diff --git a/src/proc/engine/buffer-provider.cpp b/src/proc/engine/buffer-provider.cpp
index e7f7f9cb2..6c33104b0 100644
--- a/src/proc/engine/buffer-provider.cpp
+++ b/src/proc/engine/buffer-provider.cpp
@@ -211,18 +211,23 @@ namespace engine {
   
   
   void
-  BufferDescriptor::emit (BuffHandle const& handle)  const
+  BuffHandle::emit()
   {
-    REQUIRE (verifyValidity());
-    provider_->emitBuffer(handle);
+    REQUIRE (isValid());
+    descriptor_.provider_->emitBuffer(*this);
   }
   
   
   void
-  BufferDescriptor::release (BuffHandle const& handle)  const
+  BuffHandle::release()
   {
-    REQUIRE (verifyValidity());
-    provider_->releaseBuffer(handle);
+    if (pBuffer_)
+      {
+        REQUIRE (isValid());
+        descriptor_.provider_->releaseBuffer(*this);
+        pBuffer_ = 0;
+      }
+    ENSURE (!isValid());
   }
   
   
diff --git a/src/proc/engine/buffhandle.hpp b/src/proc/engine/buffhandle.hpp
index 185914fa5..32a47fc2c 100644
--- a/src/proc/engine/buffhandle.hpp
+++ b/src/proc/engine/buffhandle.hpp
@@ -81,6 +81,7 @@ namespace engine {
    */
   class BufferDescriptor
     {
+    protected:
       BufferProvider* provider_;
       HashVal subClassification_;
       
@@ -90,6 +91,7 @@ namespace engine {
       { }
       
       friend class BufferProvider;
+      friend class BuffHandle;
       
     public:
       // using standard copy operations
@@ -97,9 +99,6 @@ namespace engine {
       bool verifyValidity()  const;
       size_t determineBufferSize() const;
       
-      void emit   (BuffHandle const&)  const;
-      void release (BuffHandle const&)  const;
-      
       operator HashVal()  const { return subClassification_; }
     };
   
@@ -136,23 +135,8 @@ namespace engine {
       
       
       
-      void
-      emit()
-        {
-          REQUIRE (pBuffer_);
-          descriptor_.emit (*this);
-        }
-      
-      void release()
-        {
-          if (pBuffer_)
-            {
-              REQUIRE (isValid());
-              descriptor_.release (*this);
-              pBuffer_ = 0;
-            }
-          ENSURE (!isValid());
-        }
+      void emit();
+      void release();
       
       
       template<typename BU>
@@ -181,7 +165,7 @@ namespace engine {
       HashVal
       entryID()  const
         {
-          return descriptor_;
+          return HashVal(descriptor_);
         }
       
       size_t
diff --git a/src/proc/engine/bufftable-obsolete.hpp b/src/proc/engine/bufftable-obsolete.hpp
index 2b43ee6d1..391808f65 100644
--- a/src/proc/engine/bufftable-obsolete.hpp
+++ b/src/proc/engine/bufftable-obsolete.hpp
@@ -70,6 +70,7 @@ namespace engine {
       PBu inBuff;
     };
   
+  class BufferDescriptor;
   
     /** Obsolete, to be rewritten  /////TICKET #826 */
   class BuffTableStorage