diff --git a/idl/GCObject.json5 b/idl/GCObject.json5
index cbc2ab7..8f7e071 100644
--- a/idl/GCObject.json5
+++ b/idl/GCObject.json5
@@ -56,10 +56,10 @@
         },
     ],
     nonconst_methods: [
-        // Opaque shallow_copy(obj<AAllocator>>) noexcept
+        // Opaque shallow_move(obj<AAllocator>>) noexcept
         {
-            name: "shallow_copy",
-            doc: ["copy instance using allocator"],
+            name: "shallow_move",
+            doc: ["move instance using allocator"],
             return_type: "Opaque",
             args:[
                 {type: "obj<AAllocator>", name: "mm"},
diff --git a/include/xo/alloc2/gc/AGCObject.hpp b/include/xo/alloc2/gc/AGCObject.hpp
index e9a4e51..ee0703d 100644
--- a/include/xo/alloc2/gc/AGCObject.hpp
+++ b/include/xo/alloc2/gc/AGCObject.hpp
@@ -66,8 +66,8 @@ public:
     virtual size_type shallow_size(Copaque data)  const  noexcept = 0;
 
     // nonconst methods
-    /** copy instance using allocator **/
-    virtual Opaque shallow_copy(Opaque data, obj<AAllocator> mm)  const  noexcept = 0;
+    /** move instance using allocator **/
+    virtual Opaque shallow_move(Opaque data, obj<AAllocator> mm)  const  noexcept = 0;
     /** during GC: forward immdiate children **/
     virtual size_type forward_children(Opaque data, obj<ACollector> gc)  const  noexcept = 0;
     ///@}
diff --git a/include/xo/alloc2/gc/IGCObject_Any.hpp b/include/xo/alloc2/gc/IGCObject_Any.hpp
index 2658c59..000c85f 100644
--- a/include/xo/alloc2/gc/IGCObject_Any.hpp
+++ b/include/xo/alloc2/gc/IGCObject_Any.hpp
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ namespace mm {
         [[noreturn]] size_type shallow_size(Copaque)  const  noexcept override { _fatal(); }
 
         // nonconst methods
-        [[noreturn]] Opaque shallow_copy(Opaque, obj<AAllocator>)  const  noexcept override;
+        [[noreturn]] Opaque shallow_move(Opaque, obj<AAllocator>)  const  noexcept override;
         [[noreturn]] size_type forward_children(Opaque, obj<ACollector>)  const  noexcept override;
 
         ///@}
diff --git a/include/xo/alloc2/gc/IGCObject_Xfer.hpp b/include/xo/alloc2/gc/IGCObject_Xfer.hpp
index e00595e..35e23a6 100644
--- a/include/xo/alloc2/gc/IGCObject_Xfer.hpp
+++ b/include/xo/alloc2/gc/IGCObject_Xfer.hpp
@@ -54,8 +54,8 @@ namespace mm {
         }
 
         // non-const methods
-        Opaque shallow_copy(Opaque data, obj<AAllocator> mm)  const  noexcept override {
-            return I::shallow_copy(_dcast(data), mm);
+        Opaque shallow_move(Opaque data, obj<AAllocator> mm)  const  noexcept override {
+            return I::shallow_move(_dcast(data), mm);
         }
         size_type forward_children(Opaque data, obj<ACollector> gc)  const  noexcept override {
             return I::forward_children(_dcast(data), gc);
diff --git a/include/xo/alloc2/gc/RCollector.hpp b/include/xo/alloc2/gc/RCollector.hpp
index 4bf2ad1..6192c08 100644
--- a/include/xo/alloc2/gc/RCollector.hpp
+++ b/include/xo/alloc2/gc/RCollector.hpp
@@ -58,9 +58,9 @@ public:
     void * std_copy_for(const T * src) noexcept {
         void * mem = this->alloc_copy_for(src);
         if (mem) {
-            new (mem) T(std::move(*src));
+            return new (mem) T(std::move(*src));
         }
-        return (T *)mem;
+        return nullptr;
     }
     
     /** forward faceted object pointer in place. Defined in GCObject.hpp to avoid #include cycle **/
diff --git a/include/xo/alloc2/gc/RGCObject.hpp b/include/xo/alloc2/gc/RGCObject.hpp
index c4a668e..1839f83 100644
--- a/include/xo/alloc2/gc/RGCObject.hpp
+++ b/include/xo/alloc2/gc/RGCObject.hpp
@@ -60,8 +60,8 @@ public:
     }
 
     // non-const methods (still const in router!)
-    Opaque shallow_copy(obj<AAllocator> mm)  noexcept {
-        return O::iface()->shallow_copy(O::data(), mm);
+    Opaque shallow_move(obj<AAllocator> mm)  noexcept {
+        return O::iface()->shallow_move(O::data(), mm);
     }
     size_type forward_children(obj<ACollector> gc)  noexcept {
         return O::iface()->forward_children(O::data(), gc);
diff --git a/src/alloc2/IGCObject_Any.cpp b/src/alloc2/IGCObject_Any.cpp
index 426f68a..c9b9329 100644
--- a/src/alloc2/IGCObject_Any.cpp
+++ b/src/alloc2/IGCObject_Any.cpp
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ IGCObject_Any::_valid
 // nonconst methods
 
 auto
-IGCObject_Any::shallow_copy(Opaque, obj<AAllocator>)  const  noexcept -> Opaque
+IGCObject_Any::shallow_move(Opaque, obj<AAllocator>)  const  noexcept -> Opaque
 {
     _fatal();
 }