diff --git a/dfhack/python/DF_Maps.cpp b/dfhack/python/DF_Maps.cpp
index 788130444..e397d9ef7 100644
--- a/dfhack/python/DF_Maps.cpp
+++ b/dfhack/python/DF_Maps.cpp
@@ -301,7 +301,7 @@ static void ReverseBuildDesignations40d(PyObject* list, DFHack::designations40d&
 	
 	for(int i = 0; i < 16; i++)
 	{
-		innerList = PyList_GetItem(list, i);
+		innerList = PyList_GET_ITEM(list, i);
 		
 		for(int j = 0; j < 16; j++)
 			des[i][j].whole = (uint32_t)PyInt_AsLong(PyList_GET_ITEM(innerList, j));
@@ -581,6 +581,8 @@ static PyObject* DF_Map_ReadDesignations(DF_Map* self, PyObject* args)
 	Py_RETURN_NONE;
 }
 
+static DFHack::designations40d writeDes;
+
 static PyObject* DF_Map_WriteDesignations(DF_Map* self, PyObject* args)
 {
 	PyObject* desList;
@@ -591,11 +593,9 @@ static PyObject* DF_Map_WriteDesignations(DF_Map* self, PyObject* args)
 		if(!PyArg_ParseTuple(args, "IIIO", &x, &y, &z, &desList))
 			return NULL;
 		
-		designations40d des;
-		
-		ReverseBuildDesignations40d(desList, des);
+		ReverseBuildDesignations40d(desList, writeDes);
 		
-		if(self->m_Ptr->WriteDesignations(x, y, z, &des))
+		if(self->m_Ptr->WriteDesignations(x, y, z, &writeDes))
 			Py_RETURN_TRUE;
 		else
 			Py_RETURN_FALSE;
@@ -817,7 +817,7 @@ static PyTypeObject DF_Map_type =
 {
     PyObject_HEAD_INIT(NULL)
     0,                         /*ob_size*/
-    "pydfhack.Map",             /*tp_name*/
+    "pydfhack._MapManager",             /*tp_name*/
     sizeof(DF_Map), /*tp_basicsize*/
     0,                         /*tp_itemsize*/
     (destructor)DF_Map_dealloc,                         /*tp_dealloc*/
@@ -836,7 +836,7 @@ static PyTypeObject DF_Map_type =
     0,                         /*tp_setattro*/
     0,                         /*tp_as_buffer*/
     Py_TPFLAGS_DEFAULT | Py_TPFLAGS_BASETYPE,        /*tp_flags*/
-    "pydfhack Map objects",           /* tp_doc */
+    "pydfhack MapManager object",           /* tp_doc */
     0,		               /* tp_traverse */
     0,		               /* tp_clear */
     0,		               /* tp_richcompare */