diff --git a/README b/README
index 6c12f05..9a23306 100644
--- a/README
+++ b/README
@@ -82,8 +82,6 @@
   - The zero value for a struct is its correct initialization state.
 	All desired fields must be set before marshaling.
   - A Reset() method will restore a protobuf struct to its zero state.
-  - Each type T has a method NewT() to create a new instance. It
-	is equivalent to new(T).
   - Non-repeated fields are pointers to the values; nil means unset.
 	That is, optional or required field int32 f becomes F *int32.
   - Repeated fields are slices.
@@ -151,7 +149,7 @@
 		if err != nil {
 			log.Exit("marshaling error:", err)
 		}
-		newTest := example.NewTest()
+		newTest := &example.Test()
 		err = proto.Unmarshal(data, newTest)
 		if err != nil {
 			log.Exit("unmarshaling error:", err)
diff --git a/compiler/generator/generator.go b/compiler/generator/generator.go
index c2c6297..33bb9c0 100644
--- a/compiler/generator/generator.go
+++ b/compiler/generator/generator.go
@@ -909,17 +909,12 @@
 	g.Out()
 	g.P("}")
 
-	// Reset and New functions
+	// Reset function
 	g.P("func (this *", ccTypeName, ") Reset() {")
 	g.In()
 	g.P("*this = ", ccTypeName, "{}")
 	g.Out()
 	g.P("}")
-	g.P("func New", ccTypeName, "() *", ccTypeName, " {")
-	g.In()
-	g.P("return new(", ccTypeName, ")")
-	g.Out()
-	g.P("}")
 
 	// Extension support methods
 	if len(message.ExtensionRange) > 0 {
diff --git a/compiler/testdata/extension_test.go b/compiler/testdata/extension_test.go
index 6ff10ca..85c7d56 100644
--- a/compiler/testdata/extension_test.go
+++ b/compiler/testdata/extension_test.go
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@
 )
 
 func TestSingleFieldExtension(t *testing.T) {
-	bm := base.NewBaseMessage()
+	bm := &base.BaseMessage{}
 	bm.Height = proto.Int32(178)
 
 	// Use extension within scope of another type.
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatal("Failed encoding message with extension:", err)
 	}
-	bm_new := base.NewBaseMessage()
+	bm_new := &base.BaseMessage{}
 	if err := proto.Unmarshal(buf, bm_new); err != nil {
 		t.Fatal("Failed decoding message with extension:", err)
 	}
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@
 }
 
 func TestMessageExtension(t *testing.T) {
-	bm := base.NewBaseMessage()
+	bm := &base.BaseMessage{}
 	bm.Height = proto.Int32(179)
 
 	// Use extension that is itself a message.
@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatal("Failed encoding message with extension:", err)
 	}
-	bm_new := base.NewBaseMessage()
+	bm_new := &base.BaseMessage{}
 	if err := proto.Unmarshal(buf, bm_new); err != nil {
 		t.Fatal("Failed decoding message with extension:", err)
 	}
@@ -116,7 +116,7 @@
 }
 
 func TestTopLevelExtension(t *testing.T) {
-	bm := base.NewBaseMessage()
+	bm := &base.BaseMessage{}
 	bm.Height = proto.Int32(179)
 
 	width := proto.Int32(17)
@@ -128,7 +128,7 @@
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatal("Failed encoding message with extension:", err)
 	}
-	bm_new := base.NewBaseMessage()
+	bm_new := &base.BaseMessage{}
 	if err := proto.Unmarshal(buf, bm_new); err != nil {
 		t.Fatal("Failed decoding message with extension:", err)
 	}
diff --git a/compiler/testdata/main.go b/compiler/testdata/main.go
index 29100be..ed81320 100644
--- a/compiler/testdata/main.go
+++ b/compiler/testdata/main.go
@@ -39,6 +39,6 @@
 )
 
