diff --git a/xwords4/android/app/src/main/java/org/eehouse/android/xw4/BoardDelegate.java b/xwords4/android/app/src/main/java/org/eehouse/android/xw4/BoardDelegate.java
index c0e77630b..a3c1243ce 100644
--- a/xwords4/android/app/src/main/java/org/eehouse/android/xw4/BoardDelegate.java
+++ b/xwords4/android/app/src/main/java/org/eehouse/android/xw4/BoardDelegate.java
@@ -1891,8 +1891,7 @@ public class BoardDelegate extends DelegateBase
         @Override
         public void playerScoreHeld( int player )
         {
-            LastMoveInfo lmi = new LastMoveInfo();
-            XwJNI.model_getPlayersLastScore( m_jniGamePtr, player, lmi );
+            LastMoveInfo lmi = XwJNI.model_getPlayersLastScore( m_jniGamePtr, player );
             String expl = lmi.format( m_activity );
             if ( null == expl || 0 == expl.length() ) {
                 expl = getString( R.string.no_moves_made );
@@ -2170,10 +2169,8 @@ public class BoardDelegate extends DelegateBase
             } else if ( isVisible() ) {
                 Utils.playNotificationSound( m_activity );
             } else {
-                LastMoveInfo lmi = new LastMoveInfo();
-                XwJNI.model_getPlayersLastScore( m_jniGamePtr, turn, lmi );
                 GameUtils.BackMoveResult bmr = new GameUtils.BackMoveResult();
-                bmr.m_lmi = lmi;
+                bmr.m_lmi = XwJNI.model_getPlayersLastScore( m_jniGamePtr, turn );
                 boolean[] locals = m_gi.playersLocal();
                 GameUtils.postMoveNotification( m_activity, m_rowid,
                                                 bmr, locals[turn] );
diff --git a/xwords4/android/app/src/main/java/org/eehouse/android/xw4/DictBrowseDelegate.java b/xwords4/android/app/src/main/java/org/eehouse/android/xw4/DictBrowseDelegate.java
index 87f83511d..0441a6660 100644
--- a/xwords4/android/app/src/main/java/org/eehouse/android/xw4/DictBrowseDelegate.java
+++ b/xwords4/android/app/src/main/java/org/eehouse/android/xw4/DictBrowseDelegate.java
@@ -249,8 +249,7 @@ public class DictBrowseDelegate extends DelegateBase
             Assert.assertNotNull( m_browseState );
             m_dict = XwJNI.makeDict( pairs.m_bytes[0], m_name, pairs.m_paths[0] );
 
-            mDictInfo = new DictInfo();
-            XwJNI.dict_getInfo( m_dict, false, mDictInfo );
+            mDictInfo = XwJNI.dict_getInfo( m_dict, false );
             setTitle( getString( R.string.dict_browse_title_fmt, m_name, mDictInfo.wordCount ) );
 
             ExpandImageButton eib = (ExpandImageButton)findViewById( R.id.expander );
diff --git a/xwords4/android/app/src/main/java/org/eehouse/android/xw4/DictLangCache.java b/xwords4/android/app/src/main/java/org/eehouse/android/xw4/DictLangCache.java
index 1f0f8497c..4f564cf4a 100644
--- a/xwords4/android/app/src/main/java/org/eehouse/android/xw4/DictLangCache.java
+++ b/xwords4/android/app/src/main/java/org/eehouse/android/xw4/DictLangCache.java
@@ -495,16 +495,13 @@ public class DictLangCache {
             String[] names = { dal.name };
             DictUtils.DictPairs pairs = DictUtils.openDicts( context, names );
 
