diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 370cbafb..4e43dfd8 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ Installs a few cmake ingredients,  along with a build assistant `xo-build` for X
 $ xo-build --clone --configure --build --install xo-indentlog
 $ xo-build --clone --configure --build --install xo-refnct
 $ xo-build --clone --configure --build --install xo-subsys
+$ xo-build --clone --configure --build --install xo-reflectutil
 ```
 
 Note: can use `-n` to dry-run here
diff --git a/include/xo/reflect/TypeDescr.hpp b/include/xo/reflect/TypeDescr.hpp
index 034f9e1c..870d3561 100644
--- a/include/xo/reflect/TypeDescr.hpp
+++ b/include/xo/reflect/TypeDescr.hpp
@@ -352,7 +352,10 @@ namespace xo {
             /* call this once to attach extended type information to a type-description
              * (e.g. description of struct members for a record type)
              */
-            void assign_tdextra(std::unique_ptr<TypeDescrExtra> tdx);
+            void assign_tdextra(std::unique_ptr<TypeDescrExtra> tdx) {
+                this->complete_flag_ = true;
+                this->tdextra_ = std::move(tdx);
+            }
 
         private:
             TypeDescrBase(TypeId id,
diff --git a/src/reflect/TypeDescr.cpp b/src/reflect/TypeDescr.cpp
index 41f5204e..9bb4bc39 100644
--- a/src/reflect/TypeDescr.cpp
+++ b/src/reflect/TypeDescr.cpp
@@ -288,6 +288,7 @@ namespace xo {
             return retval;
         } /*mark_complete*/
 
+#ifdef NOT_USING
         void
         TypeDescrBase::assign_tdextra(std::unique_ptr<TypeDescrExtra> tdx)
         {
@@ -302,6 +303,7 @@ namespace xo {
             this->complete_flag_ = true;
             this->tdextra_ = std::move(tdx);
         } /*assign_tdextra*/
+#endif
 
         TypeDescrTable::TypeDescrTable() {
             Reflect::require<bool>();