diff --git a/src/_macros.rs b/src/_macros.rs
index 21749ed6f..e2e4b5015 100644
--- a/src/_macros.rs
+++ b/src/_macros.rs
@@ -533,6 +533,49 @@ macro_rules! handle_metadata_return {
     };
 }
 
+macro_rules! build_owned_tables {
+    ($name: ty, $deref: ident, $llname: ty, $init: ident, $free: ident) => {
+        impl $name {
+            fn new() -> Self {
+                let temp = unsafe { libc::malloc(std::mem::size_of::<$llname>()) as *mut $llname };
+                let nonnull = match std::ptr::NonNull::<$llname>::new(temp) {
+                    Some(x) => x,
+                    None => panic!("out of memory"),
+                };
+                let mut table = unsafe { mbox::MBox::from_non_null_raw(nonnull) };
+                let rv = unsafe { $init(&mut (*table), 0) };
+                assert_eq!(rv, 0);
+                Self { table }
+            }
+        }
+
+        impl Default for $name {
+            fn default() -> Self {
+                Self::new()
+            }
+        }
+
+        impl std::ops::Deref for $name {
+            type Target = $deref<'static>;
+
+            fn deref(&self) -> &Self::Target {
+                // SAFETY: that T* and &T have same layout,
+                // and Target is repr(transparent).
+                unsafe { std::mem::transmute(&self.table) }
+            }
+        }
+
+        impl Drop for $name {
+            fn drop(&mut self) {
+                let rv = unsafe { $free(&mut (*self.table)) };
+                if rv != 0 {
+                    panic!("error when calling {}: {}", stringify!(free), rv);
+                }
+            }
+        }
+    };
+}
+
 #[cfg(test)]
 mod test {
     use crate::error::TskitError;
diff --git a/src/edge_table.rs b/src/edge_table.rs
index 61d61f84c..31ef525a0 100644
--- a/src/edge_table.rs
+++ b/src/edge_table.rs
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ use crate::metadata;
 use crate::Position;
 use crate::{tsk_id_t, TskitError};
 use crate::{EdgeId, NodeId};
+use ll_bindings::{tsk_edge_table_free, tsk_edge_table_init};
 
 /// Row of an [`EdgeTable`]
 pub struct EdgeTableRow {
@@ -217,21 +218,6 @@ pub struct OwnedEdgeTable {
 }
 
 impl OwnedEdgeTable {
-    fn new() -> Self {
-        let temp = unsafe {
-            libc::malloc(std::mem::size_of::<ll_bindings::tsk_edge_table_t>())
-                as *mut ll_bindings::tsk_edge_table_t
-        };
-        let nonnull = match std::ptr::NonNull::<ll_bindings::tsk_edge_table_t>::new(temp) {
-            Some(x) => x,
-            None => panic!("out of memory"),
-        };
-        let mut table = unsafe { mbox::MBox::from_non_null_raw(nonnull) };
-        let rv = unsafe { ll_bindings::tsk_edge_table_init(&mut (*table), 0) };
-        assert_eq!(rv, 0);
-        Self { table }
-    }
-
     pub fn add_row(
         &mut self,
         left: impl Into<Position>,
@@ -279,27 +265,10 @@ impl OwnedEdgeTable {
     }
 }
 
-impl std::ops::Deref for OwnedEdgeTable {
-    type Target = EdgeTable<'static>;
-
-    fn deref(&self) -> &Self::Target {
-        // SAFETY: that T* and &T have same layout,
-        // and Target is repr(transparent).
-        unsafe { std::mem::transmute(&self.table) }
-    }
-}
-
-impl Default for OwnedEdgeTable {
-    fn default() -> Self {
-        Self::new()
-    }
-}
-
-impl Drop for OwnedEdgeTable {
-    fn drop(&mut self) {
-        let rv = unsafe { ll_bindings::tsk_edge_table_free(&mut (*self.table)) };
-        if rv != 0 {
-            panic!("error when calling tsk_edge_table_free: {}", rv);
-        }
-    }
-}
+build_owned_tables!(
+    OwnedEdgeTable,
+    EdgeTable,
+    ll_bindings::tsk_edge_table_t,
+    tsk_edge_table_init,
+    tsk_edge_table_free
+);
diff --git a/src/population_table.rs b/src/population_table.rs
index 8dd894bd3..237d6be3f 100644
--- a/src/population_table.rs
+++ b/src/population_table.rs
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ use crate::tsk_id_t;
 use crate::PopulationId;
 use crate::SizeType;
 use crate::TskitError;
+use ll_bindings::{tsk_population_table_free, tsk_population_table_init};
 
 /// Row of a [`PopulationTable`]
 #[derive(Eq)]
@@ -164,19 +165,6 @@ pub struct OwnedPopulationTable {
 }
 
 impl OwnedPopulationTable {
-    fn new() -> Self {
-        let temp = unsafe {
-            libc::malloc(std::mem::size_of::<ll_bindings::tsk_population_table_t>())
-                as *mut ll_bindings::tsk_population_table_t
-        };
-        let nonnull = match std::ptr::NonNull::<ll_bindings::tsk_population_table_t>::new(temp) {
-            Some(x) => x,
-            None => panic!("out of memory"),
-        };
-        let table = unsafe { mbox::MBox::from_non_null_raw(nonnull) };
-        Self { table }
-    }
-
     pub fn add_row(&mut self) -> Result<PopulationId, TskitError> {
         let rv = unsafe {
             ll_bindings::tsk_population_table_add_row(&mut (*self.table), std::ptr::null(), 0)
@@ -202,18 +190,10 @@ impl OwnedPopulationTable {
     }
 }
 
-impl std::ops::Deref for OwnedPopulationTable {
-    type Target = PopulationTable<'static>;
-
-    fn deref(&self) -> &Self::Target {
-        // SAFETY: that T* and &T have same layout,
-        // and Target is repr(transparent).
-        unsafe { std::mem::transmute(&self.table) }
-    }
-}
-
-impl Default for OwnedPopulationTable {
-    fn default() -> Self {
-        Self::new()
-    }
-}
+build_owned_tables!(
+    OwnedPopulationTable,
+    PopulationTable,
+    ll_bindings::tsk_population_table_t,
+    tsk_population_table_init,
+    tsk_population_table_free
+);