diff --git a/lib/Slic3r/Layer/Region.pm b/lib/Slic3r/Layer/Region.pm
index 5ea7b2a8c..b8d464af6 100644
--- a/lib/Slic3r/Layer/Region.pm
+++ b/lib/Slic3r/Layer/Region.pm
@@ -28,17 +28,6 @@ sub print   { return $_[0]->layer->print; }
 
 sub config  { return $_[0]->region->config; }
 
-sub merge_slices {
-    my ($self) = @_;
-    
-    my $expolygons = union_ex([ map $_->p, @{$self->slices} ]);
-    $self->slices->clear;
-    $self->slices->append(Slic3r::Surface->new(
-        expolygon    => $_,
-        surface_type => S_TYPE_INTERNAL,
-    )) for @$expolygons;
-}
-
 sub make_perimeters {
     my ($self, $slices, $fill_surfaces) = @_;
     
@@ -177,7 +166,7 @@ sub make_perimeters {
             );
             foreach my $gap_size (@gap_sizes) {
                 my @gap_fill = $self->_fill_gaps(@$gap_size, \@gaps);
-                $self->thin_fills->append(@gap_fill);
+                $self->thin_fills->append($_) for @gap_fill;
             
                 # Make sure we don't infill narrow parts that are already gap-filled
                 # (we only consider this surface's gaps to reduce the diff() complexity).
@@ -199,14 +188,13 @@ sub make_perimeters {
         # and then we offset back and forth by half the infill spacing to only consider the
         # non-collapsing regions
         my $min_perimeter_infill_spacing = $ispacing * (1 - &Slic3r::INSET_OVERLAP_TOLERANCE);
-        $fill_surfaces->append(
-            map Slic3r::Surface->new(expolygon => $_, surface_type => S_TYPE_INTERNAL),  # use a bogus surface type
-            @{offset2_ex(
-                [ map @{$_->simplify_p(&Slic3r::SCALED_RESOLUTION)}, @{union_ex(\@last)} ],
-                -($pspacing/2 + $min_perimeter_infill_spacing/2),
-                +$min_perimeter_infill_spacing/2,
-            )}
-        );
+        $fill_surfaces->append($_)
+            for map Slic3r::Surface->new(expolygon => $_, surface_type => S_TYPE_INTERNAL),  # use a bogus surface type
+                @{offset2_ex(
+                    [ map @{$_->simplify_p(&Slic3r::SCALED_RESOLUTION)}, @{union_ex(\@last)} ],
+                    -($pspacing/2 + $min_perimeter_infill_spacing/2),
+                    +$min_perimeter_infill_spacing/2,
+                )};
     }
     
     
@@ -245,9 +233,8 @@ sub make_perimeters {
         # lower layer, so we take lower slices and offset them by half the nozzle diameter used 
         # in the current layer
         my $nozzle_diameter = $self->layer->print->config->get_at('nozzle_diameter', $self->region->config->perimeter_extruder-1);
-        $lower_slices->append(
-            @{offset_ex([ map @$_, @{$self->layer->lower_layer->slices} ], scale +$nozzle_diameter/2)},
-        );
+        $lower_slices->append($_)
+            for @{offset_ex([ map @$_, @{$self->layer->lower_layer->slices} ], scale +$nozzle_diameter/2)};
     }
     my $lower_slices_p = $lower_slices->polygons;
     
@@ -418,7 +405,7 @@ sub make_perimeters {
             || ($self->layer->id == 0 && $self->print->config->brim_width > 0);
     
     # append perimeters
-    $self->perimeters->append(@loops);
+    $self->perimeters->append($_) for @loops;
 }
 
 sub _fill_gaps {
@@ -508,8 +495,8 @@ sub process_external_surfaces {
             $angle = $bridge_detector->detect_angle;
             
             if (defined $angle && $self->object->config->support_material) {
-                $self->bridged->append(@{ $bridge_detector->coverage($angle) });
-                $self->unsupported_bridge_edges->append(@{ $bridge_detector->unsupported_edges }); 
+                $self->bridged->append($_) for @{ $bridge_detector->coverage($angle) };
+                $self->unsupported_bridge_edges->append($_) for @{ $bridge_detector->unsupported_edges }; 
             }
         }
         
@@ -553,7 +540,7 @@ sub process_external_surfaces {
         )};
     }
     $self->fill_surfaces->clear;
-    $self->fill_surfaces->append(@new_surfaces);
+    $self->fill_surfaces->append($_) for @new_surfaces;
 }
 
 1;
diff --git a/lib/Slic3r/Print/Object.pm b/lib/Slic3r/Print/Object.pm
index 3948f1ca6..584ed11b6 100644
--- a/lib/Slic3r/Print/Object.pm
+++ b/lib/Slic3r/Print/Object.pm
@@ -315,11 +315,10 @@ sub slice {
             );
             
