diff --git a/src/core/ptr.cc b/src/core/ptr.cc
index 10e63c606..cee3f59e2 100644
--- a/src/core/ptr.cc
+++ b/src/core/ptr.cc
@@ -28,9 +28,14 @@
 
 namespace ns3 {
 
+template <typename T>
+void Foo (void) {}
+
+
 class NoCount : public Object
 {
 public:
+  NoCount (void (*fn) (void));
   NoCount (Callback<void> cb);
   ~NoCount ();
   void Nothing (void) const;
@@ -292,12 +297,22 @@ PtrTest::RunTests (void)
     callback ();
   }
 
+
 #if 0
   // as expected, fails compilation.
   {
     Ptr<const Object> p = Create<NoCount> (cb);
     Callback<void> callback = MakeCallback (&NoCount::Nothing, p);
   }
+  // local types are not allowed as arguments to a template.
+  {
+    class B
+    {
+    public:
+      B () {}
+    };
+    Foo<B> ();
+  }
 #endif
   
 
diff --git a/src/core/ptr.h b/src/core/ptr.h
index f5a52292e..5d3ce46a6 100644
--- a/src/core/ptr.h
+++ b/src/core/ptr.h
@@ -81,7 +81,16 @@ public:
    * same, so that object is deleted if no more references to it
    * remain.
    */
-  Ptr (T *ptr);
+  Ptr (T *ptr);  
+  /**
+   * \param ptr raw pointer to manage
+   * \param ref if set to true, this method calls Ref, otherwise,
+   *        it does not call Ref.
+   *    
+   * Create a smart pointer which points to the object pointed to by
+   * the input raw pointer ptr.
+   */
+  Ptr (T *ptr, bool ref);
   Ptr (Ptr const&o);
   // allow conversions from T to T const.
   template <typename U>
@@ -378,6 +387,16 @@ Ptr<T>::Ptr (T *ptr)
   Acquire ();
 }
 
+template <typename T>
+Ptr<T>::Ptr (T *ptr, bool ref) 
+  : m_ptr (ptr)
+{
+  if (ref)
+    {
+      Acquire ();
+    }
+}
+
 template <typename T>
 Ptr<T>::Ptr (Ptr const&o) 
   : m_ptr (PeekPointer (o))