diff --git a/main/Scene-load.cc b/main/Scene-load.cc
index 1130928..1117884 100644
--- a/main/Scene-load.cc
+++ b/main/Scene-load.cc
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ void Scene::processNode(refptr<Node> node)
     }
     else if ( node->isShape() )
     {
-        refptr<Shape> shape = processShape(node);
+        ShapeRef shape = processShape(node);
         if ( ! shape.isNull() )
             m_shapes.push_back(shape);
     }
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ void Scene::processNode(refptr<Node> node)
     }
     else if (node->isTransformBlock())
     {
-        vector< refptr<Shape> > shapes = processTransformBlock(node);
+        vector<ShapeRef> shapes = processTransformBlock(node);
         for (int i = 0, sz = shapes.size(); i < sz; i++)
         {
             m_shapes.push_back(shapes[i]);
@@ -111,7 +111,7 @@ void Scene::processScene(refptr<Node> node)
     }
 }
 
-refptr<Shape> Scene::processShape(refptr<Node> node)
+ShapeRef Scene::processShape(refptr<Node> node)
 {
     if      ( typeid(*node) == typeid(BoxNode) )
     {
@@ -149,7 +149,7 @@ refptr<Shape> Scene::processShape(refptr<Node> node)
         exit(3);
     }
 
-    return refptr<Shape>(NULL);
+    return ShapeRef(NULL);
 }
 
 void Scene::processCamera(refptr<Node> node)
@@ -222,7 +222,7 @@ void Scene::processOptions(refptr<Node> node)
     }
 }
 
-vector< refptr<Shape> > Scene::processTransformBlock(refptr<Node> node)
+vector<ShapeRef> Scene::processTransformBlock(refptr<Node> node)
 {
     if      ( typeid(*node) == typeid(TranslateBlockNode) )
     {
@@ -240,8 +240,22 @@ vector< refptr<Shape> > Scene::processTransformBlock(refptr<Node> node)
         m_transforms.push(m_transforms.top());
         m_transforms.top().scale(node->getVector());
     }
+    else
+    {
+        cerr << "Unknown transformation block node type!" << endl;
+        exit(4);
+    }
 
-    vector< refptr<Shape> > shapes;
+    vector<ShapeRef> shapes = processGeneralItems(node);
+
+    m_transforms.pop();
+
+    return shapes;
+}
+
+vector<ShapeRef> Scene::processGeneralItems(refptr<Node> node)
+{
+    vector<ShapeRef> shapes;
 
     for (Node_Iterator it = node->getChildren().begin();
          it != node->getChildren().end();
@@ -249,30 +263,26 @@ vector< refptr<Shape> > Scene::processTransformBlock(refptr<Node> node)
     {
         if ((*it)->isTransformBlock())
         {
-            vector< refptr<Shape> > in = processTransformBlock(*it);
+            vector<ShapeRef> in = processTransformBlock(*it);
             for (int i = 0, sz = in.size(); i < sz; i++)
             {
                 shapes.push_back(in[i]);
             }
         }
-        else if ( (*it)->isShape() )
+        else if ( typeid(*node) == typeid(MaterialDefinitionNode) )
         {
-            shapes.push_back(processShape(*it));
+            processMaterialDefinition(node);
         }
         else if ( typeid(**it) == typeid(ShapeDefinitionNode) )
         {
             processShapeDefinition(*it);
         }
-        else
+        else if ( (*it)->isShape() )
         {
-            cerr << "Unknown transform block item: " << typeid(**it).name()
-                << endl;
-            exit(3);
+            shapes.push_back(processShape(*it));
         }
     }
 
-    m_transforms.pop();
-
     return shapes;
 }
 
@@ -348,7 +358,7 @@ refptr<Material> Scene::processMaterial(refptr<Node> node)
     return material;
 }
 
-refptr<Shape> Scene::processBox(refptr<Node> node)
+ShapeRef Scene::processBox(refptr<Node> node)
 {
     refptr<Vector> size = new Vector(1, 1, 1);
     refptr<Material> material;
@@ -369,7 +379,7 @@ refptr<Shape> Scene::processBox(refptr<Node> node)
         }
     }
 
