diff --git a/src/cpp/cpp_destructor.cpp b/src/cpp/cpp_destructor.cpp
index 82d796b18aa..49704869ee8 100644
--- a/src/cpp/cpp_destructor.cpp
+++ b/src/cpp/cpp_destructor.cpp
@@ -18,7 +18,6 @@ Author: Daniel Kroening, kroening@cs.cmu.edu
 /// \return typechecked code
 codet cpp_typecheckt::cpp_destructor(
   const source_locationt &source_location,
-  const typet &type,
   const exprt &object)
 {
   codet new_code;
@@ -74,8 +73,7 @@ codet cpp_typecheckt::cpp_destructor(
       index_exprt index(object, constant);
       index.add_source_location()=source_location;
 
-      exprt i_code =
-        cpp_destructor(source_location, tmp_type.subtype(), index);
+      exprt i_code = cpp_destructor(source_location, index);
 
       new_code.move_to_operands(i_code);
     }
@@ -119,29 +117,19 @@ codet cpp_typecheckt::cpp_destructor(
     cpp_name.get_sub().back().set(ID_identifier, dtor_name);
     cpp_name.get_sub().back().set(ID_C_source_location, source_location);
 
+    exprt member(ID_member);
+    member.add(ID_component_cpp_name) = cpp_name;
+    member.copy_to_operands(object);
+
     side_effect_expr_function_callt function_call;
     function_call.add_source_location()=source_location;
-    function_call.function().swap(static_cast<exprt&>(cpp_name));
+    function_call.function().swap(member);
 
     typecheck_side_effect_function_call(function_call);
-    assert(function_call.get(ID_statement)==ID_temporary_object);
-
-    exprt &initializer =
-      static_cast<exprt &>(function_call.add(ID_initializer));
-
-    assert(initializer.id()==ID_code
-           && initializer.get(ID_statement)==ID_expression);
-
-    side_effect_expr_function_callt &func_ini=
-      to_side_effect_expr_function_call(initializer.op0());
-
-    exprt &tmp_this=func_ini.arguments().front();
-    assert(tmp_this.id()==ID_address_of
-           && tmp_this.op0().id()=="new_object");
-
-    tmp_this=address_of_exprt(object, pointer_type(object.type()));
+    already_typechecked(function_call);
 
-    new_code.swap(initializer);
+    new_code = code_expressiont(function_call);
+    new_code.add_source_location() = source_location;
   }
 
   return new_code;
diff --git a/src/cpp/cpp_typecheck.h b/src/cpp/cpp_typecheck.h
index 596cde8a3a7..e7a74aed1ff 100644
--- a/src/cpp/cpp_typecheck.h
+++ b/src/cpp/cpp_typecheck.h
@@ -432,7 +432,6 @@ class cpp_typecheckt:public c_typecheck_baset
 
   codet cpp_destructor(
       const source_locationt &source_location,
-      const typet &type,
       const exprt &object);
 
   // expressions
diff --git a/src/cpp/cpp_typecheck_destructor.cpp b/src/cpp/cpp_typecheck_destructor.cpp
index e985f16b7de..193dede0a8f 100644
--- a/src/cpp/cpp_typecheck_destructor.cpp
+++ b/src/cpp/cpp_typecheck_destructor.cpp
@@ -11,6 +11,8 @@ Author: Daniel Kroening, kroening@cs.cmu.edu
 
 #include "cpp_typecheck.h"
 
+#include <util/c_types.h>
+
 bool cpp_typecheckt::find_dtor(const symbolt &symbol) const
 {
   const irept &components=
@@ -134,13 +136,16 @@ codet cpp_typecheckt::dtor(const symbolt &symbol)
     cpp_namet cppname;
     cppname.get_sub().push_back(name);
 
-    exprt member(ID_ptrmember);
+    exprt member(ID_ptrmember, type);
     member.set(ID_component_cpp_name, cppname);
-    member.operands().push_back(exprt("cpp-this"));
+    member.operands().push_back(
+      symbol_exprt(ID_this, pointer_type(symbol.type)));
     member.add_source_location() = source_location;
 
-    codet dtor_code=
-      cpp_destructor(source_location, cit->type(), member);
+    const bool disabled_access_control = disable_access_control;
+    disable_access_control = true;
+    codet dtor_code = cpp_destructor(source_location, member);
+    disable_access_control = disabled_access_control;
 
     if(dtor_code.is_not_nil())
       block.move_to_operands(dtor_code);
@@ -158,14 +163,14 @@ codet cpp_typecheckt::dtor(const symbolt &symbol)
     assert(bit->find(ID_type).id()==ID_symbol);
     const symbolt &psymb = lookup(bit->find(ID_type).get(ID_identifier));
 
-    // TODO(tautschnig): object is not type checked before passing it to
-    // cpp_destructor even though cpp_destructor makes heavy use of the .type()
-    // member
-    dereference_exprt object(exprt("cpp-this"), nil_typet());
+    symbol_exprt this_ptr(ID_this, pointer_type(symbol.type));
+    dereference_exprt object(this_ptr, psymb.type);
     object.add_source_location() = source_location;
 
-    exprt dtor_code =
-      cpp_destructor(source_location, psymb.type, object);
+    const bool disabled_access_control = disable_access_control;
+    disable_access_control = true;
+    exprt dtor_code = cpp_destructor(source_location, object);
+    disable_access_control = disabled_access_control;
 
     if(dtor_code.is_not_nil())
       block.move_to_operands(dtor_code);
diff --git a/src/cpp/cpp_typecheck_expr.cpp b/src/cpp/cpp_typecheck_expr.cpp
index 310407853a5..501baeeeb22 100644
--- a/src/cpp/cpp_typecheck_expr.cpp
+++ b/src/cpp/cpp_typecheck_expr.cpp
@@ -1073,7 +1073,6 @@ void cpp_typecheckt::typecheck_expr_delete(exprt &expr)
 
   codet destructor_code=cpp_destructor(
     expr.source_location(),
-    pointer_type.subtype(),
     new_object);
 
   // this isn't typechecked yet