diff --git a/interface/src/ui/MetavoxelEditor.cpp b/interface/src/ui/MetavoxelEditor.cpp
index c97832d791..e37669e907 100644
--- a/interface/src/ui/MetavoxelEditor.cpp
+++ b/interface/src/ui/MetavoxelEditor.cpp
@@ -45,12 +45,19 @@ MetavoxelEditor::MetavoxelEditor() :
     attributeGroup->setLayout(attributeLayout);
     
     attributeLayout->addWidget(_attributes = new QListWidget());
-    connect(_attributes, SIGNAL(itemSelectionChanged()), SLOT(updateValueEditor()));
+    connect(_attributes, SIGNAL(itemSelectionChanged()), SLOT(selectedAttributeChanged()));
+
+    QHBoxLayout* attributeButtonLayout = new QHBoxLayout();
+    attributeLayout->addLayout(attributeButtonLayout);
 
     QPushButton* newAttribute = new QPushButton("New...");
-    attributeLayout->addWidget(newAttribute);
+    attributeButtonLayout->addWidget(newAttribute);
     connect(newAttribute, SIGNAL(clicked()), SLOT(createNewAttribute()));
 
+    attributeButtonLayout->addWidget(_deleteAttribute = new QPushButton("Delete"));
+    _deleteAttribute->setEnabled(false);
+    connect(_deleteAttribute, SIGNAL(clicked()), SLOT(deleteSelectedAttribute()));
+
     QFormLayout* formLayout = new QFormLayout();
     topLayout->addLayout(formLayout);
     
@@ -141,19 +148,20 @@ bool MetavoxelEditor::eventFilter(QObject* watched, QEvent* event) {
     return false;
 }
 
-void MetavoxelEditor::updateValueEditor() {
+void MetavoxelEditor::selectedAttributeChanged() {
     QString selected = getSelectedAttribute();
     if (selected.isNull()) {
+        _deleteAttribute->setEnabled(false);
         _value->setVisible(false);
         return;
     }
+    AttributePointer attribute = AttributeRegistry::getInstance()->getAttribute(selected);
+    
     _value->setVisible(true);
     
     if (_valueArea->widget()) {
         delete _valueArea->widget();
     }
-      
-    AttributePointer attribute = AttributeRegistry::getInstance()->getAttribute(selected);
     QWidget* editor = attribute->createEditor();
     if (editor) {
         _valueArea->setWidget(editor);
@@ -188,6 +196,10 @@ void MetavoxelEditor::createNewAttribute() {
     updateAttributes(nameText);
 }
 
+void MetavoxelEditor::deleteSelectedAttribute() {
+    
+}
+
 void MetavoxelEditor::centerGridPosition() {
     const float CENTER_OFFSET = 0.625f;
     float eyePosition = (glm::inverse(getGridRotation()) * Application::getInstance()->getCamera()->getPosition()).z -
diff --git a/interface/src/ui/MetavoxelEditor.h b/interface/src/ui/MetavoxelEditor.h
index 9024837757..5e941f3540 100644
--- a/interface/src/ui/MetavoxelEditor.h
+++ b/interface/src/ui/MetavoxelEditor.h
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ class QComboBox;
 class QDoubleSpinBox;
 class QGroupBox;
 class QListWidget;
+class QPushButton;
 class QScrollArea;
 
 /// Allows editing metavoxels.
@@ -31,8 +32,9 @@ public:
 
 private slots:
     
-    void updateValueEditor();
+    void selectedAttributeChanged();
     void createNewAttribute();
+    void deleteSelectedAttribute();
     void centerGridPosition();
     void alignGridPosition();
     
@@ -49,6 +51,7 @@ private:
     QVariant getValue() const;
     
     QListWidget* _attributes;
+    QPushButton* _deleteAttribute;
     QComboBox* _gridPlane;
     QDoubleSpinBox* _gridSpacing;
     QDoubleSpinBox* _gridPosition;
diff --git a/libraries/metavoxels/src/AttributeRegistry.h b/libraries/metavoxels/src/AttributeRegistry.h
index 56cff7eeb4..431fc59fe2 100644
--- a/libraries/metavoxels/src/AttributeRegistry.h
+++ b/libraries/metavoxels/src/AttributeRegistry.h
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ class QScriptValue;
 
 class Attribute;
 