-    refptr<Shape> box = new Box(size);
+    ShapeRef box = new Box(size);
     if ( ! material.isNull() )
         box->setMaterial(material);
     box->setTransform(m_transforms.top());
@@ -380,7 +390,7 @@ refptr<Shape> Scene::processBox(refptr<Node> node)
     return box;
 }
 
-refptr<Shape> Scene::processCyl(refptr<Node> node)
+ShapeRef Scene::processCyl(refptr<Node> node)
 {
     double radius1 = 1.0;
     double radius2 = 1.0;
@@ -406,7 +416,7 @@ refptr<Shape> Scene::processCyl(refptr<Node> node)
         }
     }
 
-    refptr<Shape> cyl = new Cyl(radius1, radius2, height);
+    ShapeRef cyl = new Cyl(radius1, radius2, height);
     if ( ! material.isNull() )
         cyl->setMaterial(material);
     cyl->setTransform(m_transforms.top());
@@ -459,7 +469,7 @@ refptr<Light> Scene::processLight(refptr<Node> node)
     return light;
 }
 
-refptr<Shape> Scene::processPlane(refptr<Node> node)
+ShapeRef Scene::processPlane(refptr<Node> node)
 {
     Vector normal(0, 0, 1);
     double dist = 0;
@@ -482,7 +492,7 @@ refptr<Shape> Scene::processPlane(refptr<Node> node)
         }
     }
 
-    refptr<Shape> plane = new Plane(normal[0],
+    ShapeRef plane = new Plane(normal[0],
                                     normal[1],
                                     normal[2],
                                     dist);
@@ -496,7 +506,7 @@ refptr<Shape> Scene::processPlane(refptr<Node> node)
     return plane;
 }
 
-refptr<Shape> Scene::processSphere(refptr<Node> node)
+ShapeRef Scene::processSphere(refptr<Node> node)
 {
     double radius = 1.0;
     refptr<Material> material;
@@ -517,7 +527,7 @@ refptr<Shape> Scene::processSphere(refptr<Node> node)
         }
     }
 
-    refptr<Shape> sphere = new Sphere(radius);
+    ShapeRef sphere = new Sphere(radius);
     if ( ! material.isNull() )
         sphere->setMaterial(material);
     sphere->setTransform(m_transforms.top());
@@ -528,9 +538,9 @@ refptr<Shape> Scene::processSphere(refptr<Node> node)
     return sphere;
 }
 
-refptr<Shape> Scene::processBool(refptr<Node> node)
+ShapeRef Scene::processBool(refptr<Node> node)
 {
-    vector< refptr<Shape> > shapes;
+    vector<ShapeRef> shapes;
     refptr<Material> material;
 
     bool restore_transform = processTransforms(node);
@@ -542,7 +552,7 @@ refptr<Shape> Scene::processBool(refptr<Node> node)
     {
         if ( (*it)->isShape() )
         {
-            refptr<Shape> shape = processShape(*it);
+            ShapeRef shape = processShape(*it);
             if ( ! shape.isNull() )
                 shapes.push_back(shape);
         }
@@ -552,7 +562,7 @@ refptr<Shape> Scene::processBool(refptr<Node> node)
         }
         else if ( (*it)->isTransformBlock() )
         {
-            vector< refptr<Shape> > in = processTransformBlock(*it);
+            vector<ShapeRef> in = processTransformBlock(*it);
             for (int i = 0, sz = in.size(); i < sz; i++)
             {
                 shapes.push_back(in[i]);
@@ -571,7 +581,7 @@ refptr<Shape> Scene::processBool(refptr<Node> node)
         exit(3);
     }
 
-    refptr<Shape> shape;
+    ShapeRef shape;
     if      ( typeid(*node) == typeid(IntersectNode) )
         shape = new Intersect(shapes);
     else if ( typeid(*node) == typeid(UnionNode) )
@@ -596,7 +606,7 @@ refptr<Shape> Scene::processBool(refptr<Node> node)
     return shape;
 }
 
