diff --git a/repos/os/src/server/nic_router/configuration.cc b/repos/os/src/server/nic_router/configuration.cc
index b7005f707e..4185d463a8 100644
--- a/repos/os/src/server/nic_router/configuration.cc
+++ b/repos/os/src/server/nic_router/configuration.cc
@@ -70,17 +70,17 @@ Configuration::Configuration(Env               &env,
 		Xml_node const report_node = node.sub_node("report");
 		try {
 			/* try to re-use existing reporter */
-			_reporter.set(legacy._reporter.deref());
-			legacy._reporter.unset();
+			_reporter = legacy._reporter();
+			legacy._reporter = Pointer<Reporter>();
 		}
 		catch (Pointer<Reporter>::Invalid) {
 
 			/* there is no reporter by now, create a new one */
-			_reporter.set(*new (_alloc) Reporter(env, "state"));
+			_reporter = *new (_alloc) Reporter(env, "state");
 		}
 		/* create report generator */
-		_report.set(*new (_alloc)
-			Report(report_node, timer, _domains, _reporter.deref()));
+		_report = *new (_alloc)
+			Report(report_node, timer, _domains, _reporter());
 	}
 	catch (Genode::Xml_node::Nonexistent_sub_node) { }
 }
@@ -89,11 +89,11 @@ Configuration::Configuration(Env               &env,
 Configuration::~Configuration()
 {
 	/* destroy reporter */
-	try { destroy(_alloc, &_reporter.deref()); }
+	try { destroy(_alloc, &_reporter()); }
 	catch (Pointer<Reporter>::Invalid) { }
 
 	/* destroy report generator */
-	try { destroy(_alloc, &_report.deref()); }
+	try { destroy(_alloc, &_report()); }
 	catch (Pointer<Report>::Invalid) { }
 
 	/* destroy domains */
diff --git a/repos/os/src/server/nic_router/configuration.h b/repos/os/src/server/nic_router/configuration.h
index 89987b7f24..5b2aa10575 100644
--- a/repos/os/src/server/nic_router/configuration.h
+++ b/repos/os/src/server/nic_router/configuration.h
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ class Net::Configuration
 		Genode::Microseconds  tcp_idle_timeout()      const { return _tcp_idle_timeout; }
 		Genode::Microseconds  tcp_max_segm_lifetime() const { return _tcp_max_segm_lifetime; }
 		Domain_tree          &domains()                     { return _domains; }
-		Report               &report()                      { return _report.deref(); }
+		Report               &report()                      { return _report(); }
 		Genode::Xml_node      node()                  const { return _node; }
 };
 
diff --git a/repos/os/src/server/nic_router/domain.cc b/repos/os/src/server/nic_router/domain.cc
index 1f0c19b1d6..fafa23ac2e 100644
--- a/repos/os/src/server/nic_router/domain.cc
+++ b/repos/os/src/server/nic_router/domain.cc
@@ -157,12 +157,12 @@ void Domain::_ip_config_changed()
 	}
 	/* try to find configuration for DHCP server role */
 	try {
-		_dhcp_server.set(*new (_alloc)
+		_dhcp_server = *new (_alloc)
 			Dhcp_server(_node.sub_node("dhcp-server"), _alloc,
-			            ip_config().interface));
+			            ip_config().interface);
 
 		if (_config.verbose()) {
-			log("DHCP server at domain \"", *this, "\": ", _dhcp_server.deref()); }
+			log("DHCP server at domain \"", *this, "\": ", _dhcp_server()); }
 	}
 	catch (Xml_node::Nonexistent_sub_node) { }
 	catch (Dhcp_server::Invalid) {
@@ -181,7 +181,7 @@ Domain::~Domain()
 	_tcp_forward_rules.destroy_each(_alloc);
 
 	/* destroy DHCP server and IP config */
-	try { destroy(_alloc, &_dhcp_server.deref()); }
+	try { destroy(_alloc, &_dhcp_server()); }
 	catch (Pointer<Dhcp_server>::Invalid) { }
 	_ip_config.destruct();
 }
diff --git a/repos/os/src/server/nic_router/domain.h b/repos/os/src/server/nic_router/domain.h
index 8464a9620b..258258b9d5 100644
--- a/repos/os/src/server/nic_router/domain.h
+++ b/repos/os/src/server/nic_router/domain.h
@@ -179,7 +179,7 @@ class Net::Domain : public Domain_base
 		Interface_list      &interfaces()            { return _interfaces; }
 		Configuration       &config()          const { return _config; }
 		Domain_avl_member   &avl_member()            { return _avl_member; }
-		Dhcp_server         &dhcp_server()           { return _dhcp_server.deref(); }
+		Dhcp_server         &dhcp_server()           { return _dhcp_server(); }
 		Arp_cache           &arp_cache()             { return _arp_cache; }
 		Arp_waiter_list     &foreign_arp_waiters()   { return _foreign_arp_waiters; }
 		Link_side_tree      &tcp_links()             { return _tcp_links; }
diff --git a/repos/os/src/server/nic_router/interface.cc b/repos/os/src/server/nic_router/interface.cc
index 2d32f66596..855413712a 100644
--- a/repos/os/src/server/nic_router/interface.cc
+++ b/repos/os/src/server/nic_router/interface.cc
@@ -226,7 +226,7 @@ void Interface::_attach_to_domain_raw(Domain_name const &domain_name)
 
