diff --git a/include/xo/distribution/Normal.hpp b/include/xo/distribution/Normal.hpp
index 6d4d88e1..f3ab1498 100644
--- a/include/xo/distribution/Normal.hpp
+++ b/include/xo/distribution/Normal.hpp
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ namespace xo {
             Normal() = default;
 
             /* N(0,1):  mean 0, sdev 1 */
-            static ref::rp<Normal> unit() { return new Normal(); }
+            static rp<Normal> unit() { return new Normal(); }
 
             /* normal probability density:
              *
diff --git a/include/xo/distribution/Uniform.hpp b/include/xo/distribution/Uniform.hpp
index e40c62a6..d701e846 100644
--- a/include/xo/distribution/Uniform.hpp
+++ b/include/xo/distribution/Uniform.hpp
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ namespace xo {
         public:
             Uniform(double lo, double hi) : lo_(lo), hi_(hi) {}
 
-            static ref::rp<Uniform> unit() { return new Uniform(0.0, 1.0); }
+            static rp<Uniform> unit() { return new Uniform(0.0, 1.0); }
 
             static double density_impl(double lo, double hi, double x) {
                 if (x <= lo)