diff --git a/include/thallium/endpoint.hpp b/include/thallium/endpoint.hpp
index 1b5c87e5c3a9dcce858420772f38353d0f77c193..0e64c664bd356b2d55935dc1479fddbf9d5b1c86 100644
--- a/include/thallium/endpoint.hpp
+++ b/include/thallium/endpoint.hpp
@@ -40,6 +40,8 @@ private:
 	engine*   m_engine;
 	hg_addr_t m_addr;
 
+public:
+
     /**
      * @brief Constructor. Made private since endpoint instances
      * can only be created using engine::lookup.
@@ -47,10 +49,14 @@ private:
      * @param e Engine that created the endpoint.
      * @param addr Mercury address.
      */
-	endpoint(engine& e, hg_addr_t addr)
-	: m_engine(&e), m_addr(addr) {}
-
-public:
+	endpoint(engine& e, hg_addr_t addr, bool take_ownership=true)
+	: m_engine(&e), m_addr(HG_ADDR_NULL) {
+        if(take_ownership) {
+            m_addr = addr;
+        } else {
+            margo_addr_dup(m_engine->m_mid, addr, &m_addr);
+        }
+    }
 
     /**
      * @brief Default constructor defined so that endpoints can
diff --git a/include/thallium/provider_handle.hpp b/include/thallium/provider_handle.hpp
index e10ef8b33166ccbf20d181be73351def9c7fac61..f9a7afb4cebfa9b689df96d27ce062ef739bec24 100644
--- a/include/thallium/provider_handle.hpp
+++ b/include/thallium/provider_handle.hpp
@@ -28,6 +28,16 @@ private:
 
 public:
 
+    /**
+     * @brief Constructor from a HG address.
+     *
+     * @param e engine.
+     * @param addr Address to encapsulate.
+     * @param provider_id provider id.
+     */
+    provider_handle(engine& e, hg_addr_t addr, uint16_t provider_id=0, bool take_ownership=true)
+    : endpoint(e, addr, take_ownership), m_provider_id(provider_id) {}
+
     /**
      * @brief Constructor.
      *