-refptr<Shape> Scene::processExtrude(refptr<Node> node)
+ShapeRef Scene::processExtrude(refptr<Node> node)
 {
     refptr<Material> material;
     Extrude * extrude = new Extrude();
@@ -708,7 +718,7 @@ refptr<Polygon> Scene::processNGon(refptr<Node> node)
     return p;
 }
 
-refptr<Shape> Scene::processShapeRef(refptr<Node> node)
+ShapeRef Scene::processShapeRef(refptr<Node> node)
 {
     if (m_shape_definitions.find(node->getString())
             == m_shape_definitions.end())
@@ -719,7 +729,7 @@ refptr<Shape> Scene::processShapeRef(refptr<Node> node)
     }
 
     refptr<Material> material;
-    refptr<Shape> shape = m_shape_definitions[node->getString()]->clone();
+    ShapeRef shape = m_shape_definitions[node->getString()]->clone();
 
     bool restore_transform = processTransforms(node);
 
diff --git a/main/Scene.h b/main/Scene.h
index ed3ff37..d5214d5 100644
--- a/main/Scene.h
+++ b/main/Scene.h
@@ -62,21 +62,22 @@ class Scene
         void processChildren(refptr<Node> node);
         void processScene(refptr<Node> node);
         refptr<Material> processMaterial(refptr<Node> node);
-        refptr<Shape> processBox(refptr<Node> node);
-        refptr<Shape> processCyl(refptr<Node> node);
+        ShapeRef processBox(refptr<Node> node);
+        ShapeRef processCyl(refptr<Node> node);
         refptr<Light> processLight(refptr<Node> node);
-        refptr<Shape> processPlane(refptr<Node> node);
-        refptr<Shape> processSphere(refptr<Node> node);
-        refptr<Shape> processShape(refptr<Node> node);
-        refptr<Shape> processBool(refptr<Node> node);
-        refptr<Shape> processExtrude(refptr<Node> node);
-        refptr<Shape> processShapeRef(refptr<Node> node);
+        ShapeRef processPlane(refptr<Node> node);
+        ShapeRef processSphere(refptr<Node> node);
+        ShapeRef processShape(refptr<Node> node);
+        ShapeRef processBool(refptr<Node> node);
+        ShapeRef processExtrude(refptr<Node> node);
+        ShapeRef processShapeRef(refptr<Node> node);
         refptr<Polygon> processPolygon(refptr<Node> node);
         refptr<Polygon> processNGon(refptr<Node> node);
         bool processTransforms(refptr<Node> node);
         void processCamera(refptr<Node> node);
         void processOptions(refptr<Node> node);
-        std::vector< refptr<Shape> > processTransformBlock(refptr<Node> node);
+        std::vector<ShapeRef> processTransformBlock(refptr<Node> node);
+        std::vector<ShapeRef> processGeneralItems(refptr<Node> node);
         void processMaterialDefinition(refptr<Node> node);
         void processShapeDefinition(refptr<Node> node);
 
@@ -91,8 +92,8 @@ class Scene
         int m_ambient_occlusion_level;
 
         /* private data */
-        std::vector< refptr<Shape> > m_shapes;
-        std::map< std::string, refptr<Shape> > m_shape_definitions;
+        std::vector<ShapeRef> m_shapes;
+        std::map<std::string, ShapeRef> m_shape_definitions;
         std::vector< refptr<Light> > m_lights;
         std::stack<Transform> m_transforms;
         double m_view_plane_dist;
diff --git a/shapes/Shape.h b/shapes/Shape.h
index 5e78d41..df6d083 100644
--- a/shapes/Shape.h
+++ b/shapes/Shape.h
@@ -125,6 +125,7 @@ class Shape
         refptr<Material> m_material;
 };
 
+typedef refptr<Shape> ShapeRef;
 
 #endif