diff --git a/src/ifcconvert/IfcConvert.cpp b/src/ifcconvert/IfcConvert.cpp
index d1473d7a7f..51ce532fdd 100644
--- a/src/ifcconvert/IfcConvert.cpp
+++ b/src/ifcconvert/IfcConvert.cpp
@@ -906,7 +906,7 @@ int main(int argc, char** argv) {
         return EXIT_FAILURE;
     }
 
-	serializer->setFile(ifc_file);
+	serializer->setFile(*ifc_file);
 
     if (context_iterator && geometry_settings.get<ifcopenshell::geometry::settings::ConvertBackUnits>().get()) {
 		serializer->setUnitNameAndMagnitude(context_iterator->unit_name(), static_cast<float>(context_iterator->unit_magnitude()));
diff --git a/src/ifcgeom/Serializer.h b/src/ifcgeom/Serializer.h
index edeaf4d63b..03c2b6c362 100644
--- a/src/ifcgeom/Serializer.h
+++ b/src/ifcgeom/Serializer.h
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ public:
 	virtual bool is_streaming() const { return false; }
 	virtual void writeHeader() = 0;
 	virtual void finalize() = 0;
-	virtual void setFile(ifcopenshell::file*) = 0;
+	virtual void setFile(ifcopenshell::file&) = 0;
 };
 
 #endif
diff --git a/src/ifcwrap/IfcGeomWrapper.i b/src/ifcwrap/IfcGeomWrapper.i
index e8f27fc39a..e85c6366bd 100644
--- a/src/ifcwrap/IfcGeomWrapper.i
+++ b/src/ifcwrap/IfcGeomWrapper.i
@@ -350,7 +350,7 @@ public:
 		serializer_->finalize();
 	}
 
-	void setFile(ifcopenshell::file* file) override {
+	void setFile(ifcopenshell::file& file) override {
 		serializer_->setFile(file);
 	}
 
@@ -405,7 +405,7 @@ private:
 		$self->finalize();
 	}
 
-	void setFile(ifcopenshell::file* file) {
+	void setFile(ifcopenshell::file& file) {
 		$self->setFile(file);
 	}
 }
@@ -1256,7 +1256,7 @@ ifcopenshell::geometry::taxonomy::item::ptr try_upcast(PyObject* obj0, swig_type
 %}
 
 %inline %{
-	IfcGeom::ConversionResultShape* nary_union(PyObject* sequence) {
+	IfcGeom::ConversionResultShape* nary_union(PyObject* sequence) {
 		std::vector<const CGAL::Nef_polyhedron_3<CGAL::Epeck>*> nefs;
 		for(Py_ssize_t i = 0; i < PySequence_Size(sequence); ++i) {
 			PyObject* element = PySequence_GetItem(sequence, i);
diff --git a/src/serializers/ColladaSerializer.h b/src/serializers/ColladaSerializer.h
index 71f6d3b65c..45d1238f0c 100644
--- a/src/serializers/ColladaSerializer.h
+++ b/src/serializers/ColladaSerializer.h
@@ -238,7 +238,7 @@ public:
 		unit_name = name;
 		unit_magnitude = magnitude;
 	}
-	void setFile(ifcopenshell::file*) {}
+	void setFile(ifcopenshell::file&) {}
 
     std::string object_id(const IfcGeom::Element* o) /*override*/;
 
diff --git a/src/serializers/GltfSerializer.cpp b/src/serializers/GltfSerializer.cpp
index 73b81fb0e6..557c8c1707 100644
--- a/src/serializers/GltfSerializer.cpp
+++ b/src/serializers/GltfSerializer.cpp
@@ -530,7 +530,7 @@ namespace {
 	}
 }
 
-void GltfSerializer::setFile(ifcopenshell::file* f) {
+void GltfSerializer::setFile(ifcopenshell::file& f) {
 	if (!settings_.get<ifcopenshell::geometry::settings::WriteGltfEcef>().get()) {
 		return;
 	}
@@ -541,7 +541,7 @@ void GltfSerializer::setFile(ifcopenshell::file* f) {
 
 	std::vector<express::Base> coordops;
 	try {
-		coordops = f->instances_by_type("IfcCoordinateOperation");
+		coordops = f.instances_by_type("IfcCoordinateOperation");
 	} catch (ifcopenshell::exception&) {
 		// Ignored. Schema likely doesn't support IfcCoordinateOperation.
 	}
@@ -578,7 +578,7 @@ void GltfSerializer::setFile(ifcopenshell::file* f) {
 	}
 
 	if (!crs_epsg) {
-		auto sites = f->instances_by_type("IfcSite");
+		auto sites = f.instances_by_type("IfcSite");
 
 		if (sites.size() == 1) {
 			auto lat_attr = sites.front().as<express::Entity>().get("RefLatitude");
@@ -613,7 +613,7 @@ void GltfSerializer::setFile(ifcopenshell::file* f) {
 		}
 	}
 