-typedef QSharedPointer<Attribute> AttributePointer;
+typedef SharedObjectPointerTemplate<Attribute> AttributePointer;
 
 /// Maintains information about metavoxel attribute types.
 class AttributeRegistry {
@@ -141,7 +141,7 @@ public:
 };
 
 /// Represents a registered attribute.
-class Attribute : public QObject {
+class Attribute : public SharedObject {
     Q_OBJECT
     
 public:
diff --git a/libraries/metavoxels/src/Bitstream.h b/libraries/metavoxels/src/Bitstream.h
index cc776a742a..87ee66c661 100644
--- a/libraries/metavoxels/src/Bitstream.h
+++ b/libraries/metavoxels/src/Bitstream.h
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ class Bitstream;
 class OwnedAttributeValue;
 class TypeStreamer;
 
-typedef QSharedPointer<Attribute> AttributePointer;
+typedef SharedObjectPointerTemplate<Attribute> AttributePointer;
 
 /// Streams integer identifiers that conform to the following pattern: each ID encountered in the stream is either one that
 /// has been sent (received) before, or is one more than the highest previously encountered ID (starting at zero).  This allows
diff --git a/libraries/metavoxels/src/SharedObject.cpp b/libraries/metavoxels/src/SharedObject.cpp
index f97e285bcf..0b93826aa5 100644
--- a/libraries/metavoxels/src/SharedObject.cpp
+++ b/libraries/metavoxels/src/SharedObject.cpp
@@ -72,62 +72,6 @@ bool SharedObject::equals(const SharedObject* other) const {
     return true;
 }
 
-SharedObjectPointer::SharedObjectPointer(SharedObject* data) : _data(data) {
-    if (_data) {
-        _data->incrementReferenceCount();
-    }
-}
-
-SharedObjectPointer::SharedObjectPointer(const SharedObjectPointer& other) : _data(other._data) {
-    if (_data) {
-        _data->incrementReferenceCount();
-    }
-}
-
-SharedObjectPointer::~SharedObjectPointer() {
-    if (_data) {
-        _data->decrementReferenceCount();
-    }
-}
-
-void SharedObjectPointer::detach() {
-    if (_data && _data->getReferenceCount() > 1) {
-        _data->decrementReferenceCount();
-        (_data = _data->clone())->incrementReferenceCount();
-    }
-}
-
-void SharedObjectPointer::reset() {
-    if (_data) {
-        _data->decrementReferenceCount();
-    }
-    _data = NULL;
-}
-
-SharedObjectPointer& SharedObjectPointer::operator=(SharedObject* data) {
-    if (_data) {
-        _data->decrementReferenceCount();
-    }
-    if ((_data = data)) {
-        _data->incrementReferenceCount();
-    }
-    return *this;
-}
-
-SharedObjectPointer& SharedObjectPointer::operator=(const SharedObjectPointer& other) {
-    if (_data) {
-        _data->decrementReferenceCount();
-    }
-    if ((_data = other._data)) {
-        _data->incrementReferenceCount();
-    }
-    return *this;
-}
-
-uint qHash(const SharedObjectPointer& pointer, uint seed) {
-    return qHash(pointer.data(), seed);
-}
-
 SharedObjectEditor::SharedObjectEditor(const QMetaObject* metaObject, QWidget* parent) : QWidget(parent) {
     QVBoxLayout* layout = new QVBoxLayout();
     layout->setAlignment(Qt::AlignTop);
diff --git a/libraries/metavoxels/src/SharedObject.h b/libraries/metavoxels/src/SharedObject.h
index e439c4c7f0..fedbeb50d8 100644
--- a/libraries/metavoxels/src/SharedObject.h
+++ b/libraries/metavoxels/src/SharedObject.h
@@ -44,49 +44,99 @@ private:
 };
 
 /// A pointer to a shared object.
-class SharedObjectPointer {
+template<class T> class SharedObjectPointerTemplate {
 public:
     
