diff --git a/src/arb/ArbTypes.jl b/src/arb/ArbTypes.jl
index 225292497..c089a9a34 100644
--- a/src/arb/ArbTypes.jl
+++ b/src/arb/ArbTypes.jl
@@ -796,6 +796,9 @@ mutable struct RealMatrix <: MatElem{RealFieldElem}
   rows::Ptr{Nothing}
   #base_ring::ArbField
 
+  # MatElem interface
+  RealMatrix(::RealField, r::Int, c::Int) = RealMatrix(r, c)
+
   function RealMatrix(r::Int, c::Int)
     z = new()
     ccall((:arb_mat_init, libflint), Nothing, (Ref{RealMatrix}, Int, Int), z, r, c)
@@ -884,6 +887,13 @@ mutable struct ArbMatrix <: MatElem{ArbFieldElem}
   rows::Ptr{Nothing}
   base_ring::ArbField
 
+  # MatElem interface
+  function ArbMatrix(R::ArbField, r::Int, c::Int)
+    z = ArbMatrix(r, c)
+    z.base_ring = R
+    return z
+  end
+
   function ArbMatrix(r::Int, c::Int)
     z = new()
     ccall((:arb_mat_init, libflint), Nothing, (Ref{ArbMatrix}, Int, Int), z, r, c)
@@ -976,6 +986,9 @@ mutable struct ComplexMatrix <: MatElem{ComplexFieldElem}
   rows::Ptr{Nothing}
   #base_ring::AcbField
 
+  # MatElem interface
+  ComplexMatrix(::ComplexField, r::Int, c::Int) = ComplexMatrix(r, c)
+
   function ComplexMatrix(r::Int, c::Int)
     z = new()
     ccall((:acb_mat_init, libflint), Nothing, (Ref{ComplexMatrix}, Int, Int), z, r, c)
@@ -1166,6 +1179,13 @@ mutable struct AcbMatrix <: MatElem{AcbFieldElem}
   rows::Ptr{Nothing}
   base_ring::AcbField
 
+  # MatElem interface
+  function AcbMatrix(R::AcbField, r::Int, c::Int)
+    z = AcbMatrix(r, c)
+    z.base_ring = R
+    return z
+  end
+
   function AcbMatrix(r::Int, c::Int)
     z = new()
     ccall((:acb_mat_init, libflint), Nothing, (Ref{AcbMatrix}, Int, Int), z, r, c)
diff --git a/src/arb/acb_mat.jl b/src/arb/acb_mat.jl
index 47fbaf416..d16beaf9b 100644
--- a/src/arb/acb_mat.jl
+++ b/src/arb/acb_mat.jl
@@ -11,8 +11,7 @@
 ###############################################################################
 
 function similar(::AcbMatrix, R::AcbField, r::Int, c::Int)
-  z = AcbMatrix(r, c)
-  z.base_ring = R
+  z = AcbMatrix(R, r, c)
   return z
 end
 
@@ -744,8 +743,7 @@ end
 ###############################################################################
 
 function (x::AcbMatrixSpace)()
-  z = AcbMatrix(nrows(x), ncols(x))
-  z.base_ring = x.base_ring
+  z = AcbMatrix(base_ring(x), nrows(x), ncols(x))
   return z
 end
 
@@ -890,8 +888,7 @@ function zero_matrix(R::AcbField, r::Int, c::Int)
   if r < 0 || c < 0
     error("dimensions must not be negative")
   end
-  z = AcbMatrix(r, c)
-  z.base_ring = R
+  z = AcbMatrix(R, r, c)
   return z
 end
 
@@ -905,9 +902,8 @@ function identity_matrix(R::AcbField, n::Int)
   if n < 0
     error("dimension must not be negative")
   end
-  z = AcbMatrix(n, n)
+  z = AcbMatrix(R, n, n)
   ccall((:acb_mat_one, libflint), Nothing, (Ref{AcbMatrix}, ), z)
-  z.base_ring = R
   return z
 end
 
diff --git a/src/arb/arb_mat.jl b/src/arb/arb_mat.jl
index aed33f313..adea8c0e8 100644
--- a/src/arb/arb_mat.jl
+++ b/src/arb/arb_mat.jl
@@ -11,8 +11,7 @@
 ###############################################################################
 
 function similar(::ArbMatrix, R::ArbField, r::Int, c::Int)
-  z = ArbMatrix(r, c)
-  z.base_ring = R
+  z = ArbMatrix(R, r, c)
   return z
 end
 
@@ -81,9 +80,8 @@ number_of_rows(a::ArbMatrix) = a.r
 number_of_columns(a::ArbMatrix) = a.c
 
 function deepcopy_internal(x::ArbMatrix, dict::IdDict)
-  z = ArbMatrix(nrows(x), ncols(x))
+  z = ArbMatrix(base_ring(x), nrows(x), ncols(x))
   ccall((:arb_mat_set, libflint), Nothing, (Ref{ArbMatrix}, Ref{ArbMatrix}), z, x)
-  z.base_ring = x.base_ring
   return z
 end
 
