diff --git a/include/rcp.h b/include/rcp.h
index c7482cc..0885d57 100644
--- a/include/rcp.h
+++ b/include/rcp.h
@@ -96,28 +96,21 @@ public:
     }
 };
 
-class root
-{
-private:
-    mutable std::atomic<int> ref_count{0};
-
-protected:
-    virtual ~root() = default;
-
-public:
-    void rcp_inc() const
-    {
-        ref_count.fetch_add(1, std::memory_order_relaxed);
-    }
-
-    void rcp_dec() const
-    {
-        if (ref_count.fetch_sub(1, std::memory_order_acq_rel) == 1)
-        {
-            delete this;
-        }
-    }
-};
+#define rcp_root() \
+    public: \
+        void rcp_inc() const \
+        { \
+            ref_count.fetch_add(1, std::memory_order_relaxed); \
+        } \
+        void rcp_dec() const \
+        { \
+            if (ref_count.fetch_sub(1, std::memory_order_acq_rel) == 1) \
+            { \
+                delete this; \
+            } \
+        } \
+    private: \
+        mutable std::atomic<int> ref_count{0}
 
 #define rcp_managed(classname) \
     rcp<classname> get_rcp() \
diff --git a/test/tests.cpp b/test/tests.cpp
index 606b375..59ad9fb 100644
--- a/test/tests.cpp
+++ b/test/tests.cpp
@@ -6,8 +6,10 @@ static int mybase_destruct;
 static int myderived_construct;
 static int myderived_destruct;
 
-class MyBase : public root
+class MyBase
 {
+    rcp_root();
+
 protected:
     MyBase(int x, int y)
     {