diff --git a/src/bin/eolian/sources.c b/src/bin/eolian/sources.c
index 473342aa8a..2ba900c9bd 100644
--- a/src/bin/eolian/sources.c
+++ b/src/bin/eolian/sources.c
@@ -965,14 +965,13 @@ eo_gen_source_gen(const Eolian_Unit *src,
 
    /* inherits in EFL_DEFINE_CLASS */
    {
-      const char *iname;
+      const Eolian_Class *icl;
       Eina_Iterator *itr = eolian_class_inherits_get(cl);
       /* no inherits, NULL parent */
       if (!itr)
         eina_strbuf_append(buf, ", NULL");
-      EINA_ITERATOR_FOREACH(itr, iname)
+      EINA_ITERATOR_FOREACH(itr, icl)
         {
-           const Eolian_Class *icl = eolian_class_get_by_name(src, iname);
            Eina_Stringshare *mname = eolian_class_c_name_get(icl);
            eina_strbuf_append_printf(buf, ", %s", mname);
            eina_stringshare_del(mname);
diff --git a/src/bin/eolian_cxx/eolian_cxx.cc b/src/bin/eolian_cxx/eolian_cxx.cc
index c98412aedd..34b8bbc3ab 100644
--- a/src/bin/eolian_cxx/eolian_cxx.cc
+++ b/src/bin/eolian_cxx/eolian_cxx.cc
@@ -114,10 +114,10 @@ generate(const Eolian_Class* klass, eolian_cxx::options_type const& opts)
    std::function<void(Eolian_Class const*)> klass_function
      = [&] (Eolian_Class const* klass)
      {
-       for(efl::eina::iterator<const char> inherit_iterator ( ::eolian_class_inherits_get(klass))
+       for(efl::eina::iterator<Eolian_Class const> inherit_iterator ( ::eolian_class_inherits_get(klass))
              , inherit_last; inherit_iterator != inherit_last; ++inherit_iterator)
          {
-           Eolian_Class const* inherit = ::eolian_class_get_by_name(opts.unit, &*inherit_iterator);
+           Eolian_Class const* inherit = &*inherit_iterator;
            c_headers.insert(eolian_class_file_get(inherit) + std::string(".h"));
            cpp_headers.insert(eolian_class_file_get(inherit) + std::string(".hh"));
            efl::eolian::grammar::attributes::klass_def klass{inherit, opts.unit};
diff --git a/src/bindings/luajit/eolian.lua b/src/bindings/luajit/eolian.lua
index 8982ef4817..b0c0f7c67e 100644
--- a/src/bindings/luajit/eolian.lua
+++ b/src/bindings/luajit/eolian.lua
@@ -1239,7 +1239,7 @@ M.Class = ffi.metatype("Eolian_Class", {
         end,
 
         inherits_get = function(self)
-            return iterator.String_Iterator(
+            return Ptr_Iterator("const Eolian_Class*",
                 eolian.eolian_class_inherits_get(self))
         end,
 
diff --git a/src/lib/eolian/Eolian.h b/src/lib/eolian/Eolian.h
index bc8bbb48cf..b69f2c5dfa 100644
--- a/src/lib/eolian/Eolian.h
+++ b/src/lib/eolian/Eolian.h
@@ -709,7 +709,7 @@ EAPI Eina_Stringshare* eolian_class_event_prefix_get(const Eolian_Class *klass);
 EAPI Eina_Stringshare *eolian_class_data_type_get(const Eolian_Class *klass);
 
 /*
- * @brief Returns an iterator to the names of inherit classes of a class
+ * @brief Returns an iterator to the inherited classes.
  *
  * @param[in] klass the class
  * @return the iterator
diff --git a/src/lib/eolian/database_class.c b/src/lib/eolian/database_class.c
index f3faa9b0cc..fc56325523 100644
--- a/src/lib/eolian/database_class.c
+++ b/src/lib/eolian/database_class.c
@@ -18,9 +18,6 @@ database_class_del(Eolian_Class *cl)
 
    if (cl->base.file) eina_stringshare_del(cl->base.file);
 
