diff --git a/server/dcc.cpp b/server/dcc.cpp
index 1dcf1519..2a2c17db 100644
--- a/server/dcc.cpp
+++ b/server/dcc.cpp
@@ -74,8 +74,7 @@ RedSurfaceCreateItem::RedSurfaceCreateItem(uint32_t surface_id,
                                            uint32_t width,
                                            uint32_t height,
                                            uint32_t format,
-                                           uint32_t flags):
-    RedPipeItem(RED_PIPE_ITEM_TYPE_CREATE_SURFACE)
+                                           uint32_t flags)
 {
     surface_create.surface_id = surface_id;
     surface_create.width = width;
@@ -188,11 +187,6 @@ void dcc_create_surface(DisplayChannelClient *dcc, int surface_id)
     dcc->pipe_add(std::move(create));
 }
 
-RedImageItem::RedImageItem():
-    RedPipeItem(RED_PIPE_ITEM_TYPE_IMAGE)
-{
-}
-
 // adding the pipe item after pos. If pos == NULL, adding to head.
 void
 dcc_add_surface_area_image(DisplayChannelClient *dcc, int surface_id,
@@ -303,7 +297,6 @@ static void add_drawable_surface_images(DisplayChannelClient *dcc, Drawable *dra
 }
 
 RedDrawablePipeItem::RedDrawablePipeItem(DisplayChannelClient *init_dcc, Drawable *init_drawable):
-    RedPipeItem(RED_PIPE_ITEM_TYPE_DRAW),
     drawable(init_drawable),
     dcc(init_dcc)
 {
@@ -529,7 +522,7 @@ RedPipeItemPtr dcc_gl_scanout_item_new(RedChannelClient *rcc, void *data, int nu
         return RedPipeItemPtr();
     }
 
-    return red::make_shared<RedGlScanoutUnixItem>(RED_PIPE_ITEM_TYPE_GL_SCANOUT);
+    return red::make_shared<RedGlScanoutUnixItem>();
 }
 
 XXX_CAST(RedChannelClient, DisplayChannelClient, DISPLAY_CHANNEL_CLIENT);
@@ -548,7 +541,7 @@ RedPipeItemPtr dcc_gl_draw_item_new(RedChannelClient *rcc, void *data, int num)
     }
 
     dcc->priv->gl_draw_ongoing = TRUE;
-    auto item = red::make_shared<RedGlDrawItem>(RED_PIPE_ITEM_TYPE_GL_DRAW);
+    auto item = red::make_shared<RedGlDrawItem>();
     item->draw = *draw;
 
     return item;
diff --git a/server/dcc.h b/server/dcc.h
index a35849d5..8e463239 100644
--- a/server/dcc.h
+++ b/server/dcc.h
@@ -96,45 +96,6 @@ typedef struct FreeList {
 
 #define DCC_TO_DC(dcc) ((DisplayChannel*) dcc->get_channel())
 
-struct RedSurfaceCreateItem: public RedPipeItem {
-    RedSurfaceCreateItem(uint32_t surface_id,
-                         uint32_t width,
-                         uint32_t height,
-                         uint32_t format,
-                         uint32_t flags);
-    SpiceMsgSurfaceCreate surface_create;
-};
-
-struct RedGlScanoutUnixItem: public RedPipeItem {
-    using RedPipeItem::RedPipeItem;
-};
-
-struct RedGlDrawItem: public RedPipeItem {
-    using RedPipeItem::RedPipeItem;
-    SpiceMsgDisplayGlDraw draw;
-};
-
-struct RedImageItem final: public RedPipeItem {
-    RedImageItem();
-    SpicePoint pos;
-    int width;
-    int height;
-    int stride;
-    int top_down;
-    int surface_id;
-    int image_format;
-    uint32_t image_flags;
-    int can_lossy;
-    uint8_t data[0];
-};
-
-struct RedDrawablePipeItem: public RedPipeItem {
-    RedDrawablePipeItem(DisplayChannelClient *dcc, Drawable *drawable);
-    ~RedDrawablePipeItem();
-    Drawable *const drawable;
-    DisplayChannelClient *const dcc;
-};
-
 DisplayChannelClient*      dcc_new                                   (DisplayChannel *display,
                                                                       RedClient *client,
                                                                       RedStream *stream,
diff --git a/server/display-channel-private.h b/server/display-channel-private.h
index cf7d2dba..841c515d 100644
--- a/server/display-channel-private.h
+++ b/server/display-channel-private.h
@@ -187,6 +187,42 @@ struct RedSurfaceDestroyItem: public RedPipeItemNum<RED_PIPE_ITEM_TYPE_DESTROY_S
     SpiceMsgSurfaceDestroy surface_destroy;
 };
 
+struct RedSurfaceCreateItem: public RedPipeItemNum<RED_PIPE_ITEM_TYPE_CREATE_SURFACE> {
+    RedSurfaceCreateItem(uint32_t surface_id,
+                         uint32_t width,
+                         uint32_t height,
+                         uint32_t format,
+                         uint32_t flags);
+    SpiceMsgSurfaceCreate surface_create;
+};
+
+struct RedGlScanoutUnixItem: public RedPipeItemNum<RED_PIPE_ITEM_TYPE_GL_SCANOUT> {
+};
+
+struct RedGlDrawItem: public RedPipeItemNum<RED_PIPE_ITEM_TYPE_GL_DRAW> {
+    SpiceMsgDisplayGlDraw draw;
+};
+
+struct RedImageItem final: public RedPipeItemNum<RED_PIPE_ITEM_TYPE_IMAGE> {
+    SpicePoint pos;
+    int width;
+    int height;
+    int stride;
+    int top_down;
+    int surface_id;
+    int image_format;
+    uint32_t image_flags;
+    int can_lossy;
+    uint8_t data[0];
+};
+
+struct RedDrawablePipeItem: public RedPipeItemNum<RED_PIPE_ITEM_TYPE_DRAW> {
+    RedDrawablePipeItem(DisplayChannelClient *dcc, Drawable *drawable);
+    ~RedDrawablePipeItem();
+    Drawable *const drawable;
+    DisplayChannelClient *const dcc;
+};
+
 static inline int is_equal_path(SpicePath *path1, SpicePath *path2)
 {
     SpicePathSeg *seg1, *seg2;