diff --git a/FDTD/engine.cpp b/FDTD/engine.cpp
index 277234f..15dc55b 100644
--- a/FDTD/engine.cpp
+++ b/FDTD/engine.cpp
@@ -18,10 +18,18 @@
 #include "engine.h"
 #include "tools/array_ops.h"
 
+//! \brief construct an Engine instance
+//! it's the responsibility of the caller to free the returned pointer
+Engine* Engine::createEngine(Operator* op)
+{
+	Engine* e = new Engine(op);
+	e->Init();
+	return e;
+}
+
 Engine::Engine(Operator* op)
 {
 	Op = op;
-	Init();
 }
 
 Engine::~Engine()
diff --git a/FDTD/engine.h b/FDTD/engine.h
index 401fa13..4e98ddd 100644
--- a/FDTD/engine.h
+++ b/FDTD/engine.h
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ class Engine
 	friend class ProcessFields;
 	friend class ProcessFieldsTD;
 public:
-	Engine(Operator* op);
+	static Engine* createEngine(Operator* op);
 	virtual ~Engine();
 
 	virtual void Init();
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@ public:
 	unsigned int GetNumberOfTimesteps() {return numTS;};
 
 protected:
+	Engine(Operator* op);
 	Operator* Op;
 
 	FDTD_FLOAT**** volt;
diff --git a/FDTD/engine_multithread.cpp b/FDTD/engine_multithread.cpp
index ee5e167..c974835 100644
--- a/FDTD/engine_multithread.cpp
+++ b/FDTD/engine_multithread.cpp
@@ -18,6 +18,15 @@
 #include "engine_multithread.h"
 #include "tools/array_ops.h"
 
+//! \brief construct an Engine_Multithread instance
+//! it's the responsibility of the caller to free the returned pointer
+Engine_Multithread* Engine_Multithread::createEngine(Operator* op)
+{
+	Engine_Multithread* e = new Engine_Multithread(op);
+	e->Init();
+	return e;
+}
+
 Engine_Multithread::Engine_Multithread(Operator* op) : Engine(op)
 {
 }
diff --git a/FDTD/engine_multithread.h b/FDTD/engine_multithread.h
index 3d45b6c..24f532e 100644
--- a/FDTD/engine_multithread.h
+++ b/FDTD/engine_multithread.h
@@ -29,8 +29,8 @@ class Engine_Multithread : public Engine
 	friend class ProcessFields;
 	friend class ProcessFieldsTD;
 public:
-    Engine_Multithread(Operator* op);
-    virtual ~Engine_Multithread();
+	static Engine_Multithread* createEngine(Operator* op);
+	virtual ~Engine_Multithread();
 
 	virtual void Init();
 	virtual void Reset();
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@ public:
 
 
 protected:
+	Engine_Multithread(Operator* op);
 };
 
 #endif // ENGINE_MULTITHREAD_H
diff --git a/openems.cpp b/openems.cpp
index e2ffc2f..d920e70 100644
--- a/openems.cpp
+++ b/openems.cpp
@@ -226,10 +226,10 @@ int openEMS::SetupFDTD(const char* file)
 	//create FDTD engine
 	switch (m_engine) {
 	case EngineType_Multithreaded:
-		FDTD_Eng = new Engine_Multithread(FDTD_Op);
+		FDTD_Eng = Engine_Multithread::createEngine(FDTD_Op);
 		break;
 	default:
-		FDTD_Eng = new Engine(FDTD_Op);
+		FDTD_Eng = Engine::createEngine(FDTD_Op);
 		break;
 	}