-   EINA_LIST_FREE(cl->inherits, s)
-     if (s) eina_stringshare_del(s);
-
    EINA_LIST_FREE(cl->implements, impl)
      database_implement_del(impl);
 
diff --git a/src/lib/eolian/database_validate.c b/src/lib/eolian/database_validate.c
index 0b1dd0e252..28ffd5fe58 100644
--- a/src/lib/eolian/database_validate.c
+++ b/src/lib/eolian/database_validate.c
@@ -373,7 +373,7 @@ _validate_class(Eolian_Class *cl, Eina_Hash *nhash)
    Eolian_Function *func;
    Eolian_Event *event;
    Eolian_Implement *impl;
-   const char *iname;
+   Eolian_Class *icl;
    Eina_Bool res = EINA_TRUE;
 
    if (!cl)
@@ -386,9 +386,9 @@ _validate_class(Eolian_Class *cl, Eina_Hash *nhash)
    if (ahash)
      nhash = eina_hash_string_small_new(NULL);
 
-   EINA_LIST_FOREACH(cl->inherits, l, iname)
+   EINA_LIST_FOREACH(cl->inherits, l, icl)
      {
-        if (!(res = _validate_class(eina_hash_find(_classes, iname), nhash)))
+        if (!(res = _validate_class(icl, nhash)))
           goto freehash;
      }
 
diff --git a/src/lib/eolian/eo_parser.c b/src/lib/eolian/eo_parser.c
index a7649e0a0b..e6d8b6bbb4 100644
--- a/src/lib/eolian/eo_parser.c
+++ b/src/lib/eolian/eo_parser.c
@@ -2021,8 +2021,7 @@ _inherit_dep(Eo_Lexer *ls, Eina_Strbuf *buf, Eina_Bool check_inherit,
       default:
         break;
      }
-   ls->tmp.kls->inherits = eina_list_append(ls->tmp.kls->inherits,
-                                            eina_stringshare_add(iname));
+   ls->tmp.kls->inherits = eina_list_append(ls->tmp.kls->inherits, dep);
    dep->toplevel = EINA_FALSE;
    eo_lexer_context_pop(ls);
 }
@@ -2245,14 +2244,13 @@ _get_impl_class(const Eolian_Class *cl, const char *cln)
    if (!cl || !strcmp(cl->full_name, cln))
      return cl;
    Eina_List *l;
-   const char *s;
-   EINA_LIST_FOREACH(cl->inherits, l, s)
+   Eolian_Class *icl;
+   EINA_LIST_FOREACH(cl->inherits, l, icl)
      {
         /* we can do a depth first search, it's easier and doesn't matter
          * which part of the inheritance tree we find the class in
          */
-        /* FIXME: pass unit properly */
-        const Eolian_Class *fcl = _get_impl_class(eolian_class_get_by_name(NULL, s), cln);
+        const Eolian_Class *fcl = _get_impl_class(icl, cln);
         if (fcl)
           return fcl;
      }
diff --git a/src/lib/eolian/eolian_database.h b/src/lib/eolian/eolian_database.h
index c99a47451c..ae53ff94cb 100644
--- a/src/lib/eolian/eolian_database.h
+++ b/src/lib/eolian/eolian_database.h
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ struct _Eolian_Class
    Eina_Stringshare *eo_prefix;
    Eina_Stringshare *ev_prefix;
    Eina_Stringshare *data_type;
-   Eina_List *inherits; /* List Eina_Stringshare * */
+   Eina_List *inherits; /* List Eolian_Class * */
    Eina_List *properties; /* List prop_name -> Eolian_Function */
    Eina_List *methods; /* List meth_name -> Eolian_Function */
    Eina_List *implements; /* List implements name -> Eolian_Implement */
diff --git a/src/lib/eolian_cxx/grammar/klass_def.hpp b/src/lib/eolian_cxx/grammar/klass_def.hpp
index 3de453eb87..146bfbe861 100644
--- a/src/lib/eolian_cxx/grammar/klass_def.hpp
+++ b/src/lib/eolian_cxx/grammar/klass_def.hpp
@@ -687,10 +687,10 @@ struct klass_def
      std::function<void(Eolian_Class const*)> inherit_algo = 
        [&] (Eolian_Class const* klass)
        {
-         for(efl::eina::iterator<const char> inherit_iterator ( ::eolian_class_inherits_get(klass))
+         for(efl::eina::iterator<Eolian_Class const> inherit_iterator ( ::eolian_class_inherits_get(klass))
                , inherit_last; inherit_iterator != inherit_last; ++inherit_iterator)
            {
-             Eolian_Class const* inherit = ::eolian_class_get_by_name(unit, &*inherit_iterator);
+             Eolian_Class const* inherit = &*inherit_iterator;
              inherits.insert({inherit, {}});
              inherit_algo(inherit);
            }
diff --git a/src/scripts/elua/apps/docgen/doctree.lua b/src/scripts/elua/apps/docgen/doctree.lua
index 146479fa00..f4f55af4a3 100644
--- a/src/scripts/elua/apps/docgen/doctree.lua
+++ b/src/scripts/elua/apps/docgen/doctree.lua
@@ -223,9 +223,7 @@ M.Class = Node:clone {
             return ret
         end
         ret = {}
-        for cln in self.class:inherits_get() do
-            local cl = self.by_name_get(cln)
-            assert(cl)
+        for cl in self.class:inherits_get() do
             ret[#ret + 1] = cl
         end
         self._cache_inhc = ret
diff --git a/src/scripts/elua/modules/lualian.lua b/src/scripts/elua/modules/lualian.lua
index 1253252069..035c24db96 100644
--- a/src/scripts/elua/modules/lualian.lua
+++ b/src/scripts/elua/modules/lualian.lua
@@ -670,8 +670,7 @@ local gen_class = function(klass)
     local parents = {}
     local mixins  = {} -- also includes ifaces, they're separated later
     for i = 1, #inherits do
-        local v = inherits[i]
-        local tp = eolian.class_get_by_name(gen_unit, v):type_get()
+        local tp = inherits[i]:type_get()
         if tp == class_type.REGULAR or tp == class_type.ABSTRACT then
             parents[#parents + 1] = v
         elseif tp == class_type.INTERFACE or tp == class_type.MIXIN then
diff --git a/src/tests/eolian/eolian_parsing.c b/src/tests/eolian/eolian_parsing.c
index 86c079817e..c9d07ba607 100644
--- a/src/tests/eolian/eolian_parsing.c
+++ b/src/tests/eolian/eolian_parsing.c
@@ -12,11 +12,12 @@
 
