diff --git a/src/fuse_access.cpp b/src/fuse_access.cpp
index dd344143..23e1e28c 100644
--- a/src/fuse_access.cpp
+++ b/src/fuse_access.cpp
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@
 static
 int
 _access(const Policy::Search &searchFunc_,
-        const Branches       &branches_,
+        const Branches::Ptr   branches_,
         const fs::path       &fusepath_,
         const int             mask_)
 {
diff --git a/src/fuse_chmod.cpp b/src/fuse_chmod.cpp
index a6f2edb8..22362c8e 100644
--- a/src/fuse_chmod.cpp
+++ b/src/fuse_chmod.cpp
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ static
 int
 _chmod(const Policy::Action &actionFunc_,
        const Policy::Search &searchFunc_,
-       const Branches       &branches_,
+       const Branches::Ptr   branches_,
        const fs::path       &fusepath_,
        const mode_t          mode_)
 {
diff --git a/src/fuse_chown.cpp b/src/fuse_chown.cpp
index 74170a9b..466f525d 100644
--- a/src/fuse_chown.cpp
+++ b/src/fuse_chown.cpp
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ static
 int
 _chown(const Policy::Action &actionFunc_,
        const Policy::Search &searchFunc_,
-       const Branches       &branches_,
+       const Branches::Ptr   branches_,
        const fs::path       &fusepath_,
        const uid_t           uid_,
        const gid_t           gid_)
diff --git a/src/fuse_create.cpp b/src/fuse_create.cpp
index 10a651ac..49f61b7b 100644
--- a/src/fuse_create.cpp
+++ b/src/fuse_create.cpp
@@ -207,7 +207,7 @@ int
 _create(const ugid_t          ugid_,
         const Policy::Search &searchFunc_,
         const Policy::Create &createFunc_,
-        const Branches       &branches_,
+        const Branches::Ptr   branches_,
         const fs::path       &fusepath_,
         fuse_file_info_t     *ffi_,
         const mode_t          mode_,
diff --git a/src/fuse_getattr.cpp b/src/fuse_getattr.cpp
index 8f6dd73f..b27c16d4 100644
--- a/src/fuse_getattr.cpp
+++ b/src/fuse_getattr.cpp
@@ -128,7 +128,7 @@ _getattr_controlfile(struct stat     *st_,
 static
 int
 _getattr(const Policy::Search &searchFunc_,
-         const Branches       &branches_,
+         const Branches::Ptr   branches_,
          const fs::path       &fusepath_,
          struct stat          *st_,
          const bool            symlinkify_,
diff --git a/src/fuse_getxattr.cpp b/src/fuse_getxattr.cpp
index 7b9236a7..2a7a8a87 100644
--- a/src/fuse_getxattr.cpp
+++ b/src/fuse_getxattr.cpp
@@ -120,7 +120,7 @@ int
 _getxattr_user_mergerfs(const fs::path &basepath_,
                         const fs::path &fusepath_,
                         const fs::path &fullpath_,
-                        const Branches &branches_,
+                        const Branches::Ptr branches_,
                         const char     *attrname_,
                         char           *buf_,
                         const size_t    count_)
@@ -144,7 +144,7 @@ _getxattr_user_mergerfs(const fs::path &basepath_,
 static
 int
 _getxattr(const Policy::Search &searchFunc_,
-          const Branches       &branches_,
+          const Branches::Ptr   branches_,
           const fs::path       &fusepath_,
           const char           *attrname_,
           char                 *buf_,
diff --git a/src/fuse_ioctl.cpp b/src/fuse_ioctl.cpp
index e0a06b44..eecf5ac2 100644
--- a/src/fuse_ioctl.cpp
+++ b/src/fuse_ioctl.cpp
@@ -129,7 +129,7 @@ _ioctl_file(const fuse_req_ctx_t   *ctx_,
 static
 int
 _ioctl_dir_base(const Policy::Search &searchFunc_,
-                const Branches       &branches_,
+                const Branches::Ptr   branches_,
                 const fs::path       &fusepath_,
