diff --git a/src/Type.cc b/src/Type.cc
index 934d82d926..2b9a79887b 100644
--- a/src/Type.cc
+++ b/src/Type.cc
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ BroType::BroType(TypeTag t, bool arg_base_type)
 	{
 	}
 
-BroType* BroType::ShallowClone()
+IntrusivePtr<BroType> BroType::ShallowClone()
 	{
 	switch ( tag ) {
 		case TYPE_VOID:
@@ -87,7 +87,7 @@ BroType* BroType::ShallowClone()
 		case TYPE_ADDR:
 		case TYPE_SUBNET:
 		case TYPE_ANY:
-			return new BroType(tag, base_type);
+			return make_intrusive<BroType>(tag, base_type);
 
 		default:
 			reporter->InternalError("cloning illegal base BroType");
@@ -346,9 +346,9 @@ TableType::TableType(IntrusivePtr<TypeList> ind, IntrusivePtr<BroType> yield)
 		}
 	}
 
-TableType* TableType::ShallowClone()
+IntrusivePtr<BroType> TableType::ShallowClone()
 	{
-	return new TableType(indices, yield_type);
+	return make_intrusive<TableType>(indices, yield_type);
 	}
 
 bool TableType::IsUnspecifiedTable() const
@@ -419,9 +419,9 @@ SetType::SetType(IntrusivePtr<TypeList> ind, IntrusivePtr<ListExpr> arg_elements
 		}
 	}
 
-SetType* SetType::ShallowClone()
+IntrusivePtr<BroType> SetType::ShallowClone()
 	{
-	return new SetType(indices, elements);
+	return make_intrusive<SetType>(indices, elements);
 	}
 
 SetType::~SetType() = default;
@@ -457,9 +457,9 @@ FuncType::FuncType(IntrusivePtr<RecordType> arg_args,
 	prototypes.emplace_back(Prototype{false, args, std::move(offsets)});
 	}
 
-FuncType* FuncType::ShallowClone()
+IntrusivePtr<BroType> FuncType::ShallowClone()
 	{
-	auto f = new FuncType();
+	auto f = make_intrusive<FuncType>();
 	f->args = {NewRef{}, args->AsRecordType()};
 	f->arg_types = {NewRef{}, arg_types->AsTypeList()};
 	f->yield = yield;
@@ -672,12 +672,12 @@ RecordType::RecordType(type_decl_list* arg_types) : BroType(TYPE_RECORD)
 
 // in this case the clone is actually not so shallow, since
 // it gets modified by everyone.
-RecordType* RecordType::ShallowClone()
+IntrusivePtr<BroType> RecordType::ShallowClone()
 	{
 	auto pass = new type_decl_list();
 	for ( const auto& type : *types )
 		pass->push_back(new TypeDecl(*type));
-	return new RecordType(pass);
+	return make_intrusive<RecordType>(pass);
 	}
 
 RecordType::~RecordType()
@@ -1128,12 +1128,12 @@ EnumType::EnumType(const EnumType* e)
 	SetName(e->GetName());
 	}
 
-EnumType* EnumType::ShallowClone()
+IntrusivePtr<BroType> EnumType::ShallowClone()
 	{
 	if ( counter == 0 )
-		return new EnumType(GetName());
+		return make_intrusive<EnumType>(GetName());
 
-	return new EnumType(this);
+	return make_intrusive<EnumType>(this);
 	}
 
 EnumType::~EnumType() = default;
@@ -1356,9 +1356,9 @@ VectorType::VectorType(IntrusivePtr<BroType> element_type)
 	{
 	}
 
-VectorType* VectorType::ShallowClone()
+IntrusivePtr<BroType> VectorType::ShallowClone()
 	{
-	return new VectorType(yield_type);
+	return make_intrusive<VectorType>(yield_type);
 	}
 
 VectorType::~VectorType() = default;
diff --git a/src/Type.h b/src/Type.h
index daa6a7fb13..7c509fae7c 100644
--- a/src/Type.h
+++ b/src/Type.h
@@ -151,7 +151,7 @@ public:
 	// Clone operations will mostly be implemented in the derived classes;
 	// in addition cloning will be limited to classes that can be reached by
 	// the script-level.
-	virtual BroType* ShallowClone();
+	virtual IntrusivePtr<BroType> ShallowClone();
 
