diff --git a/include/boost/python/object/make_instance.hpp b/include/boost/python/object/make_instance.hpp
index eb420d2f..d63c346a 100644
--- a/include/boost/python/object/make_instance.hpp
+++ b/include/boost/python/object/make_instance.hpp
@@ -6,9 +6,11 @@
 #ifndef MAKE_INSTANCE_DWA200296_HPP
 # define MAKE_INSTANCE_DWA200296_HPP
 
+# include <boost/python/detail/wrap_python.hpp>
 # include <boost/python/object/instance.hpp>
 # include <boost/python/converter/registered.hpp>
 # include <boost/python/detail/decref_guard.hpp>
+# include <boost/python/detail/none.hpp>
 
 namespace boost { namespace python { namespace objects { 
 
@@ -24,6 +26,9 @@ struct make_instance_impl
 
         PyTypeObject* type = Derived::get_class_object(x);
 
+		if (type == 0)
+			return python::detail::none();
+
         PyObject* raw_result = type->tp_alloc(
             type, objects::additional_instance_size<Holder>::value);
           
diff --git a/include/boost/python/object/make_ptr_instance.hpp b/include/boost/python/object/make_ptr_instance.hpp
index 25dbd77c..54d3e4d5 100644
--- a/include/boost/python/object/make_ptr_instance.hpp
+++ b/include/boost/python/object/make_ptr_instance.hpp
@@ -34,6 +34,9 @@ struct make_ptr_instance
     template <class U>
     static inline PyTypeObject* get_class_object_impl(U const volatile* p)
     {
+		if (p == 0)
+			return 0;
+
         PyTypeObject* derived = get_derived_class_object(is_polymorphic<U>::type(), p);
         if (derived)
             return derived;
diff --git a/test/shared_ptr.cpp b/test/shared_ptr.cpp
index 39da8652..32c9af74 100644
--- a/test/shared_ptr.cpp
+++ b/test/shared_ptr.cpp
@@ -95,8 +95,53 @@ shared_ptr<Y> factory(int n)
 static int stored_v() { return functions<Z>::get()->v(); }
 static shared_ptr<Z> stored_z() { return functions<Z>::get(); }
 
+// regressions from Nicodemus
+    struct A
+    {
+        virtual int f() = 0;
+        static int call_f(shared_ptr<A>& a) { return a->f(); }
+    };
+
+    struct B: A
+    {
+        int f() { return 1; }
+    };
+
+    boost::shared_ptr<A> New(bool make)
+    {
+        return boost::shared_ptr<A>( make ? new B() : 0 );
+    }
+
+    struct A_Wrapper: A
+    {
+        A_Wrapper(PyObject* self_):
+            A(), self(self_) {}
+
+        int f() {
+            return call_method< int >(self, "f");
+        }
+
+        PyObject* self;
+    };
+
+// ------
+
 BOOST_PYTHON_MODULE(shared_ptr_ext)
 {
+    class_<A, boost::shared_ptr<A_Wrapper>, boost::noncopyable>("A")
+        .def("call_f", &A::call_f)
+        .staticmethod("call_f")
+        ;
+
+    // This is the ugliness required to register a to-python converter
+    // for shared_ptr<A>.
+    objects::class_value_wrapper<
+        shared_ptr<A>
+      , objects::make_ptr_instance<A, objects::pointer_holder<shared_ptr<A>,A> >
+    >();
+        
+    def("New", &New);
+    
     class_<X, boost::noncopyable>("X", init<int>())
         .def("value", &X::value)
         ;
diff --git a/test/shared_ptr.py b/test/shared_ptr.py
index e86da6df..1d3c1ab2 100644
--- a/test/shared_ptr.py
+++ b/test/shared_ptr.py
@@ -1,6 +1,11 @@
 '''
 >>> from shared_ptr_ext import *
 
+>>> a = New(1)
+>>> A.call_f(a)
+1
+>>> New(0)
+
 >>> type(factory(3))
 <class 'shared_ptr_ext.Y'>
 >>> type(factory(42))