-            info = new DictInfo();
-            if ( XwJNI.dict_getInfo( pairs.m_bytes[0], dal.name,
-                                     pairs.m_paths[0],
-                                     DictLoc.DOWNLOAD == dal.loc,
-                                     info ) ) {
-
+            info = XwJNI.dict_getInfo( pairs.m_bytes[0], dal.name,
+                                       pairs.m_paths[0],
+                                       DictLoc.DOWNLOAD == dal.loc );
+            if ( null != info ) {
                 info.name = dal.name;
                 DBUtils.dictsSetInfo( context, dal, info );
             } else {
-                info = null;
                 Log.i( TAG, "getInfo(): unable to open dict %s", dal.name );
             }
         }
diff --git a/xwords4/android/app/src/main/java/org/eehouse/android/xw4/DictUtils.java b/xwords4/android/app/src/main/java/org/eehouse/android/xw4/DictUtils.java
index ed7130bf2..1bcc87e2a 100644
--- a/xwords4/android/app/src/main/java/org/eehouse/android/xw4/DictUtils.java
+++ b/xwords4/android/app/src/main/java/org/eehouse/android/xw4/DictUtils.java
@@ -579,8 +579,8 @@ public class DictUtils {
         boolean ok = file.endsWith( XWConstants.DICT_EXTN );
         if ( ok && null != dir ) {
             String fullPath = new File( dir, file ).getPath();
-            ok = XwJNI.dict_getInfo( null, removeDictExtn( file ), fullPath,
-                                     true, null );
+            ok = null != XwJNI.dict_getInfo( null, removeDictExtn( file ),
+                                             fullPath, true );
         }
         return ok;
     }
diff --git a/xwords4/android/app/src/main/java/org/eehouse/android/xw4/GameConfigDelegate.java b/xwords4/android/app/src/main/java/org/eehouse/android/xw4/GameConfigDelegate.java
index 8b406b7ec..800ff148b 100644
--- a/xwords4/android/app/src/main/java/org/eehouse/android/xw4/GameConfigDelegate.java
+++ b/xwords4/android/app/src/main/java/org/eehouse/android/xw4/GameConfigDelegate.java
@@ -578,15 +578,13 @@ public class GameConfigDelegate extends DelegateBase
                 m_gi = new CurGameInfo( m_giOrig );
             }
 
-            m_carOrig = new CommsAddrRec();
             if ( XwJNI.game_hasComms( gamePtr ) ) {
-                XwJNI.comms_getAddr( gamePtr, m_carOrig );
+                m_carOrig = XwJNI.comms_getAddr( gamePtr );
                 m_remoteAddrs = XwJNI.comms_getAddrs( gamePtr );
             } else if ( !localOnlyGame() ) {
                 String relayName = XWPrefs.getDefaultRelayHost( m_activity );
                 int relayPort = XWPrefs.getDefaultRelayPort( m_activity );
-                XwJNI.comms_getInitialAddr( m_carOrig, relayName,
-                                            relayPort );
+                m_carOrig = XwJNI.comms_getInitialAddr( relayName, relayPort );
             }
 
             // load if the first time through....
diff --git a/xwords4/android/app/src/main/java/org/eehouse/android/xw4/GameUtils.java b/xwords4/android/app/src/main/java/org/eehouse/android/xw4/GameUtils.java
index 78d60f38c..1b50feae5 100644
--- a/xwords4/android/app/src/main/java/org/eehouse/android/xw4/GameUtils.java
+++ b/xwords4/android/app/src/main/java/org/eehouse/android/xw4/GameUtils.java
@@ -137,8 +137,7 @@ public class GameUtils {
 
         try ( GamePtr gamePtr = loadMakeGame( context, gi, lockSrc ) ) {
             if ( XwJNI.game_hasComms( gamePtr ) ) {
-                addr = new CommsAddrRec();
-                XwJNI.comms_getAddr( gamePtr, addr );
+                addr = XwJNI.comms_getAddr( gamePtr );
             }
         }
 
