diff --git a/vowpalwabbit/parse_args.cc b/vowpalwabbit/parse_args.cc
index 1aee3134d55..4d766398002 100644
--- a/vowpalwabbit/parse_args.cc
+++ b/vowpalwabbit/parse_args.cc
@@ -183,7 +183,8 @@ void parse_dictionary_argument(vw&all, string str)
     THROW("error: cannot re-read dictionary from file '" << fname << "'" << ", opening failed");
   }
 
-  feature_dict* map = new feature_dict(1023, nullptr, substring_equal);
+  feature_dict* map = &calloc_or_throw<feature_dict>();
+  map->init(1023, nullptr, substring_equal);
   example *ec = VW::alloc_examples(all.p->lp.label_size, 1);
 
   size_t def = (size_t)' ';
@@ -941,7 +942,8 @@ void parse_example_tweaks(arguments& arg)
 
   if (arg.vm.count("named_labels"))
   {
-    arg.all->sd->ldict = new namedlabels(named_labels);
+    arg.all->sd->ldict = &calloc_or_throw<namedlabels>();
+    new (arg.all->sd->ldict) namedlabels(named_labels);
     if (!arg.all->quiet)
       arg.trace_message << "parsed " << arg.all->sd->ldict->getK() << " named labels" << endl;
   }
@@ -1584,7 +1586,11 @@ void finish(vw& all, bool delete_all)
     seeded = false;
   if (!seeded)
   {
-    delete(all.sd->ldict);
+    if (all.sd->ldict)
+      {
+        all.sd->ldict->~namedlabels();
+        free(all.sd->ldict);
+      }
     free(all.sd);
   }
   all.reduction_stack.delete_v();
@@ -1606,7 +1612,7 @@ void finish(vw& all, bool delete_all)
 
     all.loaded_dictionaries[i].dict->iter(delete_dictionary_entry);
     all.loaded_dictionaries[i].dict->delete_v();
-    delete all.loaded_dictionaries[i].dict;
+    free(all.loaded_dictionaries[i].dict);
   }
   delete all.loss;
 
diff --git a/vowpalwabbit/v_hashmap.h b/vowpalwabbit/v_hashmap.h
index 428e6ce2071..63b176f407d 100644
--- a/vowpalwabbit/v_hashmap.h
+++ b/vowpalwabbit/v_hashmap.h
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ template<class K, class V> class v_hashmap
   void set_default_value(V def) { default_value = def; }
 
   void init_dat(size_t min_size, V def, bool (*eq)(void*,K&,K&), void *eq_dat = nullptr)
-  { dat = v_init<hash_elem>();
+  {
     if (min_size < 1023) min_size = 1023;
     dat.resize(min_size, true); // resize sets to 0 ==> occupied=false
 
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ template<class K, class V> class v_hashmap
   }
 
   void init(size_t min_size, V def, bool (*eq)(K&,K&))
-  { dat = v_array<hash_elem>();
+  {
     if (min_size < 1023) min_size = 1023;
     dat.resize(min_size); // resize sets to 0 ==> occupied=false
 
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ template<class K, class V> class v_hashmap
   }
 
   void init(size_t min_size, bool (*eq)(K&,K&))
-  { dat = v_array<hash_elem>();
+  {
     if (min_size < 1023) min_size = 1023;
     dat.resize(min_size); // resize sets to 0 ==> occupied=false