diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index b61ff57..63bb1c1 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ set(GPOS_VERSION_STRING ${GPOS_VERSION_MAJOR}.${GPOS_VERSION_MINOR})
 # doubt, do the safe thing and increment this number.
 set(GPOS_ABI_VERSION 10)
 
+set(CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD 11)
 # Configure CCache if available
 find_program(CCACHE_FOUND ccache)
 if(CCACHE_FOUND)
diff --git a/libgpos/include/gpos/common/CAutoP.h b/libgpos/include/gpos/common/CAutoP.h
index bbac2fd..9d2cca1 100644
--- a/libgpos/include/gpos/common/CAutoP.h
+++ b/libgpos/include/gpos/common/CAutoP.h
@@ -23,7 +23,11 @@
 #ifndef GPOS_CAutoP_H
 #define GPOS_CAutoP_H
 
+#include <type_traits>
+
 #include "gpos/base.h"
+#include "gpos/common/CAutoPointerBase.h"
+#include "gpos/common/CRefCount.h"
 #include "gpos/common/CStackObject.h"
 
 namespace gpos
@@ -38,13 +42,14 @@ namespace gpos
 	//
 	//---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 	template <class T>
-	class CAutoP : public CStackObject
+	class CAutoP : public CAutoPointerBase<T>
 	{
+		private:
+			static_assert(!std::is_base_of<CRefCount, T>::value, "T must not be a CRefCount");
 
-		protected:
+			typedef CAutoPointerBase<T> _base;
 
-			// actual element to point to
-			T *m_pt;
+		protected:
 						
 			// hidden copy ctor
 			CAutoP<T>
@@ -58,52 +63,23 @@ namespace gpos
 			explicit
 			CAutoP<T>()
 				:
-				m_pt(NULL)
+					_base(NULL)
 			{}
 
 			explicit
 			CAutoP<T>(T *pt)
 				:
-				m_pt(pt)
+					_base(pt)
 			{}
 
-			// dtor
-			virtual ~CAutoP();
-
-			// simple assignment
-			CAutoP<T> const & operator = (T* pt)
+			CAutoP const& operator = (T* pt)
 			{
-				m_pt = pt;
+				_base::m_pt = pt;
 				return *this;
 			}
 
-			// deref operator
-			T &operator * ()
-			{
-				GPOS_ASSERT(NULL != m_pt);
-				return *m_pt;
-			}
-			
-			// returns only base pointer, compiler does appropriate deref'ing
-			T* operator -> ()
-			{
-				return m_pt;
-			}
-
-			// return basic pointer
-			T* Pt() 
-			{
-				return m_pt;
-			}
-			
-			// unhook pointer from auto object
-			T* PtReset()
-			{
-				T* pt = m_pt;
-				m_pt = NULL;
-				return pt;
-			}
-
+			// dtor
+			virtual ~CAutoP();
 	}; // class CAutoP
 
 	//---------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -117,7 +93,7 @@ namespace gpos
 	template <class T>
 	CAutoP<T>::~CAutoP()
 	{
-		GPOS_DELETE(m_pt);
+		GPOS_DELETE(_base::m_pt);
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/libgpos/include/gpos/common/CAutoPointerBase.h b/libgpos/include/gpos/common/CAutoPointerBase.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7a33c4b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/libgpos/include/gpos/common/CAutoPointerBase.h
@@ -0,0 +1,53 @@
+#ifndef GPOS_CAUTOPOINTERBASE_H
+#define GPOS_CAUTOPOINTERBASE_H
+
+#include "CStackObject.h"
+
+namespace gpos
+{
+	template<typename T>
+	class CAutoPointerBase: public CStackObject
+	{
+	protected:
+		CAutoPointerBase<T>()
+		: m_pt(NULL)
+		{}
+
+		CAutoPointerBase<T>(T* pt)
+		: m_pt(pt)
+		{}
+		// actual element to point to
+		T *m_pt;
+	public:
+
+		// deref operator
+		T &operator * ()
+		{
+			GPOS_ASSERT(NULL != m_pt);
+			return *m_pt;
+		}
+
+		// returns only base pointer, compiler does appropriate deref'ing
+		T* operator -> ()
+		{
+			return m_pt;
+		}
+
+		// return basic pointer
+		T* Pt()
+		{
+			return m_pt;
+		}
+
+		// unhook pointer from auto object
+		T* PtReset()
+		{
+			T* pt = m_pt;
+			m_pt = NULL;
+			return pt;
+		}
+	};
+}
+
+
+#endif //GPOS_CAUTOPOINTERBASE_H
diff --git a/libgpos/include/gpos/common/CAutoRef.h b/libgpos/include/gpos/common/CAutoRef.h
index 1198fdf..c91070b 100644
--- a/libgpos/include/gpos/common/CAutoRef.h
+++ b/libgpos/include/gpos/common/CAutoRef.h
@@ -17,8 +17,10 @@
 #ifndef GPOS_CAutoRef_H
 #define GPOS_CAutoRef_H
 
