diff --git a/include/etl/alignment.h b/include/etl/alignment.h
index c289b4a4..73527765 100644
--- a/include/etl/alignment.h
+++ b/include/etl/alignment.h
@@ -450,17 +450,10 @@ namespace etl
     template <typename... TArgs>
     reference create(TArgs&&... args) ETL_NOEXCEPT_EXPR(ETL_NOT_USING_EXCEPTIONS)
     {
-      if (has_value())
-      {
-        storage.value = T(args...);
-      }
-      else
-      {
-        valid = true;
-        ::new (&storage.value) value_type(etl::forward<TArgs>(args)...);
-      }
-
-      return storage.value;
+      ETL_ASSERT(!has_value(), ETL_ERROR(etl::typed_storage_error));
+      pointer p = ::new (&storage.value) value_type(etl::forward<TArgs>(args)...);
+      valid = true;
+      return *p;
     }
 #else
     //***************************************************************************
@@ -470,17 +463,10 @@ namespace etl
     template <typename T1>
     reference create(const T1& t1)
     {
-      if (has_value())
-      {
-        storage.value = T(t1);
-      }
-      else
-      {
-        valid = true;
-        ::new (&storage.value) value_type(t1);
-      }
-
-      return storage.value;
+      ETL_ASSERT(!has_value(), ETL_ERROR(etl::typed_storage_error));
+      pointer p = ::new (&storage.value) value_type(t1);
+      valid = true;
+      return *p;
     }
 
     //***************************************************************************
@@ -490,17 +476,10 @@ namespace etl
     template <typename T1, typename T2>
     reference create(const T1& t1, const T2& t2)
     {
-      if (has_value())
-      {
-        storage.value = T(t1, t2);
-      }
-      else
-      {
-        valid = true;
-        ::new (&storage.value) value_type(t1, t2);
-      }
-
-      return storage.value;
+      ETL_ASSERT(!has_value(), ETL_ERROR(etl::typed_storage_error));
+      pointer p = ::new (&storage.value) value_type(t1, t2);
+      valid = true;
+      return *p;
     }
 
     //***************************************************************************
@@ -510,17 +489,10 @@ namespace etl
     template <typename T1, typename T2, typename T3>
     reference create(const T1& t1, const T2& t2, const T3& t3)
     {
-      if (has_value())
-      {
-        storage.value = T(t1, t2, t3);
-      }
-      else
-      {
-        valid = true;
-        ::new (&storage.value) value_type(t1, t2, t3);
-      }
-
-      return storage.value;
+      ETL_ASSERT(!has_value(), ETL_ERROR(etl::typed_storage_error));
+      pointer p = ::new (&storage.value) value_type(t1, t2, t3);
+      valid = true;
+      return *p;
     }
 
     //***************************************************************************
@@ -530,17 +502,10 @@ namespace etl
     template <typename T1, typename T2, typename T3, typename T4>
     reference create(const T1& t1, const T2& t2, const T3& t3, const T4& t4)
     {
-      if (has_value())
-      {
-        storage.value = T(t1, t2, t3, t4);
-      }
-      else
-      {
-        valid = true;
-        ::new (&storage.value) value_type(t1, t2, t3, t4);
-      }
-
-      return storage.value;
+      ETL_ASSERT(!has_value(), ETL_ERROR(etl::typed_storage_error));
+      pointer p = ::new (&storage.value) value_type(t1, t2, t3, t4);
+      valid = true;
+      return *p;
     }
 #endif
 
@@ -684,6 +649,7 @@ namespace etl
       , valid(false)
     {
       ETL_ASSERT(etl::is_aligned(pbuffer_, etl::alignment_of<T>::value), ETL_ERROR(etl::alignment_error));
+      create(t1);
     }
 
