diff --git a/pygccxml/declarations/smart_pointer_traits.py b/pygccxml/declarations/smart_pointer_traits.py
index 28bfa844..bab111e2 100644
--- a/pygccxml/declarations/smart_pointer_traits.py
+++ b/pygccxml/declarations/smart_pointer_traits.py
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ class internal_type_traits(object):
     @staticmethod
     def get_by_name(type_, name):
         if class_traits.is_my_case(type_):
-            cls = class_traits.declaration_class(type_)
+            cls = class_traits.get_declaration(type_)
             return type_traits.remove_declarated(
                 cls.typedef(name, recursive=False).decl_type)
         elif class_declaration_traits.is_my_case(type_):
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ def value_type(type_):
                 'Type "%s" is not an instantiation of \
                 boost::shared_ptr or std::shared_ptr' %
                 type_.decl_string)
-        return internal_type_traits.get_by_name(type_, "value_type")
+        return internal_type_traits.get_by_name(type_, "element_type")
 
 
 class auto_ptr_traits(object):
diff --git a/unittests/test_smart_pointer.py b/unittests/test_smart_pointer.py
index bcd4739c..1f5a3b34 100644
--- a/unittests/test_smart_pointer.py
+++ b/unittests/test_smart_pointer.py
@@ -76,6 +76,34 @@ def test_is_auto_pointer(self):
         self.assertFalse(
             declarations.auto_ptr_traits.is_smart_pointer(decls[0].decl_type))
 
+    def test_smart_pointer_value_type(self):
+        """
+        Test smart_pointer_traits.value_type method.
+
+        """
+
+        if self.config.xml_generator == "gccxml":
+            return
+
+        criteria = declarations.declaration_matcher(name="yes1")
+        decls = declarations.matcher.find(criteria, self.global_ns)
+        vt = declarations.smart_pointer_traits.value_type(decls[0].decl_type)
+        self.assertIsInstance(vt, declarations.int_t)
+
+    def test_auto_pointer_value_type(self):
+        """
+        Test auto_pointer_traits.value_type method.
+
+        """
+
+        if self.config.xml_generator == "gccxml":
+            return
+
+        criteria = declarations.declaration_matcher(name="yes2")
+        decls = declarations.matcher.find(criteria, self.global_ns)
+        vt = declarations.auto_ptr_traits.value_type(decls[0].decl_type)
+        self.assertIsInstance(vt, declarations.double_t)
+
 
 def create_suite():
     suite = unittest.TestSuite()