 +29,7 @@ public fn i32 main(i32 argc, char** argv) {
     const char* scriptName = "lua/script1.lua";
     if (argc == 2) scriptName = argv[1];
 
-    script.LuaState ls;
-    ls.init();
+    script.LuaState ls.init();
 
     lua.atpanic(ls.l, atpanic);
     ls.registerFunc("startScript", script.startScript);
diff --git a/examples/multicast/receiver.c2 b/examples/multicast/receiver.c2
index e30c92655..1f62b021a 100644
--- a/examples/multicast/receiver.c2
+++ b/examples/multicast/receiver.c2
@@ -25,8 +25,7 @@ const u16 MULTICAST_PORT = 12345;
 public fn i32 main() {
     events.Base* evbase = events.Base.create();
 
-    Receiver receiver;
-    receiver.init(evbase, MULTICAST_IP, MULTICAST_PORT);
+    Receiver receiver.init(evbase, MULTICAST_IP, MULTICAST_PORT);
 
     u8 ret = evbase.mainloop();
 
diff --git a/examples/multicast/sender.c2 b/examples/multicast/sender.c2
index 93f0392db..7c2e5aefb 100644
--- a/examples/multicast/sender.c2
+++ b/examples/multicast/sender.c2
@@ -26,8 +26,7 @@ const u16 MULTICAST_PORT = 12345;
 
 
 public fn i32 main() {
-    Sender sender;
-    sender.init(MULTICAST_IP, MULTICAST_PORT);
+    Sender sender.init(MULTICAST_IP, MULTICAST_PORT);
 
     u32 nr = 0;
     while (1) {
diff --git a/generator/ir/ir_generator.c2 b/generator/ir/ir_generator.c2
index d843a401c..d88d49813 100644
--- a/generator/ir/ir_generator.c2
+++ b/generator/ir/ir_generator.c2
@@ -377,8 +377,7 @@ fn void Generator.emitGlobalStructInit(Generator* gen, const Expr* e) {
     StructTypeDecl* std = st.getDecl();
 
     if (ile.hasDesignators()) {
-        FieldStructLayouter layouter;
-        layouter.init(gen, std.getSize(), std.getDesigMemberCount());
+        FieldStructLayouter layouter.init(gen, std.getSize(), std.getDesigMemberCount());
         for (u32 i=0; i<num_values; i++) {
             FieldDesignatedInitExpr* fdi = (FieldDesignatedInitExpr*)values[i];
             const FieldInitField* fif = fdi.getMemberInfo();
@@ -388,8 +387,7 @@ fn void Generator.emitGlobalStructInit(Generator* gen, const Expr* e) {
         }
         layouter.finalize();
     } else {
-        BasicStructLayouter layouter;
-        layouter.init(gen, std.getLayout());
+        BasicStructLayouter layouter.init(gen, std.getLayout());
         for (u32 i=0; i<num_values; i++) layouter.add(i, values[i]);
         layouter.finalize();
     }
@@ -597,8 +595,7 @@ public fn void generate(const char* target,
         return;
     }
 
-    Generator gen;
-    gen.init(sm, astPool, targetInfo, buildInfo, target, ir_dir, enable_asserts, print, print_all);
+    Generator gen.init(sm, astPool, targetInfo, buildInfo, target, ir_dir, enable_asserts, print, print_all);
     gen.mainFunc = mainFunc;
 
     // TODO also generate source libs, inline functions for interface files
diff --git a/generator/ir/ir_generator_binop.c2 b/generator/ir/ir_generator_binop.c2
index 08417dfd1..85da5206c 100644
--- a/generator/ir/ir_generator_binop.c2
+++ b/generator/ir/ir_generator_binop.c2
@@ -166,8 +166,7 @@ fn void Generator.emitLogicalAnd(Generator* gen, ir.Ref* result, const Expr* e)
     ir.Ref left;
     gen.emitExpr(&left, b.getLHS());
 
