diff --git a/src/core/network-proxy-http.c b/src/core/network-proxy-http.c
index 10363986..aeff0fdf 100644
--- a/src/core/network-proxy-http.c
+++ b/src/core/network-proxy-http.c
@@ -27,28 +27,35 @@
 
 static void network_proxy_http_destroy(struct network_proxy *proxy)
 {
-    struct _network_proxy_http *self = container_of(proxy, struct _network_proxy_http, proxy);
+	struct network_proxy_http *self = (struct network_proxy_http *)proxy->privdata;
 
 	g_free(self->password);
-    _network_proxy_destroy(proxy);
 
     g_free(self);
+
+	_network_proxy_destroy(proxy);
+
+	g_free(proxy);
 }
 
-static struct network_proxy *
-network_proxy_http_clone(struct network_proxy const *proxy)
+static struct network_proxy *network_proxy_http_clone(struct network_proxy const *proxy)
 {
-    struct _network_proxy_http *self = container_of(proxy, struct _network_proxy_http, proxy);
-    struct _network_proxy_http *res;
+	struct network_proxy_http *self = (struct network_proxy_http *)proxy->privdata;
+	struct network_proxy_http *priv;
+	struct network_proxy *res;
+ 
+	res = g_malloc0(sizeof(struct network_proxy));
 
-    res = g_malloc0(sizeof *res);
+	_network_proxy_clone(res, proxy);
 
-    _network_proxy_clone(&res->proxy, &self->proxy);
-    res->password = g_strdup(self->password);
-    return &res->proxy;
+	priv = g_malloc0(sizeof(struct network_proxy_http));
+	res->privdata = (void *)priv;
+
+	priv->password = g_strdup(self->password);
+	return res;
 }
 
-static bool send_connect(struct _network_proxy_http *proxy, GIOChannel *ch,
+static bool send_connect(struct network_proxy_http *proxy, GIOChannel *ch,
 						 char const *address, uint16_t port)
 {
     char port_str[6];
@@ -67,7 +74,7 @@ static bool send_connect(struct _network_proxy_http *proxy, GIOChannel *ch,
     return true;
 }
 
-static int read_response(struct _network_proxy_http *proxy, GIOChannel *ch)
+static int read_response(struct network_proxy_http *proxy, GIOChannel *ch)
 {
     GIOStatus status;
     GString line = { .str = NULL };
@@ -126,7 +133,7 @@ err:
 static GIOChannel *network_proxy_http_connect(struct network_proxy const *proxy, IPADDR const *hint_ip,
 											  char const *address, int port)
 {
-    struct _network_proxy_http *self = container_of(proxy, struct _network_proxy_http, proxy);
+	struct network_proxy_http *self = (struct network_proxy_http *)proxy->privdata;
     GIOChannel *ch;
     GIOFlags old_flags;
     GError *err = NULL;
@@ -134,9 +141,9 @@ static GIOChannel *network_proxy_http_connect(struct network_proxy const *proxy,
     gint line_term_sz;
 
     if (hint_ip)
-        ch = net_connect_ip(hint_ip, self->proxy.port, NULL);
+		ch = net_connect_ip(hint_ip, proxy->port, NULL);
     else
-        ch = net_connect(self->proxy.host, self->proxy.port, NULL);
+		ch = net_connect(proxy->host, proxy->port, NULL);
 
     if (!ch)
         return NULL;
@@ -172,18 +179,23 @@ err:
 }
 
 
-struct network_proxy *_network_proxy_http_create(void)
+struct network_proxy *network_proxy_http_create(void)
 {
-    struct _network_proxy_http *res;
+	struct network_proxy *res;
+	struct network_proxy_http *priv;
 
-    res = g_malloc0(sizeof *res);
+	res = g_malloc0(sizeof(struct network_proxy));
 
-    _network_proxy_create(&res->proxy);
-    res->password = g_strdup(settings_get_str("proxy_password"));
+	_network_proxy_create(res);
 
-    res->proxy.destroy = network_proxy_http_destroy;
-    res->proxy.connect = network_proxy_http_connect;
-    res->proxy.clone = network_proxy_http_clone;
+	priv = g_malloc0(sizeof(struct network_proxy_http));
+	res->privdata = (void *)priv;
 
