diff --git a/src/cpp/cpp_typecheck_code.cpp b/src/cpp/cpp_typecheck_code.cpp
index 89a4cedf5be..866a7fbd14a 100644
--- a/src/cpp/cpp_typecheck_code.cpp
+++ b/src/cpp/cpp_typecheck_code.cpp
@@ -25,12 +25,12 @@ void cpp_typecheckt::typecheck_code(codet &code)
 
   if(statement==ID_try_catch)
   {
-    code.type()=code_typet();
+    code.type() = code_typet({}, empty_typet());
     typecheck_try_catch(code);
   }
   else if(statement==ID_member_initializer)
   {
-    code.type()=code_typet();
+    code.type() = code_typet({}, empty_typet());
     typecheck_member_initializer(code);
   }
   else if(statement==ID_msc_if_exists ||
diff --git a/src/cpp/cpp_typecheck_constructor.cpp b/src/cpp/cpp_typecheck_constructor.cpp
index 4c4edfad22b..a101618da61 100644
--- a/src/cpp/cpp_typecheck_constructor.cpp
+++ b/src/cpp/cpp_typecheck_constructor.cpp
@@ -435,7 +435,7 @@ void cpp_typecheckt::default_assignop_value(
   declarator.value().add_source_location()=source_location;
   declarator.value().id(ID_code);
   declarator.value().set(ID_statement, ID_block);
-  declarator.value().type()=code_typet();
+  declarator.value().type() = code_typet({}, empty_typet());
 
   exprt &block=declarator.value();
 
@@ -501,7 +501,7 @@ void cpp_typecheckt::default_assignop_value(
   ret_code.operands().push_back(exprt(ID_dereference));
   ret_code.op0().operands().push_back(exprt("cpp-this"));
   ret_code.set(ID_statement, ID_return);
-  ret_code.type()=code_typet();
+  ret_code.type() = code_typet({}, empty_typet());
 }
 
 /// Check a constructor initialization-list. An initializer has to be a data
diff --git a/src/cpp/parse.cpp b/src/cpp/parse.cpp
index d1ad2256a2c..50b7b256418 100644
--- a/src/cpp/parse.cpp
+++ b/src/cpp/parse.cpp
@@ -5516,9 +5516,8 @@ bool Parser::rTypeNameOrFunctionType(typet &tname)
             << "Parser::rTypeNameOrFunctionType 2\n";
   #endif
 
-  code_typet type;
-
-  if(!rCastOperatorName(type.return_type()))
+  typet return_type;
+  if(!rCastOperatorName(return_type))
     return false;
 
   #ifdef DEBUG
@@ -5528,7 +5527,7 @@ bool Parser::rTypeNameOrFunctionType(typet &tname)
 
   if(lex.LookAhead(0)!='(')
   {
-    tname.swap(type.return_type());
+    tname.swap(return_type);
 
     if(!optPtrOperator(tname))
       return false;
@@ -5541,6 +5540,7 @@ bool Parser::rTypeNameOrFunctionType(typet &tname)
             << "Parser::rTypeNameOrFunctionType 4\n";
   #endif
 
+  code_typet type({}, return_type);
   cpp_tokent op;
   lex.get_token(op);
 
diff --git a/src/goto-instrument/function.cpp b/src/goto-instrument/function.cpp
index 4c2b5f598ec..0fd46854ace 100644
--- a/src/goto-instrument/function.cpp
+++ b/src/goto-instrument/function.cpp
@@ -34,10 +34,7 @@ code_function_callt function_to_call(
     typet p=pointer_type(char_type());
     p.subtype().set(ID_C_constant, true);
 
-    code_typet function_type;
-    function_type.return_type()=empty_typet();
-    function_type.parameters().push_back(
-      code_typet::parametert(p));
+    const code_typet function_type({code_typet::parametert(p)}, empty_typet());
 
     symbolt new_symbol;
     new_symbol.name=id;