-    ir.Ref zero;
-    zero.init(RefKind.Value, 0);
+    ir.Ref zero.init(RefKind.Value, 0);
 
     ir.Ref cond1 = c.addBinaryInstr(InstrKind.CmpNe, left, zero);
 
@@ -217,8 +216,7 @@ fn void Generator.emitLogicalOr(Generator* gen, ir.Ref* result, const Expr* e) {
     ir.Ref left;
     gen.emitExpr(&left, b.getLHS());
 
-    ir.Ref zero;
-    zero.init(RefKind.Value, 0);
+    ir.Ref zero.init(RefKind.Value, 0);
 
     ir.Ref cond1 = gen.ctx.addBinaryInstr(InstrKind.CmpNe, left, zero);
 
@@ -244,8 +242,7 @@ fn void Generator.emitLogicalOr(Generator* gen, ir.Ref* result, const Expr* e) {
     c.endBlock();
     c.startBlock(join_blk);
 
-    ir.Ref one;
-    one.init(RefKind.Value, 1);
+    ir.Ref one.init(RefKind.Value, 1);
 
     *result = gen.ctx.addPhi2Instr(block1, one, false_blk, cond2);
 }
diff --git a/generator/ir/ir_generator_expr.c2 b/generator/ir/ir_generator_expr.c2
index a2cd17680..2be63891c 100644
--- a/generator/ir/ir_generator_expr.c2
+++ b/generator/ir/ir_generator_expr.c2
@@ -40,8 +40,7 @@ fn void Generator.emitExpr(Generator* gen, ir.Ref* result, const Expr* e) {
         StringLiteral* s = (StringLiteral*)e;
 
         SymbolId id = gen.ctx.addStringLiteral(gen.createStringVar(), gen.idx2name(s.getText()), s.getSize());
-        ir.Ref ref;
-        ref.init(RefKind.Symbol, id);
+        ir.Ref ref.init(RefKind.Symbol, id);
         *result = ref;
         break;
     case Nil:
@@ -165,8 +164,7 @@ fn void Generator.emitIdentifier(Generator* gen, ir.Ref* result, const Expr* e)
 
 fn void Generator.emitSymbol(Generator* gen, ir.Ref* result, Decl* d) {
     SymbolId sid = gen.createSymbol(d);
-    ir.Ref ref;
-    ref.init(RefKind.Symbol, sid);
+    ir.Ref ref.init(RefKind.Symbol, sid);
     *result = ref;
 }
 
@@ -181,8 +179,7 @@ fn void Generator.emitVarDecl(Generator* gen, ir.Ref* result, Decl* d) {
             gen_idx = gen.ctx.addGlobalVar(gen.createLocalName(d), qt.getAlignment(), gen.isExternal(d));
             d.setGenIdx(gen_idx);
         }
-        ir.Ref ref;
-        ref.init(RefKind.Symbol, gen_idx);
+        ir.Ref ref.init(RefKind.Symbol, gen_idx);
         *result = ref;
     } else if (vd.isLocal() || vd.isParameter()) {
         StackVar* var = gen.locals.find(vd);
@@ -245,8 +242,7 @@ fn void Generator.emitUnaryOperator(Generator* gen, ir.Ref* result, const Expr*
         ir.Ref left_val = gen.ctx.addLoadInstr(t, left);
 
         // add/sub
-        ir.Ref value;
-        value.init(RefKind.Value, 1);
+        ir.Ref value.init(RefKind.Value, 1);
         InstrKind k;
         if (uo.getOpcode() == PostInc || uo.getOpcode() == PreInc) {
             k = InstrKind.Add;
@@ -277,8 +273,7 @@ fn void Generator.emitUnaryOperator(Generator* gen, ir.Ref* result, const Expr*
         // Expr like '-f' still come here, where f is non-CTV
         assert(!e.isCtv());
         // emit: sub 0, <expr>
-        ir.Ref left;
-        left.init(RefKind.Value, 0);
+        ir.Ref left.init(RefKind.Value, 0);
         ir.Ref right;
         gen.emitExpr(&right, uo.getInner());
         *result = gen.ctx.addBinaryInstr(InstrKind.Sub, left, right);
@@ -296,13 +291,11 @@ fn void Generator.emitUnaryOperator(Generator* gen, ir.Ref* result, const Expr*
         gen.emitExpr(&lhs, uo.getInner());
 
