diff --git a/Source/Categories/NSManagedObjectContext+MagicalRecord.m b/Source/Categories/NSManagedObjectContext+MagicalRecord.m
index 5f2a5034e..cebe92b6c 100644
--- a/Source/Categories/NSManagedObjectContext+MagicalRecord.m
+++ b/Source/Categories/NSManagedObjectContext+MagicalRecord.m
@@ -31,10 +31,8 @@ + (NSManagedObjectContext *)MR_defaultContext
 
 + (void) MR_setDefaultContext:(NSManagedObjectContext *)moc
 {
-#ifndef NS_AUTOMATED_REFCOUNT_UNAVAILABLE
-    [moc retain];
-    [defaultManageObjectContext_ release];
-#endif
+    MR_RETAIN(moc);
+    MR_RELEASE(defaultManageObjectContext_);
     defaultManageObjectContext_ = moc;
 }
 
diff --git a/Source/Categories/NSManagedObjectModel+MagicalRecord.m b/Source/Categories/NSManagedObjectModel+MagicalRecord.m
index f045081ad..9b1add3aa 100644
--- a/Source/Categories/NSManagedObjectModel+MagicalRecord.m
+++ b/Source/Categories/NSManagedObjectModel+MagicalRecord.m
@@ -25,10 +25,8 @@ + (NSManagedObjectModel *) MR_defaultManagedObjectModel
 
 + (void) MR_setDefaultManagedObjectModel:(NSManagedObjectModel *)newDefaultModel
 {
-#ifndef NS_AUTOMATED_REFCOUNT_UNAVAILABLE
-    [newDefaultModel retain];
-    [defaultManagedObjectModel_ release];
-#endif
+    MR_RETAIN(newDefaultModel);
+    MR_RELEASE(defaultManagedObjectModel_);
 	defaultManagedObjectModel_ = newDefaultModel;
 }
 
diff --git a/Source/Categories/NSPersistentStore+MagicalRecord.m b/Source/Categories/NSPersistentStore+MagicalRecord.m
index df4599fb0..45b6ed507 100644
--- a/Source/Categories/NSPersistentStore+MagicalRecord.m
+++ b/Source/Categories/NSPersistentStore+MagicalRecord.m
@@ -22,10 +22,8 @@ + (NSPersistentStore *) MR_defaultPersistentStore
 
 + (void) MR_setDefaultPersistentStore:(NSPersistentStore *) store
 {
-#ifndef NS_AUTOMATED_REFCOUNT_UNAVAILABLE
-    [store retain];
-    [defaultPersistentStore_ release];
-#endif
+    MR_RETAIN(store);
+    MR_RELEASE(defaultPersistentStore_);
 	defaultPersistentStore_ = store;
 }
 
diff --git a/Source/Categories/NSPersistentStoreCoordinator+MagicalRecord.m b/Source/Categories/NSPersistentStoreCoordinator+MagicalRecord.m
index d3ea29c35..765ec21ea 100644
--- a/Source/Categories/NSPersistentStoreCoordinator+MagicalRecord.m
+++ b/Source/Categories/NSPersistentStoreCoordinator+MagicalRecord.m
@@ -29,10 +29,8 @@ + (NSPersistentStoreCoordinator *) MR_defaultStoreCoordinator
 
 + (void) MR_setDefaultStoreCoordinator:(NSPersistentStoreCoordinator *)coordinator
 {
-#ifndef NS_AUTOMATED_REFCOUNT_UNAVAILABLE
-    [coordinator retain];
-    [defaultCoordinator_ release];
-#endif
+    MR_RETAIN(coordinator);
+    MR_RELEASE(defaultCoordinator_);
 	defaultCoordinator_ = coordinator;
     
     if (defaultCoordinator_ != nil)
diff --git a/Source/MagicalRecordHelpers.m b/Source/MagicalRecordHelpers.m
index 744282348..6d1935352 100644
--- a/Source/MagicalRecordHelpers.m
+++ b/Source/MagicalRecordHelpers.m
@@ -417,9 +417,7 @@ BOOL addMagicalRecordShortHandMethodToPrefixedClassMethod(Class klass, SEL origi
     [formatter setDateFormat:format];
     
     NSDate *parsedDate = [formatter dateFromString:value];
-#ifndef NS_AUTOMATED_REFCOUNT_UNAVAILABLE
-    [formatter autorelease];
-#endif
+    MR_AUTORELEASE(formatter);
     
     return parsedDate;
 }