 func main() {
-	_ = my_test.NewRequest()
-	_ = multitest.NewMulti1()
+	_ = &my_test.Request{}
+	_ = &multitest.Multi1{}
 }
diff --git a/compiler/testdata/test.pb.go.golden b/compiler/testdata/test.pb.go.golden
index 397bea4..36284f0 100644
--- a/compiler/testdata/test.pb.go.golden
+++ b/compiler/testdata/test.pb.go.golden
@@ -98,9 +98,6 @@
 func (this *Request) Reset() {
 	*this = Request{}
 }
-func NewRequest() *Request {
-	return new(Request)
-}
 const Default_Request_Hat HatType = HatType_FEDORA
 
 type Reply struct {
@@ -111,9 +108,6 @@
 func (this *Reply) Reset() {
 	*this = Reply{}
 }
-func NewReply() *Reply {
-	return new(Reply)
-}
 
 var extRange_Reply = []proto.ExtensionRange{
 	proto.ExtensionRange{100, 536870911},
@@ -137,9 +131,6 @@
 func (this *Reply_Entry) Reset() {
 	*this = Reply_Entry{}
 }
-func NewReply_Entry() *Reply_Entry {
-	return new(Reply_Entry)
-}
 const Default_Reply_Entry_Value int64 = 7
 
 type ReplyExtensions struct {
@@ -148,9 +139,6 @@
 func (this *ReplyExtensions) Reset() {
 	*this = ReplyExtensions{}
 }
-func NewReplyExtensions() *ReplyExtensions {
-	return new(ReplyExtensions)
-}
 
 var E_ReplyExtensions_Time = &proto.ExtensionDesc{
 	ExtendedType: (*Reply)(nil),
diff --git a/proto/all_test.go b/proto/all_test.go
index 10e2297..39abc77 100644
--- a/proto/all_test.go
+++ b/proto/all_test.go
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@
 }
 
 func initGoTestField() *GoTestField {
-	f := NewGoTestField()
+	f := new(GoTestField)
 	f.Label = String("label")
 	f.Type = String("type")
 	return f
@@ -78,25 +78,25 @@
 // (It's remarkable that required, optional, and repeated all have
 // 8 letters.)
 func initGoTest_RequiredGroup() *GoTest_RequiredGroup {
-	f := NewGoTest_RequiredGroup()
-	f.RequiredField = String("required")
-	return f
+	return &GoTest_RequiredGroup{
+		RequiredField: String("required"),
+	}
 }
 
 func initGoTest_OptionalGroup() *GoTest_OptionalGroup {
-	f := NewGoTest_OptionalGroup()
-	f.RequiredField = String("optional")
-	return f
+	return &GoTest_OptionalGroup{
+		RequiredField: String("optional"),
+	}
 }
 
 func initGoTest_RepeatedGroup() *GoTest_RepeatedGroup {
-	f := NewGoTest_RepeatedGroup()
-	f.RequiredField = String("repeated")
-	return f
+	return &GoTest_RepeatedGroup{
+		RequiredField: String("repeated"),
+	}
 }
 
 func initGoTest(setdefaults bool) *GoTest {
-	pb := NewGoTest()
+	pb := new(GoTest)
 	if setdefaults {
 		pb.F_BoolDefaulted = Bool(Default_GoTest_F_BoolDefaulted)
 		pb.F_Int32Defaulted = Int32(Default_GoTest_F_Int32Defaulted)
@@ -302,7 +302,7 @@
 	}
 
 	// Now test Unmarshal by recreating the original buffer.
-	pbd := NewGoTest()
+	pbd := new(GoTest)
 	err = o.Unmarshal(pbd)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("overify unmarshal err = %v", err)
@@ -426,7 +426,7 @@
 // Do we catch the "required bit not set" case?
 func TestRequiredBit(t *testing.T) {
 	o := old()
-	pb := NewGoTest()
+	pb := new(GoTest)
 	if o.Marshal(pb) != ErrRequiredNotSet {
 		t.Errorf("did not catch missing required fields")
 	}
@@ -781,24 +781,25 @@
 	o.Marshal(pb)
 