@@ -1066,9 +1065,7 @@ public class GameUtils {
                                     bmr.m_chatFrom = feedImpl.m_chatFrom;
                                     bmr.m_chatTs = feedImpl.m_ts;
                                 } else {
-                                    LastMoveInfo lmi = new LastMoveInfo();
-                                    XwJNI.model_getPlayersLastScore( gamePtr, -1, lmi );
-                                    bmr.m_lmi = lmi;
+                                    bmr.m_lmi = XwJNI.model_getPlayersLastScore( gamePtr, -1 );
                                 }
                             }
 
diff --git a/xwords4/android/app/src/main/java/org/eehouse/android/xw4/jni/XwJNI.java b/xwords4/android/app/src/main/java/org/eehouse/android/xw4/jni/XwJNI.java
index b2ae37913..56532a872 100644
--- a/xwords4/android/app/src/main/java/org/eehouse/android/xw4/jni/XwJNI.java
+++ b/xwords4/android/app/src/main/java/org/eehouse/android/xw4/jni/XwJNI.java
@@ -206,14 +206,11 @@ public class XwJNI {
 
     public static NetLaunchInfo nliFromStream( byte[] stream )
     {
-        NetLaunchInfo nli = new NetLaunchInfo();
-        nli_from_stream( getJNI().m_ptrGlobals, nli, stream );
-        return nli;
+        return nli_from_stream( getJNI().m_ptrGlobals, stream );
     }
 
-    public static native void comms_getInitialAddr( CommsAddrRec addr,
-                                                    String relayHost,
-                                                    int relayPort );
+    public static native CommsAddrRec comms_getInitialAddr( String relayHost,
+                                                            int relayPort );
     public static native String comms_getUUID();
 
     // Game methods
@@ -414,9 +411,8 @@ public class XwJNI {
                                                         boolean gameOver );
     public static native int model_getNMoves( GamePtr gamePtr );
     public static native int model_getNumTilesInTray( GamePtr gamePtr, int player );
-    public static native void model_getPlayersLastScore( GamePtr gamePtr,
-                                                         int player,
-                                                         LastMoveInfo lmi );
+    public static native LastMoveInfo model_getPlayersLastScore( GamePtr gamePtr,
+                                                                 int player );
     // Server
     public static native void server_reset( GamePtr gamePtr );
     public static native void server_handleUndo( GamePtr gamePtr );
@@ -438,7 +434,7 @@ public class XwJNI {
     public static native void comms_start( GamePtr gamePtr );
     public static native void comms_stop( GamePtr gamePtr );
     public static native void comms_resetSame( GamePtr gamePtr );
-    public static native void comms_getAddr( GamePtr gamePtr, CommsAddrRec addr );
+    public static native CommsAddrRec comms_getAddr( GamePtr gamePtr );
     public static native CommsAddrRec[] comms_getAddrs( GamePtr gamePtr );
     public static native void comms_augmentHostAddr( GamePtr gamePtr, CommsAddrRec addr );
     public static native void comms_dropHostAddr( GamePtr gamePtr, CommsConnType typ );
@@ -529,17 +525,17 @@ public class XwJNI {
 
     public static native boolean dict_tilesAreSame( long dict1, long dict2 );
     public static native String[] dict_getChars( long dict );
-    public static boolean dict_getInfo( byte[] dict, String name, String path,
-                                        boolean check, DictInfo info )
+    public static DictInfo dict_getInfo( byte[] dict, String name, String path,
+                                         boolean check )
     {
         DictWrapper wrapper = makeDict( dict, name, path );
-        return dict_getInfo( wrapper, check, info );
+        return dict_getInfo( wrapper, check );
     }
 
