diff --git a/src/lib/netlist/devices/nld_system.cpp b/src/lib/netlist/devices/nld_system.cpp
index 6746e9af5cd..42f18f40d89 100644
--- a/src/lib/netlist/devices/nld_system.cpp
+++ b/src/lib/netlist/devices/nld_system.cpp
@@ -148,9 +148,6 @@ NETLIB_RESET(logic_input)
 
 NETLIB_STOP(logic_input)
 {
-	if (m_logic_family != nullptr)
-		if (!m_logic_family->m_is_static)
-			pfree(m_logic_family);
 }
 
 
diff --git a/src/lib/netlist/devices/nld_truthtable.h b/src/lib/netlist/devices/nld_truthtable.h
index a24b007d27c..f3b16b3115d 100644
--- a/src/lib/netlist/devices/nld_truthtable.h
+++ b/src/lib/netlist/devices/nld_truthtable.h
@@ -321,8 +321,6 @@ public:
 
 	virtual ~netlist_base_factory_truthtable_t()
 	{
-		if (!m_family->m_is_static)
-			pfree(m_family);
 	}
 
 	pstring_vector_t m_desc;
diff --git a/src/lib/netlist/nl_base.cpp b/src/lib/netlist/nl_base.cpp
index 748374738cb..e1e957d4d9c 100644
--- a/src/lib/netlist/nl_base.cpp
+++ b/src/lib/netlist/nl_base.cpp
@@ -36,7 +36,6 @@ public:
 		m_high_V = 4.0;
 		m_R_low = 1.0;
 		m_R_high = 130.0;
-		m_is_static = true;
 	}
 	virtual powned_ptr<devices::nld_base_d_to_a_proxy> create_d_a_proxy(netlist_t &anetlist, const pstring &name, logic_output_t *proxied) const override
 	{
@@ -57,7 +56,6 @@ public:
 		m_high_V = 4.95;
 		m_R_low = 10.0;
 		m_R_high = 10.0;
-		m_is_static = true;
 	}
 	virtual powned_ptr<devices::nld_base_d_to_a_proxy> create_d_a_proxy(netlist_t &anetlist, const pstring &name, logic_output_t *proxied) const override
 	{
diff --git a/src/lib/netlist/nl_base.h b/src/lib/netlist/nl_base.h
index 46003749d95..154cef5dbd4 100644
--- a/src/lib/netlist/nl_base.h
+++ b/src/lib/netlist/nl_base.h
@@ -352,7 +352,7 @@ namespace netlist
 	class logic_family_desc_t
 	{
 	public:
-		logic_family_desc_t() : m_is_static(false) {}
+		logic_family_desc_t() {}
 		virtual ~logic_family_desc_t() {}
 		virtual powned_ptr<devices::nld_base_d_to_a_proxy> create_d_a_proxy(netlist_t &anetlist, const pstring &name,
 				logic_output_t *proxied) const = 0;
@@ -363,8 +363,6 @@ namespace netlist
 		nl_double m_high_V;
 		nl_double m_R_low;
 		nl_double m_R_high;
-
-		bool m_is_static;
 	};
 
 	class logic_family_t
@@ -1316,8 +1314,13 @@ namespace netlist
 		void print_stats() const;
 
 		pvector_t<powned_ptr<device_t>> m_devices;
+
+		/* sole use is to manage lifetime of net objects */
 		net_t::list_t m_nets;
 
+		/* sole use is to manage lifetime of family objects */
+		std::vector<std::pair<pstring, std::unique_ptr<logic_family_desc_t>>> m_family_cache;
+
 protected:
 
 	#if (NL_KEEP_STATISTICS)
diff --git a/src/lib/netlist/nl_setup.cpp b/src/lib/netlist/nl_setup.cpp
index 77cc497989d..d2f655ea5cc 100644
--- a/src/lib/netlist/nl_setup.cpp
+++ b/src/lib/netlist/nl_setup.cpp
@@ -886,7 +886,11 @@ const logic_family_desc_t *setup_t::family_from_model(const pstring &model)
 	if (setup_t::model_value_str(map, "TYPE") == "CD4XXX")
 		return family_CD4XXX();
 
-	logic_family_std_proxy_t *ret = palloc(logic_family_std_proxy_t);
+	for (auto & e : netlist().m_family_cache)
+		if (e.first == model)
+			return e.second.get();
+
+	auto ret = make_unique_base<logic_family_desc_t, logic_family_std_proxy_t>();
 
 	ret->m_low_thresh_V = setup_t::model_value(map, "IVL");
 	ret->m_high_thresh_V = setup_t::model_value(map, "IVH");
@@ -895,7 +899,13 @@ const logic_family_desc_t *setup_t::family_from_model(const pstring &model)
 	ret->m_R_low = setup_t::model_value(map, "ORL");
 	ret->m_R_high = setup_t::model_value(map, "ORH");
 
-	return ret;
+	auto retp = ret.get();
+
+	printf("placing %s in cache\n", model.cstr());
+	//netlist().m_family_cache.push_back(std::pair<pstring, std::unique_ptr<logic_family_desc_t>>(model, std::move(ret)));
+	netlist().m_family_cache.emplace_back(model, std::move(ret));
+
+	return retp;
 }
 
 static pstring model_string(model_map_t &map)
diff --git a/src/lib/netlist/nl_util.h b/src/lib/netlist/nl_util.h
index 91b842774eb..596ec104323 100644
--- a/src/lib/netlist/nl_util.h
+++ b/src/lib/netlist/nl_util.h
@@ -199,5 +199,12 @@ private:
 	bool m_is_owned;
 };
 
+template<typename _BC, typename _DC, typename... _Args>
+static std::unique_ptr<_BC> make_unique_base(_Args&&... __args)
+{
+	std::unique_ptr<_BC> ret(new _DC(std::forward<_Args>(__args)...));
+	return ret;
+}
+
 
 #endif /* NL_UTIL_H_ */