             $layerm->slices->clear;
-            $layerm->slices->append(
-                map Slic3r::Surface->new
+            $layerm->slices->append($_)
+                for map Slic3r::Surface->new
                     (expolygon => $_, surface_type => S_TYPE_INTERNAL),
-                    @$diff
-            );
+                    @$diff;
         }
             
         # update layer slices after repairing the single regions
@@ -542,14 +541,14 @@ sub infill {
                 my ($i, $region_id) = @$obj_layer;
                 my $layerm = $self->get_layer($i)->regions->[$region_id];
                 $layerm->fills->clear;
-                $layerm->fills->append( $self->fill_maker->make_fill($layerm) );
+                $layerm->fills->append($_) for $self->fill_maker->make_fill($layerm);
             }
         },
         collect_cb => sub {},
         no_threads_cb => sub {
             foreach my $layerm (map @{$_->regions}, @{$self->layers}) {
                 $layerm->fills->clear;
-                $layerm->fills->append($self->fill_maker->make_fill($layerm));
+                $layerm->fills->append($_) for $self->fill_maker->make_fill($layerm);
             }
         },
     );
@@ -705,7 +704,7 @@ sub detect_surfaces_type {
             
             # save surfaces to layer
             $layerm->slices->clear;
-            $layerm->slices->append(@bottom, @top, @internal);
+            $layerm->slices->append($_) for (@bottom, @top, @internal);
             
             Slic3r::debugf "  layer %d has %d bottom, %d top and %d internal surfaces\n",
                 $layerm->id, scalar(@bottom), scalar(@top), scalar(@internal) if $Slic3r::debug;
@@ -725,9 +724,9 @@ sub detect_surfaces_type {
                     [ $surface->p ],
                     $fill_boundaries,
                 );
-                $layerm->fill_surfaces->append(map Slic3r::Surface->new
-                    (expolygon => $_, surface_type => $surface->surface_type),
-                    @$intersection);
+                $layerm->fill_surfaces->append($_)
+                    for map Slic3r::Surface->new(expolygon => $_, surface_type => $surface->surface_type),
+                        @$intersection;
             }
         }
     }
@@ -772,7 +771,7 @@ sub clip_fill_surfaces {
             )};
             
             $layerm->fill_surfaces->clear;
-            $layerm->fill_surfaces->append(@new, @other);
+            $layerm->fill_surfaces->append($_) for (@new, @other);
         }
         
         # get this layer's overhangs defined as the full slice minus the internal infill
@@ -827,7 +826,7 @@ sub bridge_over_infill {
                         1,
                     )};
                 $layerm->fill_surfaces->clear;
-                $layerm->fill_surfaces->append(@new_surfaces);
+                $layerm->fill_surfaces->append($_) for @new_surfaces;
             }
             
             # exclude infill from the layers below if needed
@@ -855,7 +854,7 @@ sub bridge_over_infill {
                             )};
                         }
                         $lower_layerm->fill_surfaces->clear;
-                        $lower_layerm->fill_surfaces->append(@new_surfaces);
+                        $lower_layerm->fill_surfaces->append($_) for @new_surfaces;
                     }
                     
                     $excess -= $self->get_layer($i)->height;
@@ -1001,12 +1000,14 @@ sub discover_horizontal_shells {
                     
                     # assign resulting internal surfaces to layer
                     $neighbor_fill_surfaces->clear;
-                    $neighbor_fill_surfaces->append(map Slic3r::Surface->new
-                        (expolygon => $_, surface_type => S_TYPE_INTERNAL), @$internal);
+                    $neighbor_fill_surfaces->append($_)
+                        for map Slic3r::Surface->new(expolygon => $_, surface_type => S_TYPE_INTERNAL),
+                            @$internal;
                     
                     # assign new internal-solid surfaces to layer
-                    $neighbor_fill_surfaces->append(map Slic3r::Surface->new
-                        (expolygon => $_, surface_type => S_TYPE_INTERNALSOLID), @$internal_solid);
+                    $neighbor_fill_surfaces->append($_)
+                        for map Slic3r::Surface->new(expolygon => $_, surface_type => S_TYPE_INTERNALSOLID),
+                        @$internal_solid;
                     
                     # assign top and bottom surfaces to layer
                     foreach my $s (@{Slic3r::Surface::Collection->new(grep { ($_->surface_type == S_TYPE_TOP) || $_->is_bottom } @neighbor_fill_surfaces)->group}) {
@@ -1015,7 +1016,8 @@ sub discover_horizontal_shells {
                             [ map @$_, @$internal_solid, @$internal ],
                             1,
                         );
-                        $neighbor_fill_surfaces->append(map $s->[0]->clone(expolygon => $_), @$solid_surfaces);
+                        $neighbor_fill_surfaces->append($_)
+                            for map $s->[0]->clone(expolygon => $_), @$solid_surfaces;
                     }
                 }
             }
@@ -1129,7 +1131,7 @@ sub combine_infill {
                     }
                     