-    public static boolean dict_getInfo( DictWrapper dict, boolean check, DictInfo info )
+    public static DictInfo dict_getInfo( DictWrapper dict, boolean check )
     {
         return dict_getInfo( getJNI().m_ptrGlobals, dict.getDictPtr(),
-                             check, info );
+                             check );
     }
 
     public static String dict_getDesc( DictWrapper dict )
@@ -677,8 +673,7 @@ public class XwJNI {
     private static native void gi_from_stream( long jniState, CurGameInfo gi,
                                                byte[] stream );
     private static native byte[] nli_to_stream( long jniState, NetLaunchInfo nli );
-    private static native void nli_from_stream( long jniState, NetLaunchInfo nli,
-                                                byte[] stream );
+    private static native NetLaunchInfo nli_from_stream( long jniState, byte[] stream );
     private static native long initGameJNI( long jniState, int seed );
     private static native void envDone( long globals );
     private static native long dict_make( long jniState, byte[] dict, String name, String path );
@@ -688,8 +683,8 @@ public class XwJNI {
     private static native String dict_tilesToStr( long dictPtr, byte[] tiles, String delim );
     private static native boolean dict_hasDuplicates( long dictPtr );
     private static native String dict_getTilesInfo( long jniState, long dictPtr );
-    private static native boolean dict_getInfo( long jniState, long dictPtr,
-                                                boolean check, DictInfo info );
+    private static native DictInfo dict_getInfo( long jniState, long dictPtr,
+                                                 boolean check );
     private static native String dict_getDesc( long dictPtr );
     private static native long di_init( long jniState, long dictPtr,
                                         PatDesc[] pats, int minLen, int maxLen );
diff --git a/xwords4/android/jni/andutils.c b/xwords4/android/jni/andutils.c
index 237b90ae2..31bddfc0b 100644
--- a/xwords4/android/jni/andutils.c
+++ b/xwords4/android/jni/andutils.c
@@ -527,12 +527,18 @@ makeObject( JNIEnv* env, const char* className, const char* initSig, ... )
     return result;
 }
 
+jobject
+makeObjectEmptyConst( JNIEnv* env, const char* className )
+{
+    return makeObject( env, className, "()V" );
+}
+
 jobject
 makeJAddr( JNIEnv* env, const CommsAddrRec* addr )
 {
     jobject jaddr = NULL;
     if ( NULL != addr ) {
-        jaddr = makeObject( env, PKG_PATH("jni/CommsAddrRec"), "()V" );
+        jaddr = makeObjectEmptyConst( env, PKG_PATH("jni/CommsAddrRec") );
         setJAddrRec( env, jaddr, addr );
     }
     return jaddr;
@@ -589,8 +595,8 @@ jobject
 addrTypesToJ( JNIEnv* env, const CommsAddrRec* addr )
 {
     XP_ASSERT( !!addr );
-    jobject result = makeObject( env, PKG_PATH("jni/CommsAddrRec$CommsConnTypeSet"),
-                                 "()V" );
+    jobject result =
+        makeObjectEmptyConst( env, PKG_PATH("jni/CommsAddrRec$CommsConnTypeSet") );
     XP_ASSERT( !!result );
 
     jmethodID mid2 = getMethodID( env, result, "add", 
@@ -712,7 +718,7 @@ intToJenumField( JNIEnv* env, jobject jobj, int val, const char* field,
 
     jobject jenum = (*env)->GetObjectField( env, jobj, fid );
     if ( !jenum ) {       /* won't exist in new object */
-        jenum = makeObject( env, fieldSig, "()V" );
+        jenum = makeObjectEmptyConst( env, fieldSig );
         XP_ASSERT( !!jenum );
         (*env)->SetObjectField( env, jobj, fid, jenum );
     }
diff --git a/xwords4/android/jni/andutils.h b/xwords4/android/jni/andutils.h
index d31636d17..a24320cba 100644
--- a/xwords4/android/jni/andutils.h
+++ b/xwords4/android/jni/andutils.h
@@ -93,6 +93,7 @@ jmethodID getMethodID( JNIEnv* env, jobject obj, const char* proc,
                        const char* sig );
 
 jobject makeObject( JNIEnv* env, const char* className, const char* initSig, ... );
+jobject makeObjectEmptyConst( JNIEnv* env, const char* className );
 
