diff --git a/opal/class/opal_free_list.c b/opal/class/opal_free_list.c
index 28a354c277..96d5100617 100644
--- a/opal/class/opal_free_list.c
+++ b/opal/class/opal_free_list.c
@@ -25,14 +25,13 @@
 static void opal_free_list_construct(opal_free_list_t* fl);
 static void opal_free_list_destruct(opal_free_list_t* fl);
 
-
-opal_class_t opal_free_list_t_class = {
-    "opal_free_list_t", 
-    OBJ_CLASS(opal_list_t),
-    (opal_construct_t)opal_free_list_construct, 
-    (opal_destruct_t)opal_free_list_destruct
-};
-
+OBJ_CLASS_INSTANCE(opal_free_list_t,
+                   opal_list_t,
+                   opal_free_list_construct,
+                   opal_free_list_destruct);
+OBJ_CLASS_INSTANCE(opal_free_list_item_t,
+                   opal_list_item_t,
+                   NULL, NULL);
 
 static void opal_free_list_construct(opal_free_list_t* fl)
 {
@@ -110,7 +109,6 @@ int opal_free_list_grow(opal_free_list_t* flist, size_t num_elements)
 
     for(i=0; i<num_elements; i++) {
         opal_free_list_item_t* item = (opal_free_list_item_t*)ptr;
-        item->user_data = NULL; 
         if (NULL != flist->fl_elem_class) {
             OBJ_CONSTRUCT_INTERNAL(item, flist->fl_elem_class);
         }
diff --git a/opal/class/opal_free_list.h b/opal/class/opal_free_list.h
index 4c9224d015..75e60e7af6 100644
--- a/opal/class/opal_free_list.h
+++ b/opal/class/opal_free_list.h
@@ -29,8 +29,6 @@
 #if defined(c_plusplus) || defined(__cplusplus)
 extern "C" {
 #endif
-OMPI_DECLSPEC extern opal_class_t opal_free_list_t_class;
-
 
 struct opal_free_list_t
 {
@@ -46,13 +44,14 @@ struct opal_free_list_t
     opal_list_t fl_allocations;
 };
 typedef struct opal_free_list_t opal_free_list_t;
+OBJ_CLASS_DECLARATION(opal_free_list_t);
 
 struct opal_free_list_item_t
 { 
     opal_list_item_t super; 
-    void* user_data; 
 }; 
 typedef struct opal_free_list_item_t opal_free_list_item_t; 
+OBJ_CLASS_DECLARATION(opal_free_list_item_t);
 
 /**
  * Initialize a free list.