-	auto contexts = f->instances_by_type_excl_subtypes("IfcGeometricRepresentationContext");
+	auto contexts = f.instances_by_type_excl_subtypes("IfcGeometricRepresentationContext");
 
 	if (!contexts.empty()) {
         auto context = contexts.front().as<express::Entity>();
diff --git a/src/serializers/GltfSerializer.h b/src/serializers/GltfSerializer.h
index c28fbbb1dd..3053961ea0 100644
--- a/src/serializers/GltfSerializer.h
+++ b/src/serializers/GltfSerializer.h
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ public:
 	void finalize();
 	bool isTesselated() const { return true; }
 	void setUnitNameAndMagnitude(const std::string& /*name*/, float /*magnitude*/) {}
-	void setFile(ifcopenshell::file*);
+	void setFile(ifcopenshell::file&);
 };
 
 #endif
diff --git a/src/serializers/JsonSerializer.h b/src/serializers/JsonSerializer.h
index 94f8a80a17..64714a6378 100644
--- a/src/serializers/JsonSerializer.h
+++ b/src/serializers/JsonSerializer.h
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ class JsonSerializer : public Serializer {
         }
         implementation_->finalize();
     }
-    void setFile(ifcopenshell::file*) { throw ifcopenshell::exception("Should be supplied on construction"); }
+    void setFile(ifcopenshell::file&) { throw ifcopenshell::exception("Should be supplied on construction"); }
 };
 
 #endif
diff --git a/src/serializers/OpenCascadeBasedSerializer.h b/src/serializers/OpenCascadeBasedSerializer.h
index e71ff1f1c2..572b39d316 100644
--- a/src/serializers/OpenCascadeBasedSerializer.h
+++ b/src/serializers/OpenCascadeBasedSerializer.h
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ public:
 	void write(const IfcGeom::TriangulationElement* /*o*/) {}
 	void write(const IfcGeom::BRepElement* o);
 	bool isTesselated() const { return false; }
-	void setFile(ifcopenshell::file*) {}
+	void setFile(ifcopenshell::file&) {}
 };
 
 #endif
diff --git a/src/serializers/RocksDbSerializer.h b/src/serializers/RocksDbSerializer.h
index 0a79c820b5..c57c8d08a2 100644
--- a/src/serializers/RocksDbSerializer.h
+++ b/src/serializers/RocksDbSerializer.h
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ public:
 	void writeHeader() override {}
 
 	void finalize() override;
-	void setFile(ifcopenshell::file*) override { throw ifcopenshell::exception("Streaming serializer uses input filename supplied on construction"); }
+	void setFile(ifcopenshell::file&) override { throw ifcopenshell::exception("Streaming serializer uses input filename supplied on construction"); }
 };
 
 #endif
diff --git a/src/serializers/SvgSerializer.cpp b/src/serializers/SvgSerializer.cpp
index 92ea24665e..cf474869e8 100644
--- a/src/serializers/SvgSerializer.cpp
+++ b/src/serializers/SvgSerializer.cpp
@@ -2463,10 +2463,10 @@ std::string SvgSerializer::nameElement(express::Base elem_) {
 		});
 }
 
-void SvgSerializer::setFile(ifcopenshell::file* f) {
+void SvgSerializer::setFile(ifcopenshell::file& f) {
 	using namespace ifcopenshell::geometry::settings;
 
-	file = f;
+	file = &f;
 	auto apply_section_heights_from_storeys = [&]() {
 		if (settings().get<SvgSectionHeightFromStoreys>().get()) {
 			if (settings().get<SvgSectionHeight>().has()) {
@@ -2477,15 +2477,15 @@ void SvgSerializer::setFile(ifcopenshell::file* f) {
 		}
 	};
 