 START_TEST(eolian_namespaces)
 {
-   const Eolian_Class *class11, *class112, *class21, *class_no, *impl_class;
+   const Eolian_Class *class11, *class112, *class21, *class_no, *impl_class,
+                      *iclass;
    const Eolian_Function *fid;
    Eina_Iterator *iter;
    Eolian_Function_Type func_type;
-   const char *class_name, *val1, *val2;
+   const char *val1, *val2;
    const Eolian_Implement *impl;
    const Eolian_Unit *unit;
    void *dummy;
@@ -61,12 +62,12 @@ START_TEST(eolian_namespaces)
 
    /* Inherits */
    fail_if(!(iter = eolian_class_inherits_get(class11)));
-   fail_if(!(eina_iterator_next(iter, (void**)&class_name)));
-   fail_if(eolian_class_get_by_name(unit, class_name) != class112);
-   fail_if(!(eina_iterator_next(iter, (void**)&class_name)));
-   fail_if(eolian_class_get_by_name(unit, class_name) != class21);
-   fail_if(!(eina_iterator_next(iter, (void**)&class_name)));
-   fail_if(eolian_class_get_by_name(unit, class_name) != class_no);
+   fail_if(!(eina_iterator_next(iter, (void**)&iclass)));
+   fail_if(iclass != class112);
+   fail_if(!(eina_iterator_next(iter, (void**)&iclass)));
+   fail_if(iclass != class21);
+   fail_if(!(eina_iterator_next(iter, (void**)&iclass)));
+   fail_if(iclass != class_no);
    fail_if(eina_iterator_next(iter, &dummy));
    eina_iterator_free(iter);