-    SharedObjectPointer(SharedObject* data = NULL);
-    SharedObjectPointer(const SharedObjectPointer& other);
-    ~SharedObjectPointer();
-
-    SharedObject* data() { return _data; }
-    const SharedObject* data() const { return _data; }
-    const SharedObject* constData() const { return _data; }
+    SharedObjectPointerTemplate(T* data = NULL);
+    SharedObjectPointerTemplate(const SharedObjectPointerTemplate<T>& other);
+    ~SharedObjectPointerTemplate();
 
+    T* data() const { return _data; }
+    
     void detach();
 
-    void swap(SharedObjectPointer& other) { qSwap(_data, other._data); }
+    void swap(SharedObjectPointerTemplate<T>& other) { qSwap(_data, other._data); }
 
     void reset();
 
-    operator SharedObject*() { return _data; }
-    operator const SharedObject*() const { return _data; }
-
     bool operator!() const { return !_data; }
-
-    bool operator!=(const SharedObjectPointer& other) const { return _data != other._data; }
-
-    SharedObject& operator*() { return *_data; }
-    const SharedObject& operator*() const { return *_data; }
-
-    SharedObject* operator->() { return _data; }
-    const SharedObject* operator->() const { return _data; }
-
-    SharedObjectPointer& operator=(SharedObject* data);
-    SharedObjectPointer& operator=(const SharedObjectPointer& other);
-
-    bool operator==(const SharedObjectPointer& other) const { return _data == other._data; }
-
-private:
+    operator T*() const { return _data; }
+    T& operator*() const { return *_data; }
+    T* operator->() const { return _data; }
     
-    SharedObject* _data;
+    SharedObjectPointerTemplate<T>& operator=(T* data);
+    SharedObjectPointerTemplate<T>& operator=(const SharedObjectPointerTemplate<T>& other);
+
+    bool operator==(const SharedObjectPointerTemplate<T>& other) const { return _data == other._data; }
+    bool operator!=(const SharedObjectPointerTemplate<T>& other) const { return _data != other._data; }
+    
+private:
+
+    T* _data;
 };
 
-Q_DECLARE_METATYPE(SharedObjectPointer)
+template<class T> inline SharedObjectPointerTemplate<T>::SharedObjectPointerTemplate(T* data) : _data(data) {
+    if (_data) {
+        _data->incrementReferenceCount();
+    }
+}
 
-uint qHash(const SharedObjectPointer& pointer, uint seed = 0);
+template<class T> inline SharedObjectPointerTemplate<T>::SharedObjectPointerTemplate(const SharedObjectPointerTemplate<T>& other) :
+    _data(other._data) {
+    
+    if (_data) {
+        _data->incrementReferenceCount();
+    }
+}
+
+template<class T> inline SharedObjectPointerTemplate<T>::~SharedObjectPointerTemplate() {
+    if (_data) {
+        _data->decrementReferenceCount();
+    }
+}
+
+template<class T> inline void SharedObjectPointerTemplate<T>::detach() {
+    if (_data && _data->getReferenceCount() > 1) {
+        _data->decrementReferenceCount();
+        (_data = _data->clone())->incrementReferenceCount();
+    }
+}
+
+template<class T> inline void SharedObjectPointerTemplate<T>::reset() {
+    if (_data) {
+        _data->decrementReferenceCount();
+    }
+    _data = NULL;
+}
+
+template<class T> inline SharedObjectPointerTemplate<T>& SharedObjectPointerTemplate<T>::operator=(T* data) {
+    if (_data) {
+        _data->decrementReferenceCount();
+    }
+    if ((_data = data)) {
+        _data->incrementReferenceCount();
+    }
+    return *this;
+}
+
+template<class T> inline SharedObjectPointerTemplate<T>& SharedObjectPointerTemplate<T>::operator=(
+        const SharedObjectPointerTemplate<T>& other) {
+    if (_data) {
+        _data->decrementReferenceCount();
+    }
+    if ((_data = other._data)) {
+        _data->incrementReferenceCount();
+    }
+    return *this;
+}
+
+template<class T> uint qHash(const SharedObjectPointerTemplate<T>& pointer, uint seed = 0) {
+    return qHash(pointer.data(), seed);
+}
+
+typedef SharedObjectPointerTemplate<SharedObject> SharedObjectPointer;
+
+Q_DECLARE_METATYPE(SharedObjectPointer)
 
 /// Allows editing shared object instances.
 class SharedObjectEditor : public QWidget {