 void Interface::_detach_from_domain_raw()
 {
-	Domain &domain = _domain.deref();
+	Domain &domain = _domain();
 	domain.detach_interface(*this);
 	_interfaces.insert(this);
 	_domain = Pointer<Domain>();
@@ -263,7 +263,7 @@ void Interface::_apply_foreign_arp()
 bool Interface::link_state()
 {
 	try {
-		_domain.deref();
+		_domain();
 		return true;
 	}
 	catch (Pointer<Domain>::Invalid) { }
@@ -290,7 +290,7 @@ void Interface::handle_config_aftermath()
 void Interface::detach_from_ip_config()
 {
 	/* destroy our own ARP waiters */
-	Domain &domain = _domain.deref();
+	Domain &domain = _domain();
 	while (_own_arp_waiters.first()) {
 		cancel_arp_waiting(*_own_arp_waiters.first()->object());
 	}
@@ -342,7 +342,7 @@ Interface::_new_link(L3_protocol             const  protocol,
 
 void Interface::dhcp_allocation_expired(Dhcp_allocation &allocation)
 {
-	_release_dhcp_allocation(allocation, _domain.deref());
+	_release_dhcp_allocation(allocation, _domain());
 	_released_dhcp_allocations.insert(&allocation);
 }
 
@@ -406,7 +406,7 @@ void Interface::_nat_link_and_pass(Ethernet_frame        &eth,
 
 		_src_port(prot, prot_base, nat.port_alloc(prot).alloc());
 		ip.src(remote_domain.ip_config().interface.address);
-		remote_port_alloc.set(nat.port_alloc(prot));
+		remote_port_alloc = nat.port_alloc(prot);
 	}
 	catch (Nat_rule_tree::No_match) { }
 	Link_side_id const remote_id = { ip.dst(), _dst_port(prot, prot_base),
@@ -1014,7 +1014,7 @@ void Interface::_handle_eth(void              *const  eth_base,
                             Packet_descriptor  const &pkt)
 {
 	try {
-		Domain &local_domain = _domain.deref();
+		Domain &local_domain = _domain();
 		try {
 			local_domain.raise_rx_bytes(eth_size);
 
@@ -1103,7 +1103,7 @@ void Interface::_send_submit_pkt(Packet_descriptor &pkt,
                                  void            * &pkt_base,
                                  size_t             pkt_size)
 {
-	Domain &local_domain = _domain.deref();
+	Domain &local_domain = _domain();
 	_source().submit_packet(pkt);
 	local_domain.raise_tx_bytes(pkt_size);
 	if (local_domain.verbose_packets()) {
@@ -1173,7 +1173,7 @@ void Interface::_update_link_check_nat(Link        &link,
 		Nat_rule &nat = new_srv_dom.nat_rules().find_by_domain(cln_dom);
 		Port_allocator_guard &remote_port_alloc = nat.port_alloc(prot);
 		remote_port_alloc.alloc(link.server().dst_port());
-		remote_port_alloc_ptr.set(remote_port_alloc);
+		remote_port_alloc_ptr = remote_port_alloc;
 		link.handle_config(cln_dom, new_srv_dom, remote_port_alloc_ptr, _config());
 		return;
 	}
diff --git a/repos/os/src/server/nic_router/interface.h b/repos/os/src/server/nic_router/interface.h
index df79ce1a00..35a27c235d 100644
--- a/repos/os/src/server/nic_router/interface.h
+++ b/repos/os/src/server/nic_router/interface.h
@@ -327,7 +327,7 @@ class Net::Interface : private Interface_list::Element
 		 ** Accessors **
 		 ***************/
 
-		Domain          &domain()           { return _domain.deref(); }
+		Domain          &domain()           { return _domain(); }
 		Mac_address      router_mac() const { return _router_mac; }
 		Arp_waiter_list &own_arp_waiters()  { return _own_arp_waiters; }
 };
diff --git a/repos/os/src/server/nic_router/link.cc b/repos/os/src/server/nic_router/link.cc
index fe7ece4fe5..85cb88163a 100644
--- a/repos/os/src/server/nic_router/link.cc
+++ b/repos/os/src/server/nic_router/link.cc
@@ -155,7 +155,7 @@ void Link::dissolve()
 		log("Dissolve ", l3_protocol_name(_protocol), " link: ", *this); }
 
 	try {
-		_server_port_alloc.deref().free(_server.dst_port());
+		_server_port_alloc().free(_server.dst_port());
 		if (_config().verbose()) {
 			log("Free ", l3_protocol_name(_protocol),
 			    " port ", _server.dst_port(),
diff --git a/repos/os/src/server/nic_router/pointer.h b/repos/os/src/server/nic_router/pointer.h
index cf74d2dbaf..3d3c406df3 100644
--- a/repos/os/src/server/nic_router/pointer.h
+++ b/repos/os/src/server/nic_router/pointer.h
@@ -23,72 +23,54 @@ namespace Net {
 	template <typename> class Const_pointer;
 }
 
+
 template <typename T>
 class Net::Pointer
 {
 	private:
 
-		T *_ptr;
+		T *_obj;
 
 	public:
 
-		struct Valid   : Genode::Exception { };
 		struct Invalid : Genode::Exception { };
 
-		Pointer() : _ptr(nullptr) { }
+		Pointer() : _obj(nullptr) { }
 
-		Pointer(T &ref) : _ptr(&ref) { }
+		Pointer(T &obj) : _obj(&obj) { }
 
-		T &deref() const
+		T &operator () () const
 		{
-			if (_ptr == nullptr) {
-				throw Invalid(); }
+			if (_obj == nullptr)
+				throw Invalid();
 
-			return *_ptr;
+			return *_obj;
 		}
-
-		void set(T &ptr)
-		{
-			if (_ptr != nullptr) {
-				throw Valid(); }
-
-			_ptr = &ptr;
-		}
-
-		void unset() { _ptr = nullptr; }
 };
 
+
 template <typename T>
 class Net::Const_pointer
 {
 	private:
 
-		T const *_ptr;
-		bool     _valid;
+		T const *_obj;
 
 	public:
 
-		struct Valid   : Genode::Exception { };
 		struct Invalid : Genode::Exception { };
 
-		Const_pointer() : _ptr(nullptr), _valid(false) { }
+		Const_pointer() : _obj(nullptr) { }
 
-		Const_pointer(T const &ref) : _ptr(&ref), _valid(true) { }
+		Const_pointer(T const &obj) : _obj(&obj) { }
 
-		T const &deref() const
+		T const &operator () () const
 		{
-			if (!_valid) { throw Invalid(); }
-			return *_ptr;
-		}
+			if (_obj == nullptr)
+				throw Invalid();
 
-		void set(T const &ptr)
-		{
-			if (_valid) { throw Valid(); }
-			_ptr = &ptr;
-			_valid = true;
+			return *_obj;
 		}
-
-		void unset() { _valid = false; }
 };
 
 #endif /* _POINTER_H_ */
diff --git a/repos/os/src/server/nic_router/transport_rule.cc b/repos/os/src/server/nic_router/transport_rule.cc
index 40a25dcc13..a627dc2329 100644
--- a/repos/os/src/server/nic_router/transport_rule.cc
+++ b/repos/os/src/server/nic_router/transport_rule.cc
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ Transport_rule::Transport_rule(Domain_tree    &domains,
 {
 	/* skip specific permit rules if all ports are permitted anyway */
 	try {
-		Permit_any_rule &permit_any_rule = _permit_any_rule.deref();
+		Permit_any_rule &permit_any_rule = _permit_any_rule();
 		if (config.verbose()) {
 			log("  ", protocol, " rule: ", _dst, " ", permit_any_rule); }
 
@@ -80,14 +80,14 @@ Transport_rule::Transport_rule(Domain_tree    &domains,
 Transport_rule::~Transport_rule()
 {
 	_permit_single_rules.destroy_each(_alloc);
-	try { destroy(_alloc, &_permit_any_rule.deref()); }
+	try { destroy(_alloc, &_permit_any_rule()); }
 	catch (Pointer<Permit_any_rule>::Invalid) { }
 }
 
 
 Permit_rule const &Transport_rule::permit_rule(Port const port) const
 {
-	try { return _permit_any_rule.deref(); }
+	try { return _permit_any_rule(); }
 	catch (Pointer<Permit_any_rule>::Invalid) { }
 	return _permit_single_rules.find_by_port(port);
 }