                 const u32             cmd_,
                 void                 *data_,
diff --git a/src/fuse_link.cpp b/src/fuse_link.cpp
index 46ae6a2c..b9b5c3da 100644
--- a/src/fuse_link.cpp
+++ b/src/fuse_link.cpp
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ static
 int
 _link_create_path(const Policy::Search &searchFunc_,
                   const Policy::Action &actionFunc_,
-                  const Branches       &ibranches_,
+                  const Branches::Ptr   ibranches_,
                   const fs::path       &oldfusepath_,
                   const fs::path       &newfusepath_)
 {
@@ -152,7 +152,7 @@ _link_preserve_path_loop(const std::vector<Branch*> &oldbranches_,
 static
 int
 _link_preserve_path(const Policy::Action &actionFunc_,
-                    const Branches       &branches_,
+                    const Branches::Ptr   branches_,
                     const fs::path       &oldfusepath_,
                     const fs::path       &newfusepath_,
                     struct stat          *st_)
diff --git a/src/fuse_listxattr.cpp b/src/fuse_listxattr.cpp
index d14035e3..ce84e64e 100644
--- a/src/fuse_listxattr.cpp
+++ b/src/fuse_listxattr.cpp
@@ -121,7 +121,7 @@ _listxattr(const std::vector<Branch*> &branches_,
 static
 int
 _listxattr(const Policy::Search &searchFunc_,
-           const Branches       &ibranches_,
+           const Branches::Ptr   ibranches_,
            const fs::path       &fusepath_,
            char                 *list_,
            const size_t          size_)
diff --git a/src/fuse_mkdir.cpp b/src/fuse_mkdir.cpp
index c7483c47..bd3e9c68 100644
--- a/src/fuse_mkdir.cpp
+++ b/src/fuse_mkdir.cpp
@@ -103,7 +103,7 @@ int
 _mkdir(const ugid_t          ugid_,
        const Policy::Search &getattrPolicy_,
        const Policy::Create &mkdirPolicy_,
-       const Branches       &branches_,
+       const Branches::Ptr   branches_,
        const fs::path       &fusepath_,
        const mode_t          mode_,
        const mode_t          umask_)
diff --git a/src/fuse_mknod.cpp b/src/fuse_mknod.cpp
index dbc70258..889f1a96 100644
--- a/src/fuse_mknod.cpp
+++ b/src/fuse_mknod.cpp
@@ -108,7 +108,7 @@ int
 _mknod(const ugid_t          ugid_,
        const Policy::Search &searchFunc_,
        const Policy::Create &createFunc_,
-       const Branches       &branches_,
+       const Branches::Ptr   branches_,
        const fs::path       &fusepath_,
        const mode_t          mode_,
        const mode_t          umask_,
diff --git a/src/fuse_open.cpp b/src/fuse_open.cpp
index 8b84259f..6bdc3e70 100644
--- a/src/fuse_open.cpp
+++ b/src/fuse_open.cpp
@@ -308,7 +308,7 @@ _open_fd(const int         fd_,
 static
 int
 _open(const Policy::Search &searchFunc_,
-      const Branches       &ibranches_,
+      const Branches::Ptr   ibranches_,
       const fs::path       &fusepath_,
       fuse_file_info_t     *ffi_,
       const bool            link_cow_,
diff --git a/src/fuse_readlink.cpp b/src/fuse_readlink.cpp
index dffa4350..7bd9f91a 100644
--- a/src/fuse_readlink.cpp
+++ b/src/fuse_readlink.cpp
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@ _readlink_core(const fs::path &basepath_,
 static
 int
 _readlink(const Policy::Search &searchFunc_,
-          const Branches       &ibranches_,
+          const Branches::Ptr   ibranches_,
           const fs::path       &fusepath_,
           char                 *buf_,
           const size_t          bufsize_,
diff --git a/src/fuse_removexattr.cpp b/src/fuse_removexattr.cpp
index 524c283e..f43bb411 100644
--- a/src/fuse_removexattr.cpp
+++ b/src/fuse_removexattr.cpp
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ static
 int
 _removexattr(const Policy::Action &actionFunc_,
              const Policy::Search &searchFunc_,
-             const Branches       &ibranches_,
+             const Branches::Ptr   ibranches_,
              const fs::path       &fusepath_,
              const char           *attrname_)
 {
diff --git a/src/fuse_rmdir.cpp b/src/fuse_rmdir.cpp
index e2dad055..e6fcbd53 100644
--- a/src/fuse_rmdir.cpp
+++ b/src/fuse_rmdir.cpp
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ _rmdir_loop(const std::vector<Branch*> &branches_,
 static
 int
 _rmdir(const Policy::Action &actionFunc_,
-       const Branches       &branches_,
+       const Branches::Ptr   branches_,
        const FollowSymlinks  followsymlinks_,
        const fs::path       &fusepath_)
 {
diff --git a/src/fuse_setxattr.cpp b/src/fuse_setxattr.cpp
index 2502665e..260d2beb 100644
--- a/src/fuse_setxattr.cpp
+++ b/src/fuse_setxattr.cpp
@@ -145,7 +145,7 @@ static
 int
 _setxattr(const Policy::Action &setxattrPolicy_,
           const Policy::Search &getxattrPolicy_,
-          const Branches       &branches_,
+          const Branches::Ptr   branches_,
           const fs::path       &fusepath_,
           const char           *attrname_,
           const char           *attrval_,
diff --git a/src/fuse_statx_supported.icpp b/src/fuse_statx_supported.icpp
index 8a5ae58f..84a81018 100644
--- a/src/fuse_statx_supported.icpp
+++ b/src/fuse_statx_supported.icpp
@@ -124,7 +124,7 @@ _statx_controlfile(struct fuse_statx *st_,
 static
 int
 _statx(const Policy::Search &searchFunc_,
-       const Branches       &branches_,
+       const Branches::Ptr   branches_,
        const fs::path       &fusepath_,
        const uint32_t        flags_,
        const uint32_t        mask_,
diff --git a/src/fuse_symlink.cpp b/src/fuse_symlink.cpp
index 2d2722d0..5dbc818a 100644
--- a/src/fuse_symlink.cpp
+++ b/src/fuse_symlink.cpp
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ int
 _symlink(const ugid_t          ugid_,
          const Policy::Search &searchFunc_,
          const Policy::Create &createFunc_,
-         const Branches       &branches_,
+         const Branches::Ptr   branches_,
          const char           *target_,
          const fs::path       &linkpath_,
          struct stat          *st_)
diff --git a/src/fuse_truncate.cpp b/src/fuse_truncate.cpp
index a117bbd6..6ea0f8a1 100644
--- a/src/fuse_truncate.cpp
+++ b/src/fuse_truncate.cpp
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ static
 int
 _truncate(const Policy::Action &actionFunc_,
           const Policy::Search &searchFunc_,
-          const Branches       &branches_,
+          const Branches::Ptr   branches_,
           const fs::path       &fusepath_,
           const off_t           size_)
 {
diff --git a/src/fuse_unlink.cpp b/src/fuse_unlink.cpp
index 8f72e1a4..abd7ee35 100644
--- a/src/fuse_unlink.cpp
+++ b/src/fuse_unlink.cpp
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ _unlink_loop(const std::vector<Branch*> &branches_,
 static
 int
 _unlink(const Policy::Action &unlinkPolicy_,
-        const Branches       &branches_,
+        const Branches::Ptr   branches_,
         const fs::path       &fusepath_)
 {
   int rv;
diff --git a/src/fuse_utimens.cpp b/src/fuse_utimens.cpp
index 9d801068..7fbec390 100644
--- a/src/fuse_utimens.cpp
+++ b/src/fuse_utimens.cpp
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ static
 int
 _utimens(const Policy::Action &utimensPolicy_,
          const Policy::Search &getattrPolicy_,
-         const Branches       &branches_,
+         const Branches::Ptr   branches_,
          const fs::path       &fusepath_,
          const timespec        ts_[2])
 {