diff --git a/lib/Doctrine/Access.php b/lib/Doctrine/Access.php
index 65ba67b68..3be4bcfff 100644
--- a/lib/Doctrine/Access.php
+++ b/lib/Doctrine/Access.php
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@
  * @version     $Revision$
  * @author      Konsta Vesterinen <kvesteri@cc.hut.fi>
  */
-abstract class Doctrine_Access extends Doctrine_Object implements ArrayAccess
+abstract class Doctrine_Access extends Doctrine_Locator_Injectable implements ArrayAccess
 {
     /**
      * setArray
diff --git a/lib/Doctrine/Configurable.php b/lib/Doctrine/Configurable.php
index cc309a73f..924cc60ba 100644
--- a/lib/Doctrine/Configurable.php
+++ b/lib/Doctrine/Configurable.php
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@
  * @version     $Revision$
  * @author      Konsta Vesterinen <kvesteri@cc.hut.fi>
  */
-abstract class Doctrine_Configurable extends Doctrine_Object
+abstract class Doctrine_Configurable extends Doctrine_Locator_Injectable
 {
     /**
      * @var array $attributes               an array of containing all attributes
diff --git a/lib/Doctrine/Hydrate.php b/lib/Doctrine/Hydrate.php
index 49ec75ca0..7913abb3f 100644
--- a/lib/Doctrine/Hydrate.php
+++ b/lib/Doctrine/Hydrate.php
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@
  * @version     $Revision$
  * @author      Konsta Vesterinen <kvesteri@cc.hut.fi>
  */
-class Doctrine_Hydrate extends Doctrine_Object implements Serializable
+class Doctrine_Hydrate extends Doctrine_Locator_Injectable implements Serializable
 {
     /**
      * QUERY TYPE CONSTANTS
diff --git a/lib/Doctrine/Hydrate/Record.php b/lib/Doctrine/Hydrate/Record.php
index 9a7dc0566..e1819b2c5 100644
--- a/lib/Doctrine/Hydrate/Record.php
+++ b/lib/Doctrine/Hydrate/Record.php
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@
  * @version     $Revision$
  * @author      Konsta Vesterinen <kvesteri@cc.hut.fi>
  */
-class Doctrine_Hydrate_Record extends Doctrine_Object
+class Doctrine_Hydrate_Record extends Doctrine_Locator_Injectable
 {
     protected $_collections = array();
     
@@ -119,4 +119,4 @@ class Doctrine_Hydrate_Record extends Doctrine_Object
             $table->setAttribute(Doctrine::ATTR_LOAD_REFERENCES, true);
         }
     }
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}
diff --git a/lib/Doctrine/Locator/Injectable.php b/lib/Doctrine/Locator/Injectable.php
index fb78db082..c5e69d86a 100644
--- a/lib/Doctrine/Locator/Injectable.php
+++ b/lib/Doctrine/Locator/Injectable.php
@@ -43,7 +43,10 @@ class Doctrine_Locator_Injectable
      * @var array               an array of bound resources
      */
     protected $_resources = array();
-
+    /**
+     * @var Doctrine_Null $null     Doctrine_Null object, used for extremely fast null value checking
+     */
+    protected static $_null;
     /**
      * setLocator
      * this method can be used for setting the locator object locally
@@ -115,4 +118,25 @@ class Doctrine_Locator_Injectable
         return $this;    
     }
 
+    /**
+     * initNullObject
+     * initializes the null object
+     *
+     * @param Doctrine_Null $null
+     * @return void
+     */
+    public static function initNullObject(Doctrine_Null $null)
+    {
+        self::$_null = $null;
+    }
+    /**
+     * getNullObject
+     * returns the null object associated with this object
+     *
+     * @return Doctrine_Null
+     */
+    public static function getNullObject()
+    {
+        return self::$_null;
+    }
 }
diff --git a/lib/Doctrine/Manager.php b/lib/Doctrine/Manager.php
index 638d356bd..74f994c69 100644
--- a/lib/Doctrine/Manager.php
+++ b/lib/Doctrine/Manager.php
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ class Doctrine_Manager extends Doctrine_Configurable implements Countable, Itera
     {
         $this->_root = dirname(__FILE__);
 
-        Doctrine_Object::initNullObject(new Doctrine_Null);
+        Doctrine_Locator_Injectable::initNullObject(new Doctrine_Null);
     }
     /**
      * setDefaultAttributes
@@ -591,4 +591,4 @@ class Doctrine_Manager extends Doctrine_Configurable implements Countable, Itera
         $r[] = "</pre>";
         return implode("\n",$r);
     }
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}
diff --git a/lib/Doctrine/Validator.php b/lib/Doctrine/Validator.php
index b86f9a33a..b16d45093 100644
--- a/lib/Doctrine/Validator.php
+++ b/lib/Doctrine/Validator.php
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@
  * @version     $Revision$
  * @author      Konsta Vesterinen <kvesteri@cc.hut.fi>
  */
-class Doctrine_Validator extends Doctrine_Object
+class Doctrine_Validator extends Doctrine_Locator_Injectable
 {
     /**
      * @var array $validators           an array of validator objects
@@ -317,4 +317,4 @@ class Doctrine_Validator extends Doctrine_Object
                 return $type;
         }
     }*/
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}