 	// Now new a GoSkipTest record.
-	skipgroup := NewGoSkipTest_SkipGroup()
-	skipgroup.GroupInt32 = Int32(75)
-	skipgroup.GroupString = String("wxyz")
-	skip := NewGoSkipTest()
-	skip.SkipInt32 = Int32(32)
-	skip.SkipFixed32 = Uint32(3232)
-	skip.SkipFixed64 = Uint64(6464)
-	skip.SkipString = String("skipper")
-	skip.Skipgroup = skipgroup
+	skip := &GoSkipTest{
+		SkipInt32:   Int32(32),
+		SkipFixed32: Uint32(3232),
+		SkipFixed64: Uint64(6464),
+		SkipString:  String("skipper"),
+		Skipgroup: &GoSkipTest_SkipGroup{
+			GroupInt32:  Int32(75),
+			GroupString: String("wxyz"),
+		},
+	}
 
 	// Marshal it into same buffer.
 	o.Marshal(skip)
 
-	pbd := NewGoTestField()
+	pbd := new(GoTestField)
 	o.Unmarshal(pbd)
 
 	// The __unrecognized field should be a marshaling of GoSkipTest
-	skipd := NewGoSkipTest()
+	skipd := new(GoSkipTest)
 
 	o.SetBuf(pbd.XXX_unrecognized)
 	o.Unmarshal(skipd)
@@ -876,7 +877,7 @@
 	buf, _ := Marshal(pb)
 
 	// Now test Unmarshal by recreating the original buffer.
-	pbd := NewGoTest()
+	pbd := new(GoTest)
 	Unmarshal(buf, pbd)
 
 	// Check the checkable values
@@ -961,13 +962,16 @@
 }
 
 func TestProto1RepeatedGroup(t *testing.T) {
-	pb := NewMessageList()
-
-	pb.Message = make([]*MessageList_Message, 2)
-	pb.Message[0] = NewMessageList_Message()
-	pb.Message[0].Name = String("blah")
-	pb.Message[0].Count = Int32(7)
-	// NOTE: pb.Message[1] is a nil
+	pb := &MessageList{
+		Message: []*MessageList_Message{
+			&MessageList_Message{
+				Name:  String("blah"),
+				Count: Int32(7),
+			},
+			// NOTE: pb.Message[1] is a nil
+			nil,
+		},
+	}
 
 	o := old()
 	if err := o.Marshal(pb); err != ErrRepeatedHasNil {
@@ -995,6 +999,24 @@
 	}
 }
 
+// Verify that absent required fields cause Marshal/Unmarshal to return errors.
+func TestRequiredFieldEnforcement(t *testing.T) {
+	pb := new(GoTestField)
+	_, err := Marshal(pb)
+	if err == nil || err != ErrRequiredNotSet {
+		t.Errorf("marshal: expected %q, got %q", ErrRequiredNotSet, err)
+	}
+
+	// A slightly sneaky, yet valid, proto. It encodes the same required field twice,
+	// so simply counting the required fields is insufficient.
+	// field 1, encoding 2, value "hi"
+	buf := []byte("\x0A\x02hi\x0A\x02hi")
+	err = Unmarshal(buf, pb)
+	if err == nil || err != ErrRequiredNotSet {
+		t.Errorf("unmarshal: expected %q, got %q", ErrRequiredNotSet, err)
+	}
+}
+
 func BenchmarkMarshal(b *testing.B) {
 	b.StopTimer()
 
