diff --git a/TODO b/TODO
index 68f35d9f..00feb666 100644
--- a/TODO
+++ b/TODO
@@ -1,26 +1,12 @@
-- format/ now uses VipsFormat
-
-  im_format docs need redoing
-
-  nip2 needs revising
-
-  user G_DEFINE_ABSTRACT_TYPE for VipsObject
-
-
-
-
 - started adding 
 
 #define IM_TYPE_GOBJECT "gobject"       /* A GObject of a specified class */
 
-  or maybe "transform"? flip/rot90/embed etc. as well?
-
 - make a "deprecated" package too
 
 - im_affinei and im_affinei_all need docs
 
-- try walking the class hierarchy below VipsInterpolate and see if we can see
-  all the interpolators
+- all the interpolators
 
   want bicubic args to be
 
diff --git a/libsrc/iofuncs/object.c b/libsrc/iofuncs/object.c
index 2cd0277e..383157a1 100644
--- a/libsrc/iofuncs/object.c
+++ b/libsrc/iofuncs/object.c
@@ -55,10 +55,10 @@ enum {
 	SIG_LAST
 };
 
-static GObjectClass *parent_class = NULL;
-
 static guint vips_object_signals[SIG_LAST] = { 0 };
 
+G_DEFINE_ABSTRACT_TYPE( VipsObject, vips_object, G_TYPE_OBJECT );
+
 void *
 vips_object_changed( VipsObject *object )
 {
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ vips_object_dispose( GObject *gobject )
 	vips_object_print( object );
 #endif /*DEBUG*/
 
-	G_OBJECT_CLASS( parent_class )->dispose( gobject );
+	G_OBJECT_CLASS( vips_object_parent_class )->dispose( gobject );
 }
 
 static void
@@ -113,7 +113,7 @@ vips_object_finalize( GObject *gobject )
 
 	IM_FREE( object->name );
 
-	G_OBJECT_CLASS( parent_class )->finalize( gobject );
+	G_OBJECT_CLASS( vips_object_parent_class )->finalize( gobject );
 }
 
 static void
@@ -141,8 +141,6 @@ vips_object_class_init( VipsObjectClass *class )
 {
 	GObjectClass *gobject_class = G_OBJECT_CLASS( class );
 
-	parent_class = g_type_class_peek_parent( class );
-
 	gobject_class->dispose = vips_object_dispose;
 	gobject_class->finalize = vips_object_finalize;
 
@@ -167,33 +165,6 @@ vips_object_init( VipsObject *object )
 	printf( "vips_object_init: " );
 	vips_object_print( object );
 #endif /*DEBUG*/
-
-	object->name = NULL;
-}
-
-GType
-vips_object_get_type( void )
-{
-	static GType type = 0;
-
-	if( !type ) {
-		static const GTypeInfo info = {
-			sizeof( VipsObjectClass ),
-			NULL,           /* base_init */
-			NULL,           /* base_finalize */
-			(GClassInitFunc) vips_object_class_init,
-			NULL,           /* class_finalize */
-			NULL,           /* class_data */
-			sizeof( VipsObject ),
-			32,             /* n_preallocs */
-			(GInstanceInitFunc) vips_object_init,
-		};
-
-		type = g_type_register_static( G_TYPE_OBJECT, 
-			"VipsObject", &info, 0 );
-	}
-
-	return( type );
 }
 
 void