diff --git a/Examples/test-suite/python/li_std_map.i b/Examples/test-suite/python/li_std_map.i
index bb4ececdf..0418613f2 100644
--- a/Examples/test-suite/python/li_std_map.i
+++ b/Examples/test-suite/python/li_std_map.i
@@ -27,6 +27,11 @@ namespace std
   %template(paircA2) pair<const int, const A*>;
   %template(pairiiA) pair<int,pair<int, A*> >;
   %template(pairiiAc) pair<int,const pair<int, A*> >;
+
+
+  %template() pair<PyObject *, PyObject *>;
+  %template(pymap) map<PyObject *, PyObject*>;
+  
 }
 
 
diff --git a/Examples/test-suite/python/li_std_map_runme.py b/Examples/test-suite/python/li_std_map_runme.py
index be703c181..f45d288ab 100644
--- a/Examples/test-suite/python/li_std_map_runme.py
+++ b/Examples/test-suite/python/li_std_map_runme.py
@@ -31,3 +31,11 @@ for k in m:
 
   
 
+
+pm = li_std_map.pymap()
+
+pm[1] = (1,2)
+pm["foo"] = "hello"
+
+for k in pm:  
+  print pm[k]
diff --git a/Examples/test-suite/python/li_std_vector.i b/Examples/test-suite/python/li_std_vector.i
index 1aa9bbe48..e6dc180f8 100644
--- a/Examples/test-suite/python/li_std_vector.i
+++ b/Examples/test-suite/python/li_std_vector.i
@@ -121,3 +121,6 @@ std::vector<std::string>  vecStr(std::vector<std::string> v) {
 
 %pointer_class(int,PtrInt)
 %array_functions(int,ArrInt)
+
+
+%template(pyvector) std::vector<PyObject*>; 
diff --git a/Examples/test-suite/python/li_std_vector_runme.py b/Examples/test-suite/python/li_std_vector_runme.py
index cf3325bc1..a2d974cae 100644
--- a/Examples/test-suite/python/li_std_vector_runme.py
+++ b/Examples/test-suite/python/li_std_vector_runme.py
@@ -94,3 +94,10 @@ v = vecStr(["hello ", "world"])
 if v[0] != 'hello world':
     raise RuntimeError,"bad std::string+std::vector"
     
+
+
+pv = pyvector([1, "hello", (1,2)])
+
+if pv[1] != "hello":
+    raise RuntimeError
+
diff --git a/Lib/python/pycontainer.swg b/Lib/python/pycontainer.swg
index 77d04572b..3f773c3cd 100644
--- a/Lib/python/pycontainer.swg
+++ b/Lib/python/pycontainer.swg
@@ -26,6 +26,27 @@
 
 %fragment("PySequence_Base","header")
 {
+namespace swig {
+  template <> struct traits<PyObject *> {
+    typedef value_category category;
+    static const char* type_name() { return "PyObject *"; }
+  };  
+  template <>  struct traits_asval<PyObject * > {   
+    typedef PyObject * value_type;
+    static int asval(PyObject *obj, value_type *val) {
+      if (val) *val = obj;
+      return SWIG_OK;
+    }
+  };
+  template <>  struct traits_from<PyObject *> {
+    typedef PyObject * value_type;
+    static PyObject *from(const value_type& val) {
+      Py_XINCREF(val);
+      return val;
+    }
+  };
+}
+
 namespace swig {
 
   inline size_t
diff --git a/Lib/python/pytypemaps.swg b/Lib/python/pytypemaps.swg
index 692f5b320..feb3f5bab 100644
--- a/Lib/python/pytypemaps.swg
+++ b/Lib/python/pytypemaps.swg
@@ -73,6 +73,17 @@
 
 %typemap(in,numinputs=0) PyObject **PYTHON_SELF "$1 = &obj0;";
 
+/* For output, we increase the reference object */
+%typemap(out,noblock=1)  PyObject * {
+  Py_XINCREF($1);
+  $result = $1;
+}
+
+%typemap(out,noblock=1)  PyObject * const & {
+  Py_XINCREF(*$1);
+  $result = *$1;
+}
+
 /* Consttab, needed for callbacks, it should be removed later */
 
 %typemap(consttab) SWIGTYPE ((*)(ANY))  
@@ -82,3 +93,5 @@
 
 
 
+
+
diff --git a/Lib/typemaps/swigobject.swg b/Lib/typemaps/swigobject.swg
index 5eacfe707..b75233d31 100644
--- a/Lib/typemaps/swigobject.swg
+++ b/Lib/typemaps/swigobject.swg
@@ -3,11 +3,20 @@
  * ------------------------------------------------------------ */
 
 %typemap(in)   SWIG_Object "$1 = $input;";
+%typemap(freearg) SWIG_Object "";
 
-%typemap(out,noblock=1)  SWIG_Object {
+%typemap(in)   SWIG_Object const & "$1 = &$input;";
+%typemap(freearg) SWIG_Object const & "";
+
+
+%typemap(out,noblock=1) SWIG_Object {
   $result = $1;
 }
 
+%typemap(out,noblock=1)  SWIG_Object const & {
+  $result = *$1;
+}
+
 %typecheck(SWIG_TYPECHECK_POINTER) SWIG_Object "$1 = ($input != 0);";
 
 %typemap(throws,noblock=1) SWIG_Object {