 	TypeTag Tag() const		{ return tag; }
 	InternalTypeTag InternalType() const	{ return internal_tag; }
@@ -415,7 +415,7 @@ class TableType : public IndexType {
 public:
 	TableType(IntrusivePtr<TypeList> ind, IntrusivePtr<BroType> yield);
 
-	TableType* ShallowClone() override;
+	IntrusivePtr<BroType> ShallowClone() override;
 
 	// Returns true if this table type is "unspecified", which is
 	// what one gets using an empty "set()" or "table()" constructor.
@@ -430,7 +430,7 @@ public:
 	SetType(IntrusivePtr<TypeList> ind, IntrusivePtr<ListExpr> arg_elements);
 	~SetType() override;
 
-	SetType* ShallowClone() override;
+	IntrusivePtr<BroType> ShallowClone() override;
 
 	ListExpr* SetElements() const	{ return elements.get(); }
 
@@ -453,7 +453,7 @@ public:
 
 	FuncType(IntrusivePtr<RecordType> args, IntrusivePtr<BroType> yield,
 	         function_flavor f);
-	FuncType* ShallowClone() override;
+	IntrusivePtr<BroType> ShallowClone() override;
 
 	~FuncType() override;
 
@@ -493,6 +493,8 @@ public:
 		{ return prototypes; }
 
 protected:
+	friend IntrusivePtr<FuncType> make_intrusive<FuncType>();
+
 	FuncType() : BroType(TYPE_FUNC) { flavor = FUNC_FLAVOR_FUNCTION; }
 	IntrusivePtr<RecordType> args;
 	IntrusivePtr<TypeList> arg_types;
@@ -504,7 +506,7 @@ protected:
 class TypeType final : public BroType {
 public:
 	explicit TypeType(IntrusivePtr<BroType> t) : BroType(TYPE_TYPE), type(std::move(t)) {}
-	TypeType* ShallowClone() override { return new TypeType(type); }
+	IntrusivePtr<BroType> ShallowClone() override { return make_intrusive<TypeType>(type); }
 
 	BroType* Type()			{ return type.get(); }
 	const BroType* Type() const	{ return type.get(); }
@@ -534,7 +536,7 @@ typedef PList<TypeDecl> type_decl_list;
 class RecordType final : public BroType {
 public:
 	explicit RecordType(type_decl_list* types);
-	RecordType* ShallowClone() override;
+	IntrusivePtr<BroType> ShallowClone() override;
 
 	~RecordType() override;
 
@@ -604,7 +606,7 @@ public:
 class FileType final : public BroType {
 public:
 	explicit FileType(IntrusivePtr<BroType> yield_type);
-	FileType* ShallowClone() override { return new FileType(yield); }
+	IntrusivePtr<BroType> ShallowClone() override { return make_intrusive<FileType>(yield); }
 	~FileType() override;
 
 	BroType* YieldType() override;
@@ -618,7 +620,7 @@ protected:
 class OpaqueType final : public BroType {
 public:
 	explicit OpaqueType(const std::string& name);
-	OpaqueType* ShallowClone() override { return new OpaqueType(name); }
+	IntrusivePtr<BroType> ShallowClone() override { return make_intrusive<OpaqueType>(name); }
 	~OpaqueType() override { };
 
 	const std::string& Name() const { return name; }
@@ -638,7 +640,7 @@ public:
 
 	explicit EnumType(const EnumType* e);
 	explicit EnumType(const std::string& arg_name);
-	EnumType* ShallowClone() override;
+	IntrusivePtr<BroType> ShallowClone() override;
 	~EnumType() override;
 
 	// The value of this name is next internal counter value, starting
@@ -688,7 +690,7 @@ protected:
 class VectorType final : public BroType {
 public:
 	explicit VectorType(IntrusivePtr<BroType> t);
-	VectorType* ShallowClone() override;
+	IntrusivePtr<BroType> ShallowClone() override;
 	~VectorType() override;
 	BroType* YieldType() override;
 	const BroType* YieldType() const override;
diff --git a/src/Var.cc b/src/Var.cc
index 54837ae8c3..8fc1214755 100644
--- a/src/Var.cc
+++ b/src/Var.cc
@@ -363,7 +363,7 @@ void add_type(ID* id, IntrusivePtr<BroType> t, attr_list* attr)
 		tnew = std::move(t);
 	else
 		// Clone the type to preserve type name aliasing.
-		tnew = {AdoptRef{}, t->ShallowClone()};
+		tnew = t->ShallowClone();
 
 	BroType::AddAlias(new_type_name, tnew.get());