diff --git a/src/lib/netlist/nl_base.cpp b/src/lib/netlist/nl_base.cpp
index e20c240a374..2450ad9e83e 100644
--- a/src/lib/netlist/nl_base.cpp
+++ b/src/lib/netlist/nl_base.cpp
@@ -583,9 +583,9 @@ net_t::net_t(netlist_t &nl, const pstring &aname, core_terminal_t *mr)
 {
 	m_railterminal = mr;
 	if (mr != nullptr)
-		nl.m_nets.push_back(std::shared_ptr<net_t>(this, do_nothing_deleter()));
+		nl.m_nets.push_back(std::move(plib::owned_ptr<net_t>(this, false)));
 	else
-		nl.m_nets.push_back(std::shared_ptr<net_t>(this));
+		nl.m_nets.push_back(std::move(plib::owned_ptr<net_t>(this, true)));
 }
 
 net_t::~net_t()
diff --git a/src/lib/netlist/nl_base.h b/src/lib/netlist/nl_base.h
index 1451e18038d..79b651f2058 100644
--- a/src/lib/netlist/nl_base.h
+++ b/src/lib/netlist/nl_base.h
@@ -1044,7 +1044,7 @@ namespace netlist
 					public plib::state_manager_t::callback_t
 	{
 	public:
-		queue_t(netlist_t &nl);
+		explicit queue_t(netlist_t &nl);
 
 	protected:
 
@@ -1070,7 +1070,7 @@ namespace netlist
 		P_PREVENT_COPYING(netlist_t)
 	public:
 
-		netlist_t(const pstring &aname);
+		explicit netlist_t(const pstring &aname);
 		virtual ~netlist_t();
 
 		pstring name() const { return m_name; }
@@ -1155,7 +1155,7 @@ namespace netlist
 		std::vector<plib::owned_ptr<core_device_t>> m_devices;
 
 		/* sole use is to manage lifetime of net objects */
-		std::vector<std::shared_ptr<net_t>> m_nets;
+		std::vector<plib::owned_ptr<net_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;
diff --git a/src/lib/netlist/nl_setup.cpp b/src/lib/netlist/nl_setup.cpp
index 0582f8a9070..99fb8962546 100644
--- a/src/lib/netlist/nl_setup.cpp
+++ b/src/lib/netlist/nl_setup.cpp
@@ -399,7 +399,7 @@ core_terminal_t *setup_t::find_terminal(const pstring &terminal_in, device_objec
 	return term;
 }
 
-param_t *setup_t::find_param(const pstring &param_in, bool required)
+param_t *setup_t::find_param(const pstring &param_in, bool required) const
 {
 	const pstring param_in_fqn = build_fqn(param_in);
 
diff --git a/src/lib/netlist/nl_setup.h b/src/lib/netlist/nl_setup.h
index 2fee7210aa9..5d3cda4bd39 100644
--- a/src/lib/netlist/nl_setup.h
+++ b/src/lib/netlist/nl_setup.h
@@ -173,7 +173,7 @@ namespace netlist
 
 		using link_t = std::pair<pstring, pstring>;
 
-		setup_t(netlist_t &netlist);
+		explicit setup_t(netlist_t &netlist);
 		~setup_t();
 
 		netlist_t &netlist() { return m_netlist; }
@@ -210,7 +210,7 @@ namespace netlist
 
 		bool device_exists(const pstring name) const;
 
-		param_t *find_param(const pstring &param_in, bool required = true);
+		param_t *find_param(const pstring &param_in, bool required = true) const;
 
 		void start_devices();
 		void resolve_inputs();
diff --git a/src/lib/netlist/plib/palloc.h b/src/lib/netlist/plib/palloc.h
index 1529cd38194..72617aa603b 100644
--- a/src/lib/netlist/plib/palloc.h
+++ b/src/lib/netlist/plib/palloc.h
@@ -79,8 +79,15 @@ public:
 	: m_ptr(p), m_is_owned(owned)
 	{ }
 	owned_ptr(const owned_ptr &r) = delete;
-	owned_ptr & operator =(const owned_ptr &r) = delete;
-
+	owned_ptr & operator =(owned_ptr &r) = delete;
+	owned_ptr & operator =(owned_ptr &&r)
+	{
+		m_is_owned = r.m_is_owned;
+		m_ptr = r.m_ptr;
+		r.m_is_owned = false;
+		r.m_ptr = nullptr;
+		return *this;
+	}
 	owned_ptr(owned_ptr &&r)
 	{
 		m_is_owned = r.m_is_owned;
@@ -92,17 +99,17 @@ public:
 	template<typename DC>
 	owned_ptr(owned_ptr<DC> &&r)
 	{
-		SC *dest_ptr = &dynamic_cast<SC &>(*r.get());
-		bool o = r.is_owned();
+		m_ptr = static_cast<SC *>(r.get());
+		m_is_owned = r.is_owned();
 		r.release();
-		m_is_owned = o;
-		m_ptr = dest_ptr;
 	}
 