 jobject makeJAddr( JNIEnv* env, const CommsAddrRec* addr );
 jobject setJAddrRec( JNIEnv* env, jobject jaddr, const CommsAddrRec* addr );
diff --git a/xwords4/android/jni/drawwrapper.c b/xwords4/android/jni/drawwrapper.c
index 1c8f25845..6f2749634 100644
--- a/xwords4/android/jni/drawwrapper.c
+++ b/xwords4/android/jni/drawwrapper.c
@@ -184,7 +184,7 @@ makeDSI( AndDraw* draw, XWEnv xwe, int indx, const DrawScoreInfo* dsi )
     jobject dsiobj = draw->jCache[indx];
 
     if ( !dsiobj ) {
-        dsiobj = makeObject( env, PKG_PATH("jni/DrawScoreInfo"), "()V" );
+        dsiobj = makeObjectEmptyConst( env, PKG_PATH("jni/DrawScoreInfo") );
 
         draw->jCache[indx] = (*env)->NewGlobalRef( env, dsiobj );
         deleteLocalRef( env, dsiobj );
diff --git a/xwords4/android/jni/utilwrapper.c b/xwords4/android/jni/utilwrapper.c
index 00e4c3341..f5ec4293f 100644
--- a/xwords4/android/jni/utilwrapper.c
+++ b/xwords4/android/jni/utilwrapper.c
@@ -856,7 +856,7 @@ and_dutil_onInviteReceived( XW_DUtilCtxt* duc, XWEnv xwe, const NetLaunchInfo* n
     DUTIL_CBK_HEADER( "onInviteReceived", "(L" PKG_PATH("NetLaunchInfo") ";)V" );
 
     /* Allocate a new NetLaunchInfo */
-    jobject jnli = makeObject( env, PKG_PATH("NetLaunchInfo"), "()V" );
+    jobject jnli = makeObjectEmptyConst( env, PKG_PATH("NetLaunchInfo") );
     XP_ASSERT( !!jnli );
     setNLI( env, jnli, nli );
 
diff --git a/xwords4/android/jni/xwjni.c b/xwords4/android/jni/xwjni.c
index a25432df5..238da80f4 100644
--- a/xwords4/android/jni/xwjni.c
+++ b/xwords4/android/jni/xwjni.c
@@ -830,10 +830,11 @@ Java_org_eehouse_android_xw4_jni_XwJNI_nli_1to_1stream
     return result;
 }
 
-JNIEXPORT void JNICALL
+JNIEXPORT jobject JNICALL
 Java_org_eehouse_android_xw4_jni_XwJNI_nli_1from_1stream
-( JNIEnv* env, jclass C, jlong jniGlobalPtr, jobject jnli, jbyteArray jstream )
+( JNIEnv* env, jclass C, jlong jniGlobalPtr, jbyteArray jstream )
 {
+    jobject jnli = NULL;
     LOG_FUNC();
     JNIGlobalState* globalState = (JNIGlobalState*)jniGlobalPtr;
 #ifdef MEM_DEBUG
@@ -844,6 +845,7 @@ Java_org_eehouse_android_xw4_jni_XwJNI_nli_1from_1stream
 
     NetLaunchInfo nli = {0};
     if ( nli_makeFromStream( &nli, stream ) ) {
+        jnli = makeObjectEmptyConst( env, PKG_PATH("NetLaunchInfo") );
         setNLI( env, jnli, &nli );
     } else {
         XP_LOGF( "%s: game_makeFromStream failed", __func__ );
@@ -851,18 +853,21 @@ Java_org_eehouse_android_xw4_jni_XwJNI_nli_1from_1stream
 
     stream_destroy( stream, env );
     releaseMPool( globalState );
+    return jnli;
 }
 
-JNIEXPORT void JNICALL
+JNIEXPORT jobject JNICALL
 Java_org_eehouse_android_xw4_jni_XwJNI_comms_1getInitialAddr
-( JNIEnv* env, jclass C, jobject jaddr, jstring jname, jint port )
+( JