--- a/src/pt-const.h
+++ b/src/pt-const.h
@@ -47,11 +47,15 @@
 {
 private:
 
+// The real representation of a constant, declared in tc-rep.h
+
 #include "tc-rep.h"
 
-// The real representation of a constant, declared in tc-rep.h
-
-  tree_constant_rep *rep;
+  union
+    {
+      tree_constant *freeptr;  // For custom memory management.
+      tree_constant_rep *rep;  // The real representation.
+    };
 
 public:
 
@@ -151,10 +155,8 @@
 
   ~tree_constant (void);
 
-#if defined (MDEBUG)
   void *operator new (size_t size);
   void operator delete (void *p, size_t size);
-#endif
 
 // Simple assignment.