@@ -711,8 +709,7 @@ end
 ###############################################################################
 
 function (x::ArbMatrixSpace)()
-  z = ArbMatrix(nrows(x), ncols(x))
-  z.base_ring = x.base_ring
+  z = ArbMatrix(base_ring(x), nrows(x), ncols(x))
   return z
 end
 
@@ -787,8 +784,7 @@ function zero_matrix(R::ArbField, r::Int, c::Int)
   if r < 0 || c < 0
     error("dimensions must not be negative")
   end
-  z = ArbMatrix(r, c)
-  z.base_ring = R
+  z = ArbMatrix(R, r, c)
   return z
 end
 
@@ -802,9 +798,8 @@ function identity_matrix(R::ArbField, n::Int)
   if n < 0
     error("dimension must not be negative")
   end
-  z = ArbMatrix(n, n)
+  z = ArbMatrix(R, n, n)
   ccall((:arb_mat_one, libflint), Nothing, (Ref{ArbMatrix}, ), z)
-  z.base_ring = R
   return z
 end
 
diff --git a/src/flint/FlintTypes.jl b/src/flint/FlintTypes.jl
index dfed74ad5..2beb36ac6 100644
--- a/src/flint/FlintTypes.jl
+++ b/src/flint/FlintTypes.jl
@@ -4697,7 +4697,10 @@ mutable struct QQMatrix <: MatElem{QQFieldElem}
   rows::Ptr{Ptr{QQFieldElem}}
   view_parent
 
-  # used by windows, not finalised!!
+  # MatElem interface
+  QQMatrix(::QQField, r::Int, c::Int) = QQMatrix(r, c)
+
+  # Used by view, not finalised!!
   function QQMatrix()
     return new()
   end
@@ -4740,6 +4743,9 @@ mutable struct ZZMatrix <: MatElem{ZZRingElem}
   rows::Ptr{Ptr{ZZRingElem}}
   view_parent
 
+  # MatElem interface
+  ZZMatrix(::ZZRing, r::Int, c::Int) = ZZMatrix(r, c)
+
   # Used by view, not finalised!!
   function ZZMatrix()
     return new()
@@ -4785,10 +4791,16 @@ mutable struct zzModMatrix <: MatElem{zzModRingElem}
   base_ring::zzModRing
   view_parent
 
+  # MatElem interface
+  function zzModMatrix(R::zzModRing, r::Int, c::Int)
+    z = zzModMatrix(r, c, R.n)
+    z.base_ring = R
+    return z
+  end
+
   # Used by view, not finalised!!
   function zzModMatrix()
-    z = new()
-    return z
+    return new()
   end
 
   function zzModMatrix(r::Int, c::Int, n::UInt)
@@ -4929,10 +4941,16 @@ mutable struct ZZModMatrix <: MatElem{ZZModRingElem}
   base_ring::ZZModRing
   view_parent
 
+  # MatElem interface
+  function ZZModMatrix(R::ZZModRing, r::Int, c::Int)
+    z = ZZModMatrix(r, c, R.ninv)
+    z.base_ring = R
+    return z
+  end
+
   # Used by view, not finalised!!
   function ZZModMatrix()
-    z = new()
-    return z
+    return new()
   end
 
   function ZZModMatrix(r::Int, c::Int, ctx::fmpz_mod_ctx_struct)
@@ -5087,10 +5105,16 @@ mutable struct FpMatrix <: MatElem{FpFieldElem}
   base_ring::FpField
   view_parent
 
+  # MatElem interface
+  function FpMatrix(R::FpField, r::Int, c::Int)
+    z = FpMatrix(r, c, R.ninv)
+    z.base_ring = R
+    return z
+  end
+
   # Used by view, not finalised!!
   function FpMatrix()
-    z = new()
-    return z
+    return new()
   end
 
   function FpMatrix(r::Int, c::Int, ctx::fmpz_mod_ctx_struct)
@@ -5197,10 +5221,16 @@ mutable struct fpMatrix <: MatElem{fpFieldElem}
   base_ring::fpField
   view_parent
 
+  # MatElem interface
+  function fpMatrix(R::fpField, r::Int, c::Int)
+    z = fpMatrix(r, c, R.n)
+    z.base_ring = R
+    return z
+  end
+
   # Used by view, not finalised!!
   function fpMatrix()
-    z = new()
-    return z
+    return new()
   end
 
   function fpMatrix(r::Int, c::Int, n::UInt)
@@ -5775,7 +5805,12 @@ mutable struct FqMatrix <: MatElem{FqFieldElem}
   base_ring::FqField
   view_parent
 