-    return &res->proxy;
+	priv->password = g_strdup(settings_get_str("proxy_password"));
+
+	res->destroy = network_proxy_http_destroy;
+	res->connect = network_proxy_http_connect;
+	res->clone = network_proxy_http_clone;
+
+	return res;
 }
diff --git a/src/core/network-proxy-http.h b/src/core/network-proxy-http.h
index 6994f917..d9d0639e 100644
--- a/src/core/network-proxy-http.h
+++ b/src/core/network-proxy-http.h
@@ -19,11 +19,10 @@
 
 #include "network-proxy.h"
 
-struct _network_proxy_http {
-    struct network_proxy proxy;
+struct network_proxy_http {
     char *password;
 };
 
-struct network_proxy *_network_proxy_http_create(void);
+struct network_proxy *network_proxy_http_create(void);
 
 #endif  /* H_IRSSI_SRC_CORE_PROXY_HTTP_H */
diff --git a/src/core/network-proxy-priv.h b/src/core/network-proxy-priv.h
index c2a88e10..7dfcf5ce 100644
--- a/src/core/network-proxy-priv.h
+++ b/src/core/network-proxy-priv.h
@@ -19,15 +19,11 @@
 
 #include "settings.h"
 #include <stdbool.h>
-
-/* stolen from linux kernel */
-#define container_of(ptr, type, member)  __extension__ ({               \
-            const __typeof__( ((type *)0)->member ) *__mptr = (ptr);    \
-            (type *)( (char *)__mptr - offsetof(type,member) );})
-        
             
 inline static void _network_proxy_create(struct network_proxy *dst)
 {
+	// TODO: Initialize all fields, to bring the struct to a known state
+	dst->privdata = NULL;
     dst->port = settings_get_int("proxy_port");
     dst->host = g_strdup(settings_get_str("proxy_address"));
 }
diff --git a/src/core/network-proxy-socks5.c b/src/core/network-proxy-socks5.c
index b0c08afb..739583c4 100644
--- a/src/core/network-proxy-socks5.c
+++ b/src/core/network-proxy-socks5.c
@@ -63,25 +63,30 @@ struct server_response
 
 static void network_proxy_socks5_destroy(struct network_proxy *proxy)
 {
-	struct _network_proxy_socks5 *self = container_of(proxy, struct _network_proxy_socks5, proxy);
+	struct network_proxy_socks5 *self = (struct network_proxy_socks5 *)proxy->privdata;
 
 	g_free(self->password);
 	g_free(self->username);
-	_network_proxy_destroy(proxy);
 	g_free(self);
+	_network_proxy_destroy(proxy);
+	g_free(proxy);
 }
 
 static struct network_proxy *network_proxy_socks5_clone(struct network_proxy const *proxy)
 {
-	struct _network_proxy_socks5 *self = container_of(proxy, struct _network_proxy_socks5, proxy);
-	struct _network_proxy_socks5 *res;
+	struct network_proxy_socks5 *self = (struct network_proxy_socks5 *)proxy->privdata;
+	struct network_proxy_socks5 *priv;
+	struct network_proxy *res;
 
-	res = g_malloc0(sizeof *res);
+	res = g_malloc0(sizeof(struct network_proxy));
+	_network_proxy_clone(res, proxy);
+ 
+	priv = g_malloc0(sizeof(struct network_proxy_socks5));
+	res->privdata = (void *)priv;
 
-	_network_proxy_clone(&res->proxy, &self->proxy);
-	res->username = g_strdup(self->username);
-	res->password = g_strdup(self->password);
-	return &res->proxy;
+	priv->username = g_strdup(self->username);
+	priv->password = g_strdup(self->password);
+	return res;
 }
 
 static bool socks5_connect_unauthorized(GIOChannel *ch)
@@ -92,9 +97,9 @@ static bool socks5_connect_unauthorized(GIOChannel *ch)
 }
 
 /* TODO: test this method! */
-static bool socks5_connect_plain(struct _network_proxy_socks5 const *proxy, GIOChannel *ch)
+static bool socks5_connect_plain(const struct network_proxy_socks5 *proxy, GIOChannel *ch)
 {
-	uint8_t	ver  = 0x01;
+	uint8_t	ver = 0x01;
 	uint8_t	ulen = strlen(proxy->username);
 	uint8_t	plen = proxy->password ? strlen(proxy->password) : 0;
 	struct server_response_plain	resp;
@@ -122,7 +127,7 @@ static bool socks5_connect_plain(struct _network_proxy_socks5 const *proxy, GIOC
 	return true;
 }
 