                     $layerm->fill_surfaces->clear;
-                    $layerm->fill_surfaces->append(@new_this_type, @other_types);
+                    $layerm->fill_surfaces->append($_) for (@new_this_type, @other_types);
                 }
             }
         }
diff --git a/xs/lib/Slic3r/XS.pm b/xs/lib/Slic3r/XS.pm
index a1f4a02b8..4e112eda4 100644
--- a/xs/lib/Slic3r/XS.pm
+++ b/xs/lib/Slic3r/XS.pm
@@ -178,6 +178,14 @@ use overload
     '@{}' => sub { $_[0]->arrayref },
     'fallback' => 1;
 
+sub new {
+    my ($class, @surfaces) = @_;
+    
+    my $self = $class->_new;
+    $self->append($_) for @surfaces;
+    return $self;
+}
+
 package main;
 for my $class (qw(
         Slic3r::Config
diff --git a/xs/src/libslic3r/Layer.hpp b/xs/src/libslic3r/Layer.hpp
index cea1535b0..cd0250089 100644
--- a/xs/src/libslic3r/Layer.hpp
+++ b/xs/src/libslic3r/Layer.hpp
@@ -52,6 +52,7 @@ class LayerRegion
     ExtrusionEntityCollection fills;
     
     Flow flow(FlowRole role, bool bridge = false, double width = -1) const;
+    void merge_slices();
     
     private:
     Layer *_layer;
diff --git a/xs/src/libslic3r/LayerRegion.cpp b/xs/src/libslic3r/LayerRegion.cpp
index cb92c4ee3..49521ff88 100644
--- a/xs/src/libslic3r/LayerRegion.cpp
+++ b/xs/src/libslic3r/LayerRegion.cpp
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 #include "Layer.hpp"
+#include "ClipperUtils.hpp"
 #include "Print.hpp"
+#include "Surface.hpp"
 
 namespace Slic3r {
 
@@ -38,6 +40,18 @@ LayerRegion::flow(FlowRole role, bool bridge, double width) const
     );
 }
 
+void
+LayerRegion::merge_slices()
+{
+    ExPolygons expp;
+    union_(this->slices, expp);
+    this->slices.surfaces.clear();
+    this->slices.surfaces.reserve(expp.size());
+    
+    for (ExPolygons::const_iterator expoly = expp.begin(); expoly != expp.end(); ++expoly)
+        this->slices.surfaces.push_back(Surface(stInternal, *expoly));
+}
+
 #ifdef SLIC3RXS
 REGISTER_CLASS(LayerRegion, "Layer::Region");
 #endif
diff --git a/xs/src/libslic3r/Surface.hpp b/xs/src/libslic3r/Surface.hpp
index ce0f02477..c98567cf0 100644
--- a/xs/src/libslic3r/Surface.hpp
+++ b/xs/src/libslic3r/Surface.hpp
@@ -10,12 +10,17 @@ enum SurfaceType { stTop, stBottom, stBottomBridge, stInternal, stInternalSolid,
 class Surface
 {
     public:
-    ExPolygon       expolygon;
     SurfaceType     surface_type;
+    ExPolygon       expolygon;
     double          thickness;          // in mm
     unsigned short  thickness_layers;   // in layers
     double          bridge_angle;       // in radians, ccw, 0 = East, only 0+ (negative means undefined)
     unsigned short  extra_perimeters;
+    
+    Surface(SurfaceType _surface_type, const ExPolygon &_expolygon)
+        : surface_type(_surface_type), expolygon(_expolygon),
+            thickness(-1), thickness_layers(1), bridge_angle(-1), extra_perimeters(0)
+        {};
     double area() const;
     bool is_solid() const;
     bool is_external() const;
diff --git a/xs/t/05_surface.t b/xs/t/05_surface.t
index 9c3e7dc95..34feb4734 100644
--- a/xs/t/05_surface.t
+++ b/xs/t/05_surface.t
@@ -48,7 +48,8 @@ is $surface->extra_perimeters, 2, 'extra_perimeters';
 }
 
 {
-    my $collection = Slic3r::Surface::Collection->new($surface, $surface->clone);
+    my $collection = Slic3r::Surface::Collection->new;
+    $collection->append($_) for $surface, $surface->clone;
     is scalar(@$collection), 2, 'collection has the right number of items';
     is_deeply $collection->[0]->expolygon->pp, [$square, $hole_in_square],
         'collection returns a correct surface expolygon';
@@ -64,12 +65,11 @@ is $surface->extra_perimeters, 2, 'extra_perimeters';
 }
 
