diff --git a/src/devices/machine/netlist.cpp b/src/devices/machine/netlist.cpp
index 1ca8d185e47..30f61b47596 100644
--- a/src/devices/machine/netlist.cpp
+++ b/src/devices/machine/netlist.cpp
@@ -300,9 +300,8 @@ void netlist_mame_device_t::device_start()
 
 	//printf("clock is %d\n", clock());
 
-	m_netlist = global_alloc(netlist_mame_t(*this));
+	m_netlist = global_alloc(netlist_mame_t(*this, "netlist"));
 	m_setup = global_alloc(netlist::setup_t(m_netlist));
-	netlist().init_object(*m_netlist, "netlist");
 	m_setup->init();
 
 	// register additional devices
diff --git a/src/devices/machine/netlist.h b/src/devices/machine/netlist.h
index 9550ee57f9d..00b1e3ad352 100644
--- a/src/devices/machine/netlist.h
+++ b/src/devices/machine/netlist.h
@@ -85,8 +85,8 @@ class netlist_mame_t : public netlist::netlist_t
 {
 public:
 
-	netlist_mame_t(netlist_mame_device_t &parent)
-	: netlist::netlist_t(),
+	netlist_mame_t(netlist_mame_device_t &parent, const pstring &aname)
+	: netlist::netlist_t(aname),
 		m_parent(parent)
 	{}
 	virtual ~netlist_mame_t() { };
diff --git a/src/lib/netlist/nl_base.cpp b/src/lib/netlist/nl_base.cpp
index 7afa0285ef8..56a0bc1e7f7 100644
--- a/src/lib/netlist/nl_base.cpp
+++ b/src/lib/netlist/nl_base.cpp
@@ -74,13 +74,12 @@ logic_family_desc_t *family_CD4XXX = palloc(logic_family_cd4xxx_t);
 
 queue_t::queue_t(netlist_t &nl)
 	: timed_queue<net_t *, netlist_time>(512)
-	, object_t(QUEUE, GENERIC)
+	, object_t(nl, "QUEUE", QUEUE, GENERIC)
 	, pstate_callback_t()
 	, m_qsize(0)
 	, m_times(512)
 	, m_names(512)
 {
-	this->init_object(nl, "QUEUE");
 }
 
 void queue_t::register_state(pstate_manager_t &manager, const pstring &module)
@@ -131,6 +130,23 @@ ATTR_COLD object_t::object_t(const type_t atype, const family_t afamily)
 , m_netlist(NULL)
 {}
 
+ATTR_COLD object_t::object_t(const pstring &aname, const type_t atype, const family_t afamily)
+: m_name(aname)
+, m_objtype(atype)
+, m_family(afamily)
+{
+	// FIXME:
+	m_netlist = reinterpret_cast<netlist_t *>(this);
+}
+
+ATTR_COLD object_t::object_t(netlist_t &nl, const pstring &aname, const type_t atype, const family_t afamily)
+: m_name(aname)
+, m_objtype(atype)
+, m_family(afamily)
+, m_netlist(&nl)
+{
+}
+
 ATTR_COLD object_t::~object_t()
 {
 }
@@ -171,8 +187,8 @@ ATTR_COLD void device_object_t::init_object(core_device_t &dev,
 // netlist_t
 // ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
-netlist_t::netlist_t()
-	:   object_t(NETLIST, GENERIC), pstate_manager_t(),
+netlist_t::netlist_t(const pstring &aname)
+	:   object_t(aname, NETLIST, GENERIC), pstate_manager_t(),
 		m_stop(netlist_time::zero),
 		m_time(netlist_time::zero),
 		m_use_deactivate(0),
diff --git a/src/lib/netlist/nl_base.h b/src/lib/netlist/nl_base.h
index 8a7d62e045a..1c253b8aa37 100644
--- a/src/lib/netlist/nl_base.h
+++ b/src/lib/netlist/nl_base.h
@@ -405,6 +405,8 @@ namespace netlist
 		};
 
 		ATTR_COLD object_t(const type_t atype, const family_t afamily);
+		ATTR_COLD object_t(const pstring &aname, const type_t atype, const family_t afamily);
+		ATTR_COLD object_t(netlist_t &nl, const pstring &aname, const type_t atype, const family_t afamily);
 
 		virtual ~object_t();
 
@@ -1188,7 +1190,7 @@ namespace netlist
 		P_PREVENT_COPYING(netlist_t)
 	public:
 
-		netlist_t();
+		netlist_t(const pstring &aname);
 		virtual ~netlist_t();
 
 		ATTR_COLD void start();
diff --git a/src/lib/netlist/prg/nltool.cpp b/src/lib/netlist/prg/nltool.cpp
index ea5211a3c87..6d34683731e 100644
--- a/src/lib/netlist/prg/nltool.cpp
+++ b/src/lib/netlist/prg/nltool.cpp
@@ -145,8 +145,8 @@ class netlist_tool_t : public netlist::netlist_t
 {
 public:
 
-	netlist_tool_t()
-	: netlist::netlist_t(), m_opts(NULL), m_setup(NULL)
+	netlist_tool_t(const pstring &aname)
+	: netlist::netlist_t(aname), m_opts(NULL), m_setup(NULL)
 	{
 	}
 
@@ -159,7 +159,6 @@ public:
 	void init()
 	{
 		m_setup = palloc(netlist::setup_t(this));
-		this->init_object(*this, "netlist");
 		m_setup->init();
 	}
 
@@ -281,7 +280,7 @@ pvector_t<input_t> *read_input(netlist::netlist_t *netlist, pstring fname)
 
 static void run(tool_options_t &opts)
 {
-	netlist_tool_t nt;
+	netlist_tool_t nt("netlist");
 	osd_ticks_t t = osd_ticks();
 
 	nt.m_opts = &opts;
@@ -326,7 +325,7 @@ static void run(tool_options_t &opts)
 
 static void listdevices()
 {
-	netlist_tool_t nt;
+	netlist_tool_t nt("netlist");
 	nt.init();
 	const netlist::factory_list_t &list = nt.setup().factory();