-  # used by windows, not finalised!!
+  # MatElem interface
+  function FqMatrix(R::FqField, r::Int, c::Int)
+    return FqMatrix(r, c, R)
+  end
+
+  # Used by view, not finalised!!
   function FqMatrix()
     return new()
   end
@@ -5941,7 +5976,12 @@ mutable struct FqPolyRepMatrix <: MatElem{FqPolyRepFieldElem}
   base_ring::FqPolyRepField
   view_parent
 
-  # used by windows, not finalised!!
+  # MatElem interface
+  function FqPolyRepMatrix(R::FqPolyRepField, r::Int, c::Int)
+    return FqPolyRepMatrix(r, c, R)
+  end
+
+  # Used by view, not finalised!!
   function FqPolyRepMatrix()
     return new()
   end
@@ -6074,7 +6114,12 @@ mutable struct fqPolyRepMatrix <: MatElem{fqPolyRepFieldElem}
   base_ring::fqPolyRepField
   view_parent
 
-  # used by windows, not finalised!!
+  # MatElem interface
+  function fqPolyRepMatrix(R::fqPolyRepField, r::Int, c::Int)
+    return fqPolyRepMatrix(r, c, R)
+  end
+
+  # Used by view, not finalised!!
   function fqPolyRepMatrix()
     return new()
   end
diff --git a/src/flint/fmpz_mod_mat.jl b/src/flint/fmpz_mod_mat.jl
index 7cbf83abb..e9c62cbe6 100644
--- a/src/flint/fmpz_mod_mat.jl
+++ b/src/flint/fmpz_mod_mat.jl
@@ -19,8 +19,7 @@ dense_matrix_type(::Type{ZZModRingElem}) = ZZModMatrix
 ###############################################################################
 
 function similar(::MatElem, R::ZZModRing, r::Int, c::Int)
-  z = ZZModMatrix(r, c, R.ninv)
-  z.base_ring = R
+  z = ZZModMatrix(R, r, c)
   return z
 end
 
@@ -753,8 +752,7 @@ promote_rule(::Type{ZZModMatrix}, ::Type{ZZRingElem}) = ZZModMatrix
 ################################################################################
 
 function (a::ZZModMatrixSpace)()
-  z = ZZModMatrix(nrows(a), ncols(a), base_ring(a).ninv)
-  z.base_ring = a.base_ring
+  z = ZZModMatrix(base_ring(a), nrows(a), ncols(a))
   return z
 end
 
@@ -818,11 +816,10 @@ end
 
 function (a::ZZModMatrixSpace)(b::ZZMatrix)
   (ncols(a) != b.c || nrows(a) != b.r) && error("Dimensions do not fit")
-  z = ZZModMatrix(b.r, b.c, base_ring(a).ninv)
+  z = ZZModMatrix(base_ring(a), b.r, b.c)
   ccall((:fmpz_mod_mat_set_fmpz_mat, libflint), Nothing,
         (Ref{ZZModMatrix}, Ref{ZZMatrix}, Ref{fmpz_mod_ctx_struct}),
         z, b, base_ring(a).ninv)
-  z.base_ring = a.base_ring
   return z
 end
 
@@ -855,8 +852,7 @@ function zero_matrix(R::ZZModRing, r::Int, c::Int)
   if r < 0 || c < 0
     error("dimensions must not be negative")
   end
-  z = ZZModMatrix(r, c, R.ninv)
-  z.base_ring = R
+  z = ZZModMatrix(R, r, c)
   return z
 end
 
diff --git a/src/flint/gfp_fmpz_mat.jl b/src/flint/gfp_fmpz_mat.jl
index 0c706dca3..f0edfaac5 100644
--- a/src/flint/gfp_fmpz_mat.jl
+++ b/src/flint/gfp_fmpz_mat.jl
@@ -19,8 +19,7 @@ dense_matrix_type(::Type{FpFieldElem}) = FpMatrix
 ###############################################################################
 
 function similar(::MatElem, R::FpField, r::Int, c::Int)
-  z = FpMatrix(r, c, R.ninv)
-  z.base_ring = R
+  z = FpMatrix(R, r, c)
   return z
 end
 
@@ -227,8 +226,7 @@ end
 ################################################################################
 
 function (a::FpMatrixSpace)()
-  z = FpMatrix(nrows(a), ncols(a), base_ring(a).ninv)
-  z.base_ring = a.base_ring
+  z = FpMatrix(base_ring(a), nrows(a), ncols(a))
   return z
 end
 
@@ -328,8 +326,7 @@ function zero_matrix(R::FpField, r::Int, c::Int)
   if r < 0 || c < 0
     error("dimensions must not be negative")
   end
-  z = FpMatrix(r, c, R.ninv)
-  z.base_ring = R
+  z = FpMatrix(R, r, c)
   return z
 end