-static bool socks5_connect(struct _network_proxy_socks5 const *proxy, GIOChannel *ch,
+static bool socks5_connect(const struct network_proxy_socks5 *proxy, GIOChannel *ch,
 						   char const *address, uint16_t port)
 {
 	bool rc;
@@ -265,7 +270,7 @@ err:
 static GIOChannel *network_proxy_socks5_connect(struct network_proxy const *proxy, IPADDR const *hint_ip,
 												char const *address, int port)
 {
-	struct _network_proxy_socks5 *self = container_of(proxy, struct _network_proxy_socks5, proxy);
+	struct network_proxy_socks5 *self = (struct network_proxy_socks5 *)proxy->privdata;
 	GIOChannel *ch;
 
 	GIOFlags old_flags;
@@ -274,9 +279,9 @@ static GIOChannel *network_proxy_socks5_connect(struct network_proxy const *prox
 	GError *err = NULL;
 
 	if (hint_ip)
-		ch = net_connect_ip(hint_ip, self->proxy.port, NULL);
+		ch = net_connect_ip(hint_ip, proxy->port, NULL);
 	else
-		ch = net_connect(self->proxy.host, self->proxy.port, NULL);
+		ch = net_connect(proxy->host, proxy->port, NULL);
 
 	if (!ch)
 		return NULL;
@@ -313,19 +318,24 @@ err:
 	return NULL;
 }
 
-struct network_proxy *_network_proxy_socks5_create(void)
+struct network_proxy *network_proxy_socks5_create(void)
 {
-	struct _network_proxy_socks5 *res;
+	struct network_proxy *res;
+	struct network_proxy_socks5 *priv;
 
-	res = g_malloc0(sizeof *res);
+	res = g_malloc0(sizeof(struct network_proxy));
 
-	_network_proxy_create(&res->proxy);
-	res->username = g_strdup(settings_get_str("proxy_username"));
-	res->password = g_strdup(settings_get_str("proxy_password"));
+	_network_proxy_create(res);
 
-	res->proxy.destroy = network_proxy_socks5_destroy;
-	res->proxy.connect = network_proxy_socks5_connect;
-	res->proxy.clone = network_proxy_socks5_clone;
+	priv = g_malloc0(sizeof(struct network_proxy_socks5));
+	res->privdata = (void *)priv;
 
-	return &res->proxy;
+	priv->username = g_strdup(settings_get_str("proxy_username"));
+	priv->password = g_strdup(settings_get_str("proxy_password"));
+
+	res->destroy = network_proxy_socks5_destroy;
+	res->connect = network_proxy_socks5_connect;
+	res->clone = network_proxy_socks5_clone;
+
+	return res;
 }
diff --git a/src/core/network-proxy-socks5.h b/src/core/network-proxy-socks5.h
index b311265f..70bc3bad 100644
--- a/src/core/network-proxy-socks5.h
+++ b/src/core/network-proxy-socks5.h
@@ -19,13 +19,11 @@
 
 #include "network-proxy.h"
 
-struct _network_proxy_socks5 {
-	struct network_proxy proxy;
-
+struct network_proxy_socks5 {
 	char *username;
 	char *password;
 };
 
-struct network_proxy *_network_proxy_socks5_create(void);
+struct network_proxy *network_proxy_socks5_create(void);
 
 #endif	/* H_IRSSI_SRC_CORE_PROXY_SOCKS5_H */
diff --git a/src/core/network-proxy.h b/src/core/network-proxy.h
index be3e5169..cbcb863b 100644
--- a/src/core/network-proxy.h
+++ b/src/core/network-proxy.h
@@ -35,6 +35,9 @@ struct network_proxy_send_string_info
 };
 
 struct network_proxy {
+	/* Contains private data for the chosen proxy type */
+	void *privdata;
+
     /* destroys the network_proxy structure which must not be used anymore
      * after; this memberfunction is mandatory */
     void (*destroy)(struct network_proxy *);