         // convert integer to bool: compare to 0
-        ir.Ref zero;
-        zero.init(RefKind.Value, 0);
+        ir.Ref zero.init(RefKind.Value, 0);
         ir.Ref rhs = gen.ctx.addBinaryInstr(InstrKind.CmpNe, lhs, zero);
 
         // invert: xor with 1
-        ir.Ref one;
-        one.init(RefKind.Value, 1);
+        ir.Ref one.init(RefKind.Value, 1);
         rhs = gen.ctx.addBinaryInstr(InstrKind.Xor, rhs, one);
 
         // TODO zext i1 -> i32
@@ -386,8 +379,7 @@ fn void Generator.emitCond(Generator* gen, const Expr* e, BlockId true_blk, Bloc
         break;
     }
     gen.emitExpr(&ref, e);
-    ir.Ref zero;
-    zero.init(RefKind.Value, 0);
+    ir.Ref zero.init(RefKind.Value, 0);
     ir.Ref cond = gen.ctx.addBinaryInstr(InstrKind.CmpNe, ref, zero);
     c.addJmpIfInstr(cond, true_blk, false_blk);
     c.endBlock();
@@ -401,8 +393,7 @@ fn void Generator.emitAssignCond(Generator* gen, ir.Type t, ir.Ref lhs, ir.Ref r
     //   store a, %x
     //   icmp ne %x, 0
     c.addStoreInstr(t, rhs, lhs);
-    ir.Ref zero;
-    zero.init(RefKind.Value, 0);
+    ir.Ref zero.init(RefKind.Value, 0);
     ir.Ref cond = gen.ctx.addBinaryInstr(InstrKind.CmpNe, rhs, zero);
     c.addJmpIfInstr(cond, left, right);
     c.endBlock();
@@ -574,8 +565,7 @@ fn void Generator.emitStructInitExpr(Generator* gen, const StackVar* var, const
     }
 
     if (ile.hasDesignators()) {
-        FieldStructLayouter layouter;
-        layouter.init(gen, std.getSize(), std.getDesigMemberCount());
+        FieldStructLayouter layouter.init(gen, std.getSize(), std.getDesigMemberCount());
         for (u32 i=0; i<num_values; i++) {
             FieldDesignatedInitExpr* fdi = (FieldDesignatedInitExpr*)values[i];
             const FieldInitField* fif = fdi.getMemberInfo();
diff --git a/ir/context.c2 b/ir/context.c2
index fe71bfca5..ed8bfd597 100644
--- a/ir/context.c2
+++ b/ir/context.c2
@@ -561,15 +561,15 @@ public fn Ref Context.addIntegerConstant(Context* c, i64 size) {
     // if signed value fits in 27 bits, store it in Ref directly
     const i32 min_27bits = -0x3FFFFFF-1;
     const i32 max_27_bits = 0x3FFFFFF;
-    Ref ref;
     if (size >= min_27bits && size <= max_27_bits) {
-        ref.init(RefKind.Value, (u32)size);
+        Ref ref.init(RefKind.Value, (u32)size);
+        return ref;
     } else {
         Constant constant = { .ivalue = size }
         u32 idx = c.constants.add(&constant);
-        ref.init(RefKind.Integer, idx);
+        Ref ref.init(RefKind.Integer, idx);
+        return ref;
     }
-    return ref;
 }
 
 public fn void Context.addComment(Context* c, const char* text) {