 {
-    my @surfaces = (
+    my $collection = Slic3r::Surface::Collection->new;
+    $collection->append($_) for
         Slic3r::Surface->new(expolygon => $expolygon, surface_type => Slic3r::Surface::S_TYPE_BOTTOM),
         Slic3r::Surface->new(expolygon => $expolygon, surface_type => Slic3r::Surface::S_TYPE_BOTTOM),
-        Slic3r::Surface->new(expolygon => $expolygon, surface_type => Slic3r::Surface::S_TYPE_TOP),
-    );
-    my $collection = Slic3r::Surface::Collection->new(@surfaces);
+        Slic3r::Surface->new(expolygon => $expolygon, surface_type => Slic3r::Surface::S_TYPE_TOP);
     is scalar(@{$collection->group}), 2, 'group() returns correct number of groups';
 }
 
diff --git a/xs/xsp/Layer.xsp b/xs/xsp/Layer.xsp
index b758989e6..2d6ec99e2 100644
--- a/xs/xsp/Layer.xsp
+++ b/xs/xsp/Layer.xsp
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@
     
     Flow* flow(FlowRole role, bool bridge = false, double width = -1)
         %code%{ RETVAL = new Flow(THIS->flow(role, bridge, width)); %};
+    void merge_slices();
 };
 
 %name{Slic3r::Layer} class Layer {
diff --git a/xs/xsp/Surface.xsp b/xs/xsp/Surface.xsp
index 11c7ec744..e2f5112e2 100644
--- a/xs/xsp/Surface.xsp
+++ b/xs/xsp/Surface.xsp
@@ -31,9 +31,7 @@ _new(CLASS, expolygon, surface_type, thickness, thickness_layers, bridge_angle,
     double          bridge_angle;
     unsigned short  extra_perimeters;
     CODE:
-        RETVAL = new Surface ();
-        RETVAL->expolygon           = *expolygon;
-        RETVAL->surface_type        = surface_type;
+        RETVAL = new Surface (surface_type, *expolygon);
         RETVAL->thickness           = thickness;
         RETVAL->thickness_layers    = thickness_layers;
         RETVAL->bridge_angle        = bridge_angle;
diff --git a/xs/xsp/SurfaceCollection.xsp b/xs/xsp/SurfaceCollection.xsp
index ea6a6b7bf..b07bdb3a2 100644
--- a/xs/xsp/SurfaceCollection.xsp
+++ b/xs/xsp/SurfaceCollection.xsp
@@ -6,27 +6,17 @@
 %}
 
 %name{Slic3r::Surface::Collection} class SurfaceCollection {
+    %name{_new} SurfaceCollection();
     ~SurfaceCollection();
     void clear()
         %code{% THIS->surfaces.clear(); %};
+    void append(Surface* surface)
+        %code{% THIS->surfaces.push_back(*surface); %};
     int count()
         %code{% RETVAL = THIS->surfaces.size(); %};
     void simplify(double tolerance);
 %{
 
-SurfaceCollection*
-SurfaceCollection::new(...)
-    CODE:
-        RETVAL = new SurfaceCollection;
-        // ST(0) is class name, others are surfaces
-        RETVAL->surfaces.resize(items-1);
-        for (unsigned int i = 1; i < items; i++) {
-            // Note: a COPY of the input is stored
-            RETVAL->surfaces[i-1].from_SV_check(ST(i));
-        }
-    OUTPUT:
-        RETVAL
-
 SV*
 SurfaceCollection::arrayref()
     CODE:
@@ -52,15 +42,6 @@ SurfaceCollection::filter_by_type(surface_type)
     OUTPUT:
         RETVAL
 
-void
-SurfaceCollection::append(...)
-    CODE:
-        for (unsigned int i = 1; i < items; i++) {
-            Surface surface;
-            surface.from_SV_check( ST(i) );
-            THIS->surfaces.push_back(surface);
-        }
-
 void
 SurfaceCollection::replace(index, surface)
     int         index
diff --git a/xs/xsp/typemap.xspt b/xs/xsp/typemap.xspt
index 87283debf..01718a8cb 100644
--- a/xs/xsp/typemap.xspt
+++ b/xs/xsp/typemap.xspt
@@ -83,6 +83,10 @@
 %typemap{Ref<MotionPlanner>}{simple};
 %typemap{Clone<MotionPlanner>}{simple};
 
+%typemap{Surface*};
+%typemap{Ref<Surface>}{simple};
+%typemap{Clone<Surface>}{simple};
+
 %typemap{PrintState*};
 %typemap{Ref<PrintState>}{simple};