diff --git a/button.go b/button.go
index a82e86d..20b3a2f 100644
--- a/button.go
+++ b/button.go
@@ -28,7 +28,8 @@ func NewButton (text string) *Button {
 		ContainerBox: tomo.NewContainerBox(),
 		label:        NewLabel(text),
 	}
-	tomo.Apply(box, tomo.R("objects", "Button", ""))
+	box.SetRole(tomo.R("objects", "Button", ""))
+	tomo.Apply(box)
 	box.label.SetAlign(tomo.AlignMiddle, tomo.AlignMiddle)
 	box.SetLayout(buttonLayout)
 	box.SetText(text)
diff --git a/checkbox.go b/checkbox.go
index fed59f6..040ed10 100644
--- a/checkbox.go
+++ b/checkbox.go
@@ -18,7 +18,8 @@ func NewCheckbox (value bool) *Checkbox {
 	box := &Checkbox {
 		Box: tomo.NewBox(),
 	}
-	tomo.Apply(box, tomo.R("objects", "Checkbox", ""))
+	box.SetRole(tomo.R("objects", "Checkbox", ""))
+	tomo.Apply(box)
 	box.SetValue(false)
 	
 	box.OnMouseUp(box.handleMouseUp)
diff --git a/container.go b/container.go
index 0b22c04..1724238 100644
--- a/container.go
+++ b/container.go
@@ -27,7 +27,8 @@ func newContainer (layout tomo.Layout, children ...tomo.Object) *Container {
 // window, tab pane, etc.
 func NewOuterContainer (layout tomo.Layout, children ...tomo.Object) *Container {
 	this := newContainer(layout, children...)
-	tomo.Apply(this, tomo.R("objects", "Container", "outer"))
+	this.SetRole(tomo.R("objects", "Container", "outer"))
+	tomo.Apply(this)
 	return this
 }
 
@@ -35,14 +36,16 @@ func NewOuterContainer (layout tomo.Layout, children ...tomo.Object) *Container
 // around it. It is meant to be used as a root container for a ScrollContainer.
 func NewSunkenContainer (layout tomo.Layout, children ...tomo.Object) *Container {
 	this := newContainer(layout, children...)
-	tomo.Apply(this, tomo.R("objects", "Container", "sunken"))
+	this.SetRole(tomo.R("objects", "Container", "sunken"))
+	tomo.Apply(this)
 	return this
 }
 
 // NewInnerContainer creates a new container that has no padding around it.
 func NewInnerContainer (layout tomo.Layout, children ...tomo.Object) *Container {
 	this := newContainer(layout, children...)
-	tomo.Apply(this, tomo.R("objects", "Container", "inner"))
+	this.SetRole(tomo.R("objects", "Container", "inner"))
+	tomo.Apply(this)
 	return this
 }
 
diff --git a/heading.go b/heading.go
index 421296d..d9dfbe1 100644
--- a/heading.go
+++ b/heading.go
@@ -15,7 +15,8 @@ func NewHeading (level int, text string) *Heading {
 	if level < 0 { level = 0 }
 	if level > 2 { level = 2 }
 	this := &Heading { TextBox: tomo.NewTextBox() }
-	tomo.Apply(this, tomo.R("objects", "Heading", fmt.Sprint(level)))
+	this.SetRole(tomo.R("objects", "Heading", fmt.Sprint(level)))
+	tomo.Apply(this)
 	this.SetText(text)
 	return this
 }
diff --git a/icon.go b/icon.go
index bbc057b..74bc45a 100644
--- a/icon.go
+++ b/icon.go
@@ -15,7 +15,8 @@ func NewIcon (id tomo.Icon, size tomo.IconSize) *Icon {
 	this := &Icon {
 		Box: tomo.NewBox(),
 	}
-	tomo.Apply(this, tomo.R("objects", "Icon", size.String()))
+	this.SetRole(tomo.R("objects", "Icon", size.String()))
+	tomo.Apply(this)
 	this.SetTexture(id.Texture(size))
 	return this
 }
@@ -25,7 +26,8 @@ func NewMimeIcon (mime data.Mime, size tomo.IconSize) *Icon {
 	this := &Icon {
 		Box: tomo.NewBox(),
 	}
-	tomo.Apply(this, tomo.R("objects", "Icon", size.String()))
+	this.SetRole(tomo.R("objects", "Icon", size.String()))
+	tomo.Apply(this)
 	this.SetTexture(tomo.MimeIcon(mime, size))
 	return this
 }
diff --git a/label.go b/label.go
index 5428dc6..fd2ff52 100644
--- a/label.go
+++ b/label.go
@@ -10,7 +10,8 @@ type Label struct {
 // NewLabel creates a new text label.
 func NewLabel (text string) *Label {
 	this := &Label { TextBox: tomo.NewTextBox() }
-	tomo.Apply(this, tomo.R("objects", "Label", ""))
+	this.SetRole(tomo.R("objects", "Label", ""))
+	tomo.Apply(this)
 	this.SetText(text)
 	return this
 }
diff --git a/labelcheckbox.go b/labelcheckbox.go
index dc21536..a15bc64 100644
--- a/labelcheckbox.go
+++ b/labelcheckbox.go
@@ -20,7 +20,8 @@ func NewLabelCheckbox (value bool, text string) *LabelCheckbox {
 		checkbox:     NewCheckbox(value),
 		label:        NewLabel(text),
 	}
-	tomo.Apply(box, tomo.R("objects", "LabelCheckbox", ""))
+	box.SetRole(tomo.R("objects", "LabelCheckbox", ""))
+	tomo.Apply(box)
 	box.label.SetAlign(tomo.AlignStart, tomo.AlignMiddle)
 	box.Add(box.checkbox)
 	box.Add(box.label)
diff --git a/numberinput.go b/numberinput.go
index a2c3830..34fc709 100644
--- a/numberinput.go
+++ b/numberinput.go
@@ -28,7 +28,8 @@ func NewNumberInput (value float64) *NumberInput {
 		increment:    NewButton(""),
 		decrement:    NewButton(""),
 	}
-	tomo.Apply(box, tomo.R("objects", "NumberInput", ""))
+	box.SetRole(tomo.R("objects", "NumberInput", ""))
+	tomo.Apply(box)
 	box.Add(box.input)
 	box.Add(box.decrement)
 	box.Add(box.increment)
diff --git a/scrollbar.go b/scrollbar.go
index 3f2b707..cbbf95b 100644
--- a/scrollbar.go
+++ b/scrollbar.go
@@ -45,8 +45,11 @@ func newScrollbar (orient string) *Scrollbar {
 	this.OnMouseUp(this.handleMouseUp)
 	this.OnMouseMove(this.handleMouseMove)
 	this.OnScroll(this.handleScroll)
-	tomo.Apply(this.handle, tomo.R("objects", "SliderHandle", orient))
-	tomo.Apply(this,        tomo.R("objects", "Slider", orient))
+	
+	this.handle.SetRole(tomo.R("objects", "SliderHandle", orient))
+	tomo.Apply(this.handle)
+	this.SetRole(tomo.R("objects", "Slider", orient))
+	tomo.Apply(this)
 	return this
 }
 