@@ -1030,7 +1052,7 @@
 	for i := 0; i < N; i++ {
 		pb.F_Int32Repeated[i] = int32(i)
 	}
-	pbd := NewGoTest()
+	pbd := new(GoTest)
 	p := NewBuffer(nil)
 	p.Marshal(pb)
 	p2 := NewBuffer(nil)
diff --git a/proto/decode.go b/proto/decode.go
index 0c237e1..5ad6625 100644
--- a/proto/decode.go
+++ b/proto/decode.go
@@ -333,6 +333,7 @@
 func (o *Buffer) unmarshalType(t *reflect.PtrType, is_group bool, base uintptr) os.Error {
 	st := t.Elem().(*reflect.StructType)
 	prop := GetProperties(st)
+	required, reqFields := prop.reqCount, uint64(0)
 	sbase := getsbase(prop) // scratch area for data items
 
 	var err os.Error
@@ -367,19 +368,41 @@
 		}
 		p := prop.Prop[fieldnum]
 
-		if p.dec != nil {
-			if wire != WireStartGroup && wire != p.WireType {
-				err = ErrWrongType
-				continue
-			}
-			err = p.dec(o, p, base, sbase)
+		if p.dec == nil {
+			fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "no protobuf decoder for %s.%s\n", t, st.Field(fieldnum).Name)
 			continue
 		}
-
-		fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "no protobuf decoder for %s.%s\n", t, st.Field(fieldnum).Name)
+		if wire != WireStartGroup && wire != p.WireType {
+			err = ErrWrongType
+			continue
+		}
+		err = p.dec(o, p, base, sbase)
+		if err == nil && p.Required {
+			// Successfully decoded a required field.
+			if tag <= 64 {
+				// use bitmap for fields 1-64 to catch field reuse.
+				var mask uint64 = 1 << uint64(tag-1)
+				if reqFields&mask == 0 {
+					// new required field
+					reqFields |= mask
+					required--
+				}
+			} else {
+				// This is imprecise. It can be fooled by a required field
+				// with a tag > 64 that is encoded twice; that's very rare.
+				// A fully correct implementation would require allocating
+				// a data structure, which we would like to avoid.
+				required--
+			}
+		}
 	}
-	if err == nil && is_group {
-		return io.ErrUnexpectedEOF
+	if err == nil {
+		if is_group {
+			return io.ErrUnexpectedEOF
+		}
+		if required > 0 {
+			return ErrRequiredNotSet
+		}
 	}
 	return err
 }
diff --git a/proto/encode.go b/proto/encode.go
index 9c323b2..fac4b5e 100644
--- a/proto/encode.go
+++ b/proto/encode.go
@@ -45,7 +45,9 @@
 
 // ErrRequiredNotSet is the error returned if Marshal is called with
 // a protocol buffer struct whose required fields have not
-// all been initialized.
+// all been initialized. It is also the error returned if Unmarshal is
+// called with an encoded protocol buffer that does not include all the
+// required fields.
 var ErrRequiredNotSet = os.NewError("required fields not set")
 
 // ErrRepeatedHasNil is the error returned if Marshal is called with
diff --git a/proto/testdata/test.pb.go b/proto/testdata/test.pb.go
index 23c1f0e..a60b001 100644
--- a/proto/testdata/test.pb.go
+++ b/proto/testdata/test.pb.go
@@ -102,9 +102,6 @@
 func (this *GoEnum) Reset() {
 	*this = GoEnum{}
 }
-func NewGoEnum() *GoEnum {
-	return new(GoEnum)
-}
 
 type GoTestField struct {
 	Label	*string	"PB(bytes,1,req)"
@@ -114,9 +111,6 @@
 func (this *GoTestField) Reset() {
 	*this = GoTestField{}
 }
-func NewGoTestField() *GoTestField {
-	return new(GoTestField)
-}
 
