diff --git a/src/node_buffer.cc b/src/node_buffer.cc
index 5d5a389fb..5682f9379 100644
--- a/src/node_buffer.cc
+++ b/src/node_buffer.cc
@@ -119,6 +119,15 @@ class AsciiSliceExt: public String::ExternalAsciiStringResource {
 };
 #endif
 
+Buffer* Buffer::New(size_t size) {
+  HandleScope scope;
+
+  Local<Value> arg = Integer::NewFromUnsigned(size);
+  Local<Object> b = constructor_template->GetFunction()->NewInstance(1, &arg);
+
+  return ObjectWrap::Unwrap<Buffer>(b);
+}
+
 
 Handle<Value> Buffer::New(const Arguments &args) {
   HandleScope scope;
diff --git a/src/node_buffer.h b/src/node_buffer.h
index d7c849a7b..dd9d0db51 100644
--- a/src/node_buffer.h
+++ b/src/node_buffer.h
@@ -30,13 +30,10 @@ struct Blob_;
 
 class Buffer : public ObjectWrap {
  public:
-  static v8::Persistent<v8::FunctionTemplate> constructor_template;
-
-  Buffer(size_t length);
-  Buffer(Buffer *parent, size_t start, size_t end);
   ~Buffer();
 
   static void Initialize(v8::Handle<v8::Object> target);
+  static Buffer* New(size_t length); // public constructor
   static inline bool HasInstance(v8::Handle<v8::Value> val) {
     if (!val->IsObject()) return false;
     v8::Local<v8::Object> obj = val->ToObject();
@@ -47,7 +44,12 @@ class Buffer : public ObjectWrap {
   size_t length() const { return length_; }
   struct Blob_* blob() const { return blob_; }
 
- protected:
+  int AsciiWrite(char *string, int offset, int length);
+  int Utf8Write(char *string, int offset, int length);
+
+ private:
+  static v8::Persistent<v8::FunctionTemplate> constructor_template;
+
   static v8::Handle<v8::Value> New(const v8::Arguments &args);
   static v8::Handle<v8::Value> Slice(const v8::Arguments &args);
   static v8::Handle<v8::Value> BinarySlice(const v8::Arguments &args);
@@ -60,10 +62,9 @@ class Buffer : public ObjectWrap {
   static v8::Handle<v8::Value> Unpack(const v8::Arguments &args);
   static v8::Handle<v8::Value> Copy(const v8::Arguments &args);
 
-  int AsciiWrite(char *string, int offset, int length);
-  int Utf8Write(char *string, int offset, int length);
+  Buffer(size_t length);
+  Buffer(Buffer *parent, size_t start, size_t end);
 
- private:
   size_t off_; // offset inside blob_
   size_t length_; // length inside blob_
   struct Blob_ *blob_;
diff --git a/src/node_object_wrap.h b/src/node_object_wrap.h
index 7e26f25b0..534567b2e 100644
--- a/src/node_object_wrap.h
+++ b/src/node_object_wrap.h
@@ -13,7 +13,6 @@ class ObjectWrap {
   }
 
   virtual ~ObjectWrap ( ) {
-    assert(handle_.IsNearDeath());
     handle_->SetInternalField(0, v8::Undefined());
     handle_.Dispose();
     handle_.Clear();