diff --git a/lout/identity.cc b/lout/identity.cc
index ea86c0c..08f3722 100644
--- a/lout/identity.cc
+++ b/lout/identity.cc
@@ -81,14 +81,14 @@ void IdentifiableObject::intoStringBuffer(misc::StringBuffer *sb)
  */
 void IdentifiableObject::registerName (const char *className, int *classId)
 {
-   Class *klass = classesByName.at( className ).get();
-   if (klass == NULL) {
+   if (not classesByName.contains( className )) {
       classesByName.emplace( className,
             std::make_unique< Class >( currentlyConstructedClass, classesById.size(), className ) );
-      klass= classesByName.at( className ).get();
+      auto *const klass= classesByName.at( className ).get();
       classesById.push_back( klass );
       *classId = klass->id;
    }
+   Class *const klass = classesByName.at( className ).get();
 
    this->classId = klass->id;
    *classId = klass->id;