diff --git a/scrollcontainer.go b/scrollcontainer.go
index efd96ec..e91d350 100644
--- a/scrollcontainer.go
+++ b/scrollcontainer.go
@@ -60,7 +60,8 @@ func NewScrollContainer (sides ScrollSide) *ScrollContainer {
 	}
 	this.CaptureScroll(true)
 	this.OnScroll(this.handleScroll)
-	tomo.Apply(this, tomo.R("objects", "ScrollContainer", sides.String()))
+	this.SetRole(tomo.R("objects", "ScrollContainer", sides.String()))
+	tomo.Apply(this)
 	this.SetLayout(this.layout)
 	return this
 }
diff --git a/separator.go b/separator.go
index b9a3292..b2a5143 100644
--- a/separator.go
+++ b/separator.go
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ func NewSeparator () *Separator {
 	this := &Separator {
 		Box: tomo.NewBox(),
 	}
-	tomo.Apply(this, tomo.R("objects", "Separator", ""))
+	this.SetRole(tomo.R("objects", "Separator", ""))
+	tomo.Apply(this)
 	return this
 }
diff --git a/slider.go b/slider.go
index 4d6fa5d..1865f4f 100644
--- a/slider.go
+++ b/slider.go
@@ -51,8 +51,11 @@ func newSlider (orient string, value float64) *Slider {
 	this.OnMouseUp(this.handleMouseUp)
 	this.OnMouseMove(this.handleMouseMove)
 	this.OnScroll(this.handleScroll)
-	tomo.Apply(this.handle, tomo.R("objects", "SliderHandle", orient))
-	tomo.Apply(this,        tomo.R("objects", "Slider", orient))
+	
+	this.handle.SetRole(tomo.R("objects", "SliderHandle", orient))
+	tomo.Apply(this.handle)
+	this.SetRole(tomo.R("objects", "Slider", orient))
+	tomo.Apply(this)
 	return this
 }
 
diff --git a/textinput.go b/textinput.go
index e014bb3..6f4f620 100644
--- a/textinput.go
+++ b/textinput.go
@@ -19,7 +19,8 @@ type TextInput struct {
 // NewTextInput creates a new text input containing the specified text.
 func NewTextInput (text string) *TextInput {
 	this := &TextInput { TextBox: tomo.NewTextBox() }
-	tomo.Apply(this, tomo.R("objects", "TextInput", ""))
+	this.SetRole(tomo.R("objects", "TextInput", ""))
+	tomo.Apply(this)
 	this.SetAlign(tomo.AlignStart, tomo.AlignMiddle)
 	this.SetText(text)
 	this.SetFocusable(true)
diff --git a/textview.go b/textview.go
index 73fe9e8..fca4b92 100644
--- a/textview.go
+++ b/textview.go
@@ -11,7 +11,8 @@ type TextView struct {
 // NewTextView creates a new text view.
 func NewTextView (text string) *TextView {
 	this := &TextView { TextBox: tomo.NewTextBox() }
-	tomo.Apply(this, tomo.R("objects", "TextView", ""))
+	this.SetRole(tomo.R("objects", "TextView", ""))
+	tomo.Apply(this)
 	this.SetFocusable(true)
 	this.SetSelectable(true)
 	this.SetText(text)