diff --git a/src/PityTree.hh b/src/PityTree.hh
index 2b0056d..c1a5bf8 100644
--- a/src/PityTree.hh
+++ b/src/PityTree.hh
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ namespace pEp {
             explicit PityTree(const PityTree& rhs, T& owner);
 
             // copy-assign
-            PityTree& operator=(const PityTree<T>& rhs);
+//            PityTree& operator=(const PityTree<T>& rhs);
 
             // clone
             virtual PityTree* clone() = 0;
@@ -39,16 +39,21 @@ namespace pEp {
             template<typename CT, typename... Args>
             CT& addNew(Args&&... args);
 
-            // Creates a copy, add the copy as child and returns a ref to it
+            // Creates a copy, adds the copy as child and returns a ref to it
             template<typename CT>
             CT& addCopy(const CT&& child, const std::string& new_name = "");
 
+            template<typename CT>
+            CT& addCopy(const CT& child, const std::string& new_name = "");
+
             // Just adds child as a non-owned reference.
             T& addRef(T& child);
 
             // Query
+            virtual T& getSelf() = 0;
             T* getParent() const;
             ChildRefs getChildRefs() const;
+            int getChildCount() const;
             T& getChild(const std::string& name);
             T& getRoot();
 
diff --git a/src/PityTree.hxx b/src/PityTree.hxx
index e3f21d7..8cc6c6f 100644
--- a/src/PityTree.hxx
+++ b/src/PityTree.hxx
@@ -37,15 +37,15 @@ namespace pEp {
             _copyChildRefs(rhs);
         }
 
-        template<class T>
-        PityTree<T>& PityTree<T>::operator=(const PityTree<T>& rhs)
-        {
-            _nodename = rhs._nodename;
-            _parent = nullptr;
-            _copyChildRefs(rhs);
-            return *this;
-        }
-
+//        template<class T>
+//        PityTree<T>& PityTree<T>::operator=(const PityTree<T>& rhs)
+//        {
+//            _nodename = rhs._nodename;
+//            _parent = nullptr;
+//            _copyChildRefs(rhs);
+//            return *this;
+//        }
+//
         template<typename T>
         template<typename CT, typename... Args>
         CT& PityTree<T>::addNew(Args&&... args)
@@ -71,6 +71,13 @@ namespace pEp {
             return *tmpraw;
         }
 
+        template<typename T>
+        template<typename CT>
+        CT& PityTree<T>::addCopy(const CT& child, const std::string& new_name)
+        {
+            return addCopy(std::move(child));
+        }
+
         template<class T>
         T& PityTree<T>::addRef(T& child)
         {
@@ -201,6 +208,12 @@ namespace pEp {
                 addRef(ret);
             }
         }
+
+        template<class T>
+        int PityTree<T>::getChildCount() const
+        {
+            return _childrefs.size();
+        }
     } // namespace PityTest11
 } // namespace pEp