-	auto storeys = f->instances_by_type("IfcBuildingStorey");
+	auto storeys = f.instances_by_type("IfcBuildingStorey");
 	if (storeys.empty()) {
 		auto mapping = ifcopenshell::geometry::impl::mapping_implementations().construct(file, geometry_settings_, logger());
 
 		std::vector<const ifcopenshell::declaration*> to_derive_from;
-		to_derive_from.push_back(f->schema()->declaration_by_name("IfcBuilding"));
-		to_derive_from.push_back(f->schema()->declaration_by_name("IfcSite"));
+		to_derive_from.push_back(f.schema()->declaration_by_name("IfcBuilding"));
+		to_derive_from.push_back(f.schema()->declaration_by_name("IfcSite"));
 		for (auto it = to_derive_from.begin(); it != to_derive_from.end(); ++it) {
-			auto insts = f->instances_by_type(*it);
+			auto insts = f.instances_by_type(*it);
 			for (auto& inst : insts) {
                 auto product = inst.as<express::Entity>();	
 				if (!product.get("ObjectPlacement").isNull()) {
diff --git a/src/serializers/SvgSerializer.h b/src/serializers/SvgSerializer.h
index 349a3c343c..9147485c41 100644
--- a/src/serializers/SvgSerializer.h
+++ b/src/serializers/SvgSerializer.h
@@ -650,7 +650,7 @@ public:
 	bool isTesselated() const { return false; }
     void finalize();
     void setUnitNameAndMagnitude(const std::string& /*name*/, float /*magnitude*/) {}
-	void setFile(ifcopenshell::file* f);
+	void setFile(ifcopenshell::file& f);
     void setBoundingRectangle(double width, double height);
     void setSectionHeight(double h, express::Base storey = express::Base());
 	void setSectionHeightsFromStoreys(double offset=1.2);
diff --git a/src/serializers/TtlWktSerializer.h b/src/serializers/TtlWktSerializer.h
index 69e17cad7c..4bc6f76f12 100644
--- a/src/serializers/TtlWktSerializer.h
+++ b/src/serializers/TtlWktSerializer.h
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ public:
 	void finalize() {}
 	bool isTesselated() const;
 	void setUnitNameAndMagnitude(const std::string& /*name*/, float /*magnitude*/) {}
-	void setFile(ifcopenshell::file*) {}
+	void setFile(ifcopenshell::file&) {}
 	std::string ttl_object_id(const IfcGeom::Element* o, const char* const postfix = nullptr);
 };
 
diff --git a/src/serializers/USDSerializer.h b/src/serializers/USDSerializer.h
index d7b450ffc2..d6aa6a8f2b 100644
--- a/src/serializers/USDSerializer.h
+++ b/src/serializers/USDSerializer.h
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ public:
 	void finalize();
 	bool isTesselated() const { return true; }
 	void setUnitNameAndMagnitude(const std::string&, float) {}
-	void setFile(ifcopenshell::file*) {}
+	void setFile(ifcopenshell::file&) {}
 	std::string object_id_unique(const IfcGeom::Element* o);
 };
 
diff --git a/src/serializers/WavefrontObjSerializer.h b/src/serializers/WavefrontObjSerializer.h
index 64f1131d8f..a35de6a713 100644
--- a/src/serializers/WavefrontObjSerializer.h
+++ b/src/serializers/WavefrontObjSerializer.h
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ public:
 	void finalize() {}
 	bool isTesselated() const { return true; }
 	void setUnitNameAndMagnitude(const std::string& /*name*/, float /*magnitude*/) {}
-	void setFile(ifcopenshell::file*) {}
+	void setFile(ifcopenshell::file&) {}
 };
 
 #endif
diff --git a/src/serializers/XmlSerializer.h b/src/serializers/XmlSerializer.h
index c91dc9562d..b47f0449c9 100644
--- a/src/serializers/XmlSerializer.h
+++ b/src/serializers/XmlSerializer.h
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ public:
 		}
 		implementation_->finalize();
 	}
-	void setFile(ifcopenshell::file*) { throw ifcopenshell::exception("Should be supplied on construction"); }
+	void setFile(ifcopenshell::file&) { throw ifcopenshell::exception("Should be supplied on construction"); }
 };
 
 #endif
diff --git a/src/serializers/schema_dependent/JsonSerializer.h b/src/serializers/schema_dependent/JsonSerializer.h
index 26ad037bcc..8603de2317 100644
--- a/src/serializers/schema_dependent/JsonSerializer.h
+++ b/src/serializers/schema_dependent/JsonSerializer.h
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ class POSTFIX_SCHEMA(JsonSerializer) : public JsonSerializer {
     }
 
     void finalize();
-    void setFile(ifcopenshell::file*) {}
+    void setFile(ifcopenshell::file&) {}
 };
 
 #endif
diff --git a/src/serializers/schema_dependent/XmlSerializer.h b/src/serializers/schema_dependent/XmlSerializer.h
index 22c582f12e..619488d8b6 100644
--- a/src/serializers/schema_dependent/XmlSerializer.h
+++ b/src/serializers/schema_dependent/XmlSerializer.h
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ public:
 	}
 
 	void finalize();
-	void setFile(ifcopenshell::file*) {}
+	void setFile(ifcopenshell::file&) {}
 };
 
 #endif