diff --git a/area_darwin.go b/area_darwin.go
index 36156e9..45675b9 100644
--- a/area_darwin.go
+++ b/area_darwin.go
@@ -277,7 +277,7 @@ func areaView_flagsChanged(self C.id, sel C.SEL, e C.id) {
 // TODO combine these with the listbox functions?
 
 func newAreaScrollView(area C.id) C.id {
-	scrollview := objc_alloc(_NSScrollView)
+	scrollview := C.objc_msgSend_noargs(_NSScrollView, _alloc)
 	scrollview = initWithDummyFrame(scrollview)
 	C.objc_msgSend_bool(scrollview, _setHasHorizontalScroller, C.BOOL(C.YES))
 	C.objc_msgSend_bool(scrollview, _setHasVerticalScroller, C.BOOL(C.YES))
@@ -291,7 +291,7 @@ func areaInScrollView(scrollview C.id) C.id {
 }
 
 func makeArea(parentWindow C.id, alternate bool) C.id {
-	area := objc_alloc(_goArea)
+	area := C.objc_msgSend_noargs(_goArea, _alloc)
 	area = initWithDummyFrame(area)
 	// TODO others?
 	area = newAreaScrollView(area)
diff --git a/listbox_darwin.go b/listbox_darwin.go
index 25a040d..da2a0af 100644
--- a/listbox_darwin.go
+++ b/listbox_darwin.go
@@ -165,7 +165,7 @@ var (
 )
 
 func newListboxTableColumn() C.id {
-	column := objc_alloc(_NSTableColumn)
+	column := C.objc_msgSend_noargs(_NSTableColumn, _alloc)
 	column = C.objc_msgSend_id(column, _initWithIdentifier, listboxItemKey)
 	C.objc_msgSend_bool(column, _setEditable, C.BOOL(C.NO))
 	// TODO other properties?
@@ -192,7 +192,7 @@ var (
 )
 
 func newListboxScrollView(listbox C.id) C.id {
-	scrollview := objc_alloc(_NSScrollView)
+	scrollview := C.objc_msgSend_noargs(_NSScrollView, _alloc)
 	scrollview = initWithDummyFrame(scrollview)
 	C.objc_msgSend_bool(scrollview, _setHasHorizontalScroller, C.BOOL(C.YES))
 	C.objc_msgSend_bool(scrollview, _setHasVerticalScroller, C.BOOL(C.YES))
@@ -232,7 +232,7 @@ var (
 )
 
 func makeListbox(parentWindow C.id, alternate bool) C.id {
-	listbox := objc_alloc(_NSTableView)
+	listbox := C.objc_msgSend_noargs(_NSTableView, _alloc)
 	listbox = initWithDummyFrame(listbox)
 	C.objc_msgSend_id(listbox, _addTableColumn, newListboxTableColumn())
 	multi := C.BOOL(C.NO)
diff --git a/objc_darwin.go b/objc_darwin.go
index b4a6a5b..f8d7771 100644
--- a/objc_darwin.go
+++ b/objc_darwin.go
@@ -37,12 +37,6 @@ var (
 	_UTF8String = sel_getUid("UTF8String")
 )
 
-// some helper functions
-
-func objc_alloc(class C.id) C.id {
-	return C.objc_msgSend_noargs(class, _alloc)
-}
-
 func toNSString(str string) C.id {
 	cstr := C.CString(str)
 	defer C.free(unsafe.Pointer(cstr))
diff --git a/sysdata_darwin.go b/sysdata_darwin.go
index e53fcd7..d54523b 100644
--- a/sysdata_darwin.go
+++ b/sysdata_darwin.go
@@ -116,7 +116,7 @@ var classTypes = [nctypes]*classData{
 			)
 
 			// we have to specify a content rect to start; it will be overridden soon though
-			win := objc_alloc(_NSWindow)
+			win := C.objc_msgSend_noargs(_NSWindow, _alloc)
 			win = C.objc_msgSend_rect_uint_uint_bool(win,
 				_initWithContentRect,
 				C.int64_t(0), C.int64_t(0), C.int64_t(100), C.int64_t(100),
@@ -139,7 +139,7 @@ var classTypes = [nctypes]*classData{
 	},
 	c_button:			&classData{
 		make:		func(parentWindow C.id, alternate bool) C.id {
-			button := objc_alloc(_NSButton)
+			button := C.objc_msgSend_noargs(_NSButton, _alloc)
 			button = initWithDummyFrame(button)
 			C.objc_msgSend_uint(button, _setBezelStyle, C.uintptr_t(1))		// NSRoundedBezelStyle
 			C.objc_msgSend_id(button, _setTarget, appDelegate)
@@ -157,7 +157,7 @@ var classTypes = [nctypes]*classData{
 	},
 	c_checkbox:		&classData{
 		make:		func(parentWindow C.id, alternate bool) C.id {
-			checkbox := objc_alloc(_NSButton)
+			checkbox := C.objc_msgSend_noargs(_NSButton, _alloc)
 			checkbox = initWithDummyFrame(checkbox)
 			C.objc_msgSend_uint(checkbox, _setButtonType, C.uintptr_t(3))		// NSSwitchButton
 			addControl(parentWindow, checkbox)
@@ -173,11 +173,11 @@ var classTypes = [nctypes]*classData{
 			var combobox C.id
 
 			if alternate {
-				combobox = objc_alloc(_NSComboBox)
+				combobox = C.objc_msgSend_noargs(_NSComboBox, _alloc)
 				combobox = initWithDummyFrame(combobox)
 				C.objc_msgSend_bool(combobox, _setUsesDataSource, C.BOOL(C.NO))
 			} else {
-				combobox = objc_alloc(_NSPopUpButton)
+				combobox = C.objc_msgSend_noargs(_NSPopUpButton, _alloc)
 				combobox = C.objc_msgSend_rect_bool(combobox, _initWithFramePullsDown,
 					C.int64_t(0), C.int64_t(0), C.int64_t(100), C.int64_t(100),
 					C.BOOL(C.NO))
@@ -220,9 +220,9 @@ var classTypes = [nctypes]*classData{
 			var lineedit C.id
 
 			if alternate {
-				lineedit = objc_alloc(_NSSecureTextField)
+				lineedit = C.objc_msgSend_noargs(_NSSecureTextField, _alloc)
 			} else {
-				lineedit = objc_alloc(_NSTextField)
+				lineedit = C.objc_msgSend_noargs(_NSTextField, _alloc)
 			}
 			lineedit = initWithDummyFrame(lineedit)
 			addControl(parentWindow, lineedit)
@@ -236,7 +236,7 @@ var classTypes = [nctypes]*classData{
 	},
 	c_label:			&classData{
 		make:		func(parentWindow C.id, alternate bool) C.id {
-			label := objc_alloc(_NSTextField)
+			label := C.objc_msgSend_noargs(_NSTextField, _alloc)
 			label = initWithDummyFrame(label)
 			C.objc_msgSend_bool(label, _setEditable, C.BOOL(C.NO))
 			C.objc_msgSend_bool(label, _setBordered, C.BOOL(C.NO))
@@ -263,7 +263,7 @@ var classTypes = [nctypes]*classData{
 	},
 	c_progressbar:		&classData{
 		make:		func(parentWindow C.id, alternate bool) C.id {
-			pbar := objc_alloc(_NSProgressIndicator)
+			pbar := C.objc_msgSend_noargs(_NSProgressIndicator, _alloc)
 			pbar = initWithDummyFrame(pbar)
 			// TODO really int?
 			C.objc_msgSend_int(pbar, _setStyle, 0)			// NSProgressIndicatorBarStyle