 type GoTest struct {
 	Kind	*int32	"PB(varint,1,req)"
@@ -185,9 +179,6 @@
 func (this *GoTest) Reset() {
 	*this = GoTest{}
 }
-func NewGoTest() *GoTest {
-	return new(GoTest)
-}
 const Default_GoTest_F_BoolDefaulted bool = true
 const Default_GoTest_F_Int32Defaulted int32 = 32
 const Default_GoTest_F_Int64Defaulted int64 = 64
@@ -209,9 +200,6 @@
 func (this *GoTest_RequiredGroup) Reset() {
 	*this = GoTest_RequiredGroup{}
 }
-func NewGoTest_RequiredGroup() *GoTest_RequiredGroup {
-	return new(GoTest_RequiredGroup)
-}
 
 type GoTest_RepeatedGroup struct {
 	RequiredField	*string	"PB(bytes,81,req)"
@@ -220,9 +208,6 @@
 func (this *GoTest_RepeatedGroup) Reset() {
 	*this = GoTest_RepeatedGroup{}
 }
-func NewGoTest_RepeatedGroup() *GoTest_RepeatedGroup {
-	return new(GoTest_RepeatedGroup)
-}
 
 type GoTest_OptionalGroup struct {
 	RequiredField	*string	"PB(bytes,91,req)"
@@ -231,9 +216,6 @@
 func (this *GoTest_OptionalGroup) Reset() {
 	*this = GoTest_OptionalGroup{}
 }
-func NewGoTest_OptionalGroup() *GoTest_OptionalGroup {
-	return new(GoTest_OptionalGroup)
-}
 
 type GoSkipTest struct {
 	SkipInt32	*int32	"PB(varint,11,req,name=skip_int32)"
@@ -246,9 +228,6 @@
 func (this *GoSkipTest) Reset() {
 	*this = GoSkipTest{}
 }
-func NewGoSkipTest() *GoSkipTest {
-	return new(GoSkipTest)
-}
 
 type GoSkipTest_SkipGroup struct {
 	GroupInt32	*int32	"PB(varint,16,req,name=group_int32)"
@@ -258,9 +237,6 @@
 func (this *GoSkipTest_SkipGroup) Reset() {
 	*this = GoSkipTest_SkipGroup{}
 }
-func NewGoSkipTest_SkipGroup() *GoSkipTest_SkipGroup {
-	return new(GoSkipTest_SkipGroup)
-}
 
 type InnerMessage struct {
 	Host	*string	"PB(bytes,1,req,name=host)"
@@ -271,9 +247,6 @@
 func (this *InnerMessage) Reset() {
 	*this = InnerMessage{}
 }
-func NewInnerMessage() *InnerMessage {
-	return new(InnerMessage)
-}
 const Default_InnerMessage_Port int32 = 4000
 
 type OtherMessage struct {
@@ -286,9 +259,6 @@
 func (this *OtherMessage) Reset() {
 	*this = OtherMessage{}
 }
-func NewOtherMessage() *OtherMessage {
-	return new(OtherMessage)
-}
 
 type MyMessage struct {
 	Count	*int32	"PB(varint,1,req,name=count)"
@@ -303,9 +273,6 @@
 func (this *MyMessage) Reset() {
 	*this = MyMessage{}
 }
-func NewMyMessage() *MyMessage {
-	return new(MyMessage)
-}
 
 type MessageList struct {
 	Message	[]*MessageList_Message	"PB(group,1,rep,name=message)"
@@ -314,9 +281,6 @@
 func (this *MessageList) Reset() {
 	*this = MessageList{}
 }
-func NewMessageList() *MessageList {
-	return new(MessageList)
-}
 
 type MessageList_Message struct {
 	Name	*string	"PB(bytes,2,req,name=name)"
@@ -326,9 +290,6 @@
 func (this *MessageList_Message) Reset() {
 	*this = MessageList_Message{}
 }
-func NewMessageList_Message() *MessageList_Message {
-	return new(MessageList_Message)
-}
 
 func init() {
 	proto.RegisterEnum("test_proto.FOO", FOO_name, FOO_value)