     //***************************************************************************
@@ -744,62 +710,67 @@ namespace etl
 #if ETL_USING_CPP11
     //***************************************************************************
     /// Constructs the instance of T forwarding the given \p args to its constructor.
-    /// \returns the instance of T which has been constructed in the internal byte array.
+    /// \returns the instance of T which has been constructed in the external buffer.
     //***************************************************************************
     template <typename... TArgs>
     reference create(TArgs&&... args) ETL_NOEXCEPT_EXPR(ETL_NOT_USING_EXCEPTIONS)
     {
       ETL_ASSERT(!has_value(), ETL_ERROR(etl::typed_storage_error));
+      pointer p = ::new (pbuffer) value_type(etl::forward<TArgs>(args)...);
       valid = true;
-      return *::new (pbuffer) value_type(etl::forward<TArgs>(args)...);
+      return *p;
     }
 #else
     //***************************************************************************
     /// Constructs the instance of T with type T1
-    /// \returns the instance of T which has been constructed in the internal byte array.
+    /// \returns the instance of T which has been constructed in the external buffer.
     //***************************************************************************
     template <typename T1>
     reference create(const T1& t1)
     {
       ETL_ASSERT(!has_value(), ETL_ERROR(etl::typed_storage_error));
+      pointer p = ::new (pbuffer) value_type(t1);
       valid = true;
-      return *::new (pbuffer) value_type(t1);
+      return *p;
     }
 
     //***************************************************************************
     /// Constructs the instance of T with types T1, T2
-    /// \returns the instance of T which has been constructed in the internal byte array.
+    /// \returns the instance of T which has been constructed in the external buffer.
     //***************************************************************************
     template <typename T1, typename T2>
     reference create(const T1& t1, const T2& t2)
     {
       ETL_ASSERT(!has_value(), ETL_ERROR(etl::typed_storage_error));
+      pointer p = ::new (pbuffer) value_type(t1, t2);
       valid = true;
-      return *::new (pbuffer) value_type(t1, t2);
+      return *p;
     }
 
     //***************************************************************************
     /// Constructs the instance of T with types T1, T2, T3
-    /// \returns the instance of T which has been constructed in the internal byte array.
+    /// \returns the instance of T which has been constructed in the external buffer.
     //***************************************************************************
     template <typename T1, typename T2, typename T3>
     reference create(const T1& t1, const T2& t2, const T3& t3)
     {
       ETL_ASSERT(!has_value(), ETL_ERROR(etl::typed_storage_error));
+      pointer p = ::new (pbuffer) value_type(t1, t2, t3);
       valid = true;
-      return *::new (pbuffer) value_type(t1, t2, t3);
+      return *p;
     }
 
     //***************************************************************************
     /// Constructs the instance of T with types T1, T2, T3, T4
-    /// \returns the instance of T which has been constructed in the internal byte array.
+    /// \returns the instance of T which has been constructed in the external buffer.
     //***************************************************************************
     template <typename T1, typename T2, typename T3, typename T4>
     reference create(const T1& t1, const T2& t2, const T3& t3, const T4& t4)
     {
       ETL_ASSERT(!has_value(), ETL_ERROR(etl::typed_storage_error));
+      pointer p = ::new (pbuffer) value_type(t1, t2, t3, t4);
       valid = true;
-      return *::new (pbuffer) value_type(t1, t2, t3, t4);
+      return *p;
     }
 #endif
 
diff --git a/test/test_alignment.cpp b/test/test_alignment.cpp
index c38acedb..24ff4c28 100644
--- a/test/test_alignment.cpp
+++ b/test/test_alignment.cpp
@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@ void f(int)
 {
 }
 
+// Demonstrator class for etl::typed_storage tests
 struct A_t
 {
   A_t(uint32_t v_x, uint8_t v_y)
@@ -56,13 +57,22 @@ struct A_t
   {
   }
 
+  // Just for test purpose. In production code, etl::typed_storage
+  // actually supports the use case of destructors being optimized
+  // away since they are not necessary for global objects that are
+  // never destroyed
   ~A_t()
   {
     x = 0;
     y = 0;
   }
 
-  bool operator==(A_t& other)
+  // etl::typed_storage helps implementing the use case of becoming
+  // independent of the destructor. By deleting the assignment operator,
+  // we make sure that the destructor is not linked
+  A_t& operator=(const A_t&) = delete;
+
+  bool operator==(const A_t& other) const
   {
     return other.x == x && other.y == y;
   }