 	~owned_ptr()
 	{
-		if (m_is_owned)
+		if (m_is_owned && m_ptr != nullptr)
 			delete m_ptr;
+		m_is_owned = false;
+		m_ptr = nullptr;
 	}
 	template<typename DC, typename... Args>
 	static owned_ptr Create(Args&&... args)
@@ -110,7 +117,7 @@ public:
 		owned_ptr a;
 		DC *x = new DC(std::forward<Args>(args)...);
 		a.m_ptr = static_cast<SC *>(x);
-		return a;
+		return std::move(a);
 	}
 
 	template<typename... Args>
@@ -118,7 +125,7 @@ public:
 	{
 		owned_ptr a;
 		a.m_ptr = new SC(std::forward<Args>(args)...);
-		return a;
+		return std::move(a);
 	}
 	void release()
 	{
@@ -128,8 +135,9 @@ public:
 
 	bool is_owned() const { return m_is_owned; }
 
+#if 1
 	template<typename DC>
-	owned_ptr<DC> & operator =(owned_ptr<DC> &r)
+	owned_ptr & operator =(owned_ptr<DC> &&r)
 	{
 		m_is_owned = r.m_is_owned;
 		m_ptr = r.m_ptr;
@@ -137,6 +145,7 @@ public:
 		r.m_ptr = nullptr;
 		return *this;
 	}
+#endif
 	SC * operator ->() const { return m_ptr; }
 	SC & operator *() const { return *m_ptr; }
 	SC * get() const { return m_ptr; }
diff --git a/src/lib/netlist/prg/nltool.cpp b/src/lib/netlist/prg/nltool.cpp
index 8d753e212c6..0f7b7ffb565 100644
--- a/src/lib/netlist/prg/nltool.cpp
+++ b/src/lib/netlist/prg/nltool.cpp
@@ -118,6 +118,8 @@ public:
 		}
 	}
 
+	netlist::setup_t &setup() { return *m_setup; }
+
 	tool_options_t *m_opts;
 
 protected:
@@ -143,11 +145,13 @@ void usage(tool_options_t &opts)
 
 struct input_t
 {
+#if 0
 	input_t()
 	: m_param(nullptr), m_value(0.0)
 	{
 	}
-	input_t(netlist::netlist_t *netlist, const pstring &line)
+#endif
+	input_t(const netlist::setup_t &setup, const pstring &line)
 	{
 		char buf[400];
 		double t;
@@ -155,7 +159,7 @@ struct input_t
 		if ( e!= 3)
 			throw netlist::fatalerror_e(plib::pfmt("error {1} scanning line {2}\n")(e)(line));
 		m_time = netlist::netlist_time::from_double(t);
-		m_param = netlist->setup().find_param(buf, true);
+		m_param = setup.find_param(buf, true);
 	}
 
 	void setparam()
@@ -183,9 +187,9 @@ struct input_t
 
 };
 
-std::vector<input_t> *read_input(netlist::netlist_t *netlist, pstring fname)
+static std::vector<input_t> read_input(const netlist::setup_t &setup, pstring fname)
 {
-	std::vector<input_t> *ret = plib::palloc<std::vector<input_t>>();
+	std::vector<input_t> ret;
 	if (fname != "")
 	{
 		plib::pifilestream f(fname);
@@ -194,8 +198,8 @@ std::vector<input_t> *read_input(netlist::netlist_t *netlist, pstring fname)
 		{
 			if (l != "")
 			{
-				input_t inp(netlist, l);
-				ret->push_back(inp);
+				input_t inp(setup, l);
+				ret.push_back(inp);
 			}
 		}
 	}
@@ -220,7 +224,7 @@ static void run(tool_options_t &opts)
 
 	nt.read_netlist(opts.opt_file(), opts.opt_name());
 
-	std::vector<input_t> *inps = read_input(&nt, opts.opt_inp());
+	std::vector<input_t> inps = read_input(nt.setup(), opts.opt_inp());
 
 	double ttr = opts.opt_ttr();
 	t.stop();
@@ -234,16 +238,15 @@ static void run(tool_options_t &opts)
 	unsigned pos = 0;
 	netlist::netlist_time nlt = netlist::netlist_time::zero();
 
-	while (pos < inps->size() && (*inps)[pos].m_time < netlist::netlist_time::from_double(ttr))
+	while (pos < inps.size() && inps[pos].m_time < netlist::netlist_time::from_double(ttr))
 	{
-		nt.process_queue((*inps)[pos].m_time - nlt);
-		(*inps)[pos].setparam();
-		nlt = (*inps)[pos].m_time;
+		nt.process_queue(inps[pos].m_time - nlt);
+		inps[pos].setparam();
+		nlt = inps[pos].m_time;
 		pos++;
 	}
 	nt.process_queue(netlist::netlist_time::from_double(ttr) - nlt);
 	nt.stop();
-	plib::pfree(inps);
 
 	t.stop();