+#include <type_traits>
+
 #include "gpos/base.h"
-#include "gpos/common/CAutoP.h"
+#include "gpos/common/CAutoPointerBase.h"
 #include "gpos/common/CRefCount.h"
 
 namespace gpos
@@ -32,10 +34,13 @@ namespace gpos
 	//
 	//---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 	template <class T>
-	class CAutoRef : public CAutoP<T>
+	class CAutoRef : public CAutoPointerBase<T>
 	{
 
 		private:
+			static_assert(std::is_base_of<CRefCount, T>::value, "T must be a CRefCount");
+
+			typedef CAutoPointerBase<T> _base;
 
 			// hidden copy ctor
 			CAutoRef<T>
@@ -49,14 +54,14 @@ namespace gpos
 			explicit
 			CAutoRef<T>()
 				:
-				CAutoP<T>()
+				_base()
 			{}
 
 			// ctor
 			explicit
 			CAutoRef<T>(T *pt)
 				:
-				CAutoP<T>(pt)
+				_base(pt)
 			{}
 
 			virtual ~CAutoRef();
@@ -64,7 +69,7 @@ namespace gpos
 			// simple assignment
 			CAutoRef<T> const & operator = (T* pt)
 			{
-				CAutoP<T>::m_pt = pt;
+				_base::m_pt = pt;
 				return *this;
 			}
 
@@ -81,13 +86,10 @@ namespace gpos
 	template <class T>
 	CAutoRef<T>::~CAutoRef()
 	{
-		if (NULL != CAutoP<T>::m_pt)
+		if (NULL != _base::m_pt)
 		{
-			reinterpret_cast<CRefCount*>(CAutoP<T>::m_pt)->Release();
+			_base::m_pt->Release();
 		}
-
-		// null out pointer before ~CAutoP() gets called
-		CAutoP<T>::m_pt = NULL;
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/libgpos/src/common/CBitSet.cpp b/libgpos/src/common/CBitSet.cpp
index 149ceea..627c9a8 100644
--- a/libgpos/src/common/CBitSet.cpp
+++ b/libgpos/src/common/CBitSet.cpp
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@
 //---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 #include "gpos/base.h"
+#include "gpos/common/CAutoP.h"
 #include "gpos/common/CAutoRef.h"
 #include "gpos/common/CBitSet.h"
 #include "gpos/common/CBitSetIter.h"
diff --git a/make/gpo.mk b/make/gpo.mk
index e70308b..0cd8f7c 100644
--- a/make/gpo.mk
+++ b/make/gpo.mk
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ CFLAGS_WARN = -Wall -Werror -Wextra -pedantic-errors -Wno-variadic-macros -Wconv
 CFLAGS_debug = -g3 -DGPOS_DEBUG
 CFLAGS_opt = -O3 -fno-omit-frame-pointer -g3
 
-CFLAGS_TYPE = $(CFLAGS_$(BLD_TYPE))
+CFLAGS_TYPE = -std=gnu++0x $(CFLAGS_$(BLD_TYPE))
 
 ifeq ($(ARCH_BIT), GPOS_32BIT)
 ARCH_FLAGS = -m32