diff --git a/include/boost/python/object/class_metadata.hpp b/include/boost/python/object/class_metadata.hpp
index c29787fb..212abfe4 100755
--- a/include/boost/python/object/class_metadata.hpp
+++ b/include/boost/python/object/class_metadata.hpp
@@ -30,6 +30,10 @@
 # include <boost/mpl/for_each.hpp>
 # include <boost/mpl/placeholders.hpp>
 # include <boost/mpl/single_view.hpp>
+
+# include <boost/mpl/assert.hpp>
+# include <boost/type_traits/is_same.hpp>
+
 # include <boost/type_traits/is_convertible.hpp>
 
 # include <boost/noncopyable.hpp>
@@ -49,6 +53,8 @@ struct register_base_of
     template <class Base>
     inline void operator()(Base*) const
     {
+        BOOST_MPL_ASSERT_NOT((is_same<Base,Derived>));
+        
         // Register the Base class
         register_dynamic_id<Base>();
 
@@ -58,7 +64,7 @@ struct register_base_of
         // Register the down-cast, if appropriate.
         this->register_downcast((Base*)0, is_polymorphic<Base>());
     }
-    
+
  private:
     static inline void register_downcast(void*, mpl::false_) {}
     
@@ -186,7 +192,7 @@ struct class_metadata
       , mpl::if_<
             use_value_holder
           , value_holder<T>
-          , pointer_holder<held_type,T>
+          , pointer_holder<held_type,wrapped>
         >
     >::type holder;
     
@@ -253,6 +259,8 @@ struct class_metadata
     //
     inline static void maybe_register_callback_class(void*, mpl::false_) {}
 
+    inline static void maybe_register_callback_class(wrapped*, mpl::true_) {}
+
     template <class T2>
     inline static void maybe_register_callback_class(T2*, mpl::true_)
     {
diff --git a/test/polymorphism2.cpp b/test/polymorphism2.cpp
index b5c773e0..8aefbc3a 100755
--- a/test/polymorphism2.cpp
+++ b/test/polymorphism2.cpp
@@ -13,6 +13,14 @@
 #include <boost/python/call.hpp>
 #include <boost/utility.hpp>
 
+#include <memory>
+
+#ifdef HELD_BY_AUTO_PTR
+# define HELD_PTR(X) , std::auto_ptr< X >
+#else
+# define HELD_PTR(X)
+#endif 
+
 using namespace boost::python;
 
 struct P
@@ -123,19 +131,23 @@ C& getCCppObj ()
 
 A* pass_a(A* x) { return x; }
 
+#ifdef HELD_BY_AUTO_PTR
+BOOST_PYTHON_MODULE_INIT(polymorphism2_auto_ptr_ext)
+#else
 BOOST_PYTHON_MODULE_INIT(polymorphism2_ext)
+#endif 
 {
-    class_<ACallback,boost::noncopyable>("A")
+    class_<ACallback HELD_PTR(A),boost::noncopyable>("A")
         .def("f", &A::f, &ACallback::default_f)
         ;
     
     def("getBCppObj", getBCppObj, return_value_policy<reference_existing_object>());
 
-    class_<C,bases<A>,boost::noncopyable>("C")
+    class_<C HELD_PTR(C),bases<A>,boost::noncopyable>("C")
         .def("f", &C::f)
         ;
     
-    class_<DCallback,bases<A>,boost::noncopyable>("D")
+    class_<DCallback HELD_PTR(D),bases<A>,boost::noncopyable>("D")
         .def("f", &D::f)
         .def("g", &D::g)
         ;
@@ -152,7 +164,7 @@ BOOST_PYTHON_MODULE_INIT(polymorphism2_ext)
         .def("f", pure_virtual(&P::f))
         ;
 
-    class_<Q, bases<P> >("Q")
+    class_<Q HELD_PTR(Q), bases<P> >("Q")
         .def("g", &P::g) // make sure virtual inheritance doesn't interfere
         ;
 }
diff --git a/test/polymorphism2.py b/test/polymorphism2.py
index 01f6f2f2..2690bac9 100644
--- a/test/polymorphism2.py
+++ b/test/polymorphism2.py
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 # Software License, Version 1.0. (See accompanying
 # file LICENSE_1_0.txt or copy at http://www.boost.org/LICENSE_1_0.txt)
 import unittest
-from polymorphism2_ext import *
+import sys
 
 class PolymorphTest(unittest.TestCase):
 
@@ -77,11 +77,18 @@ class PolymorphTest(unittest.TestCase):
       r = R()
       self.failUnlessEqual ('R.f', r.f())
       
-                        
-if __name__ == "__main__":
-   
-   # remove the option which upsets unittest
+
+def test():
+   # remove the option that upsets unittest
    import sys
    sys.argv = [ x for x in sys.argv if x != '--broken-auto-ptr' ]
-   
    unittest.main()
+
+# This nasty hack basically says that if we're loaded by another module, we'll
+# be testing polymorphism2_auto_ptr_ext instead of polymorphism2_ext.
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+   from polymorphism2_ext import *
+   test()
+else:
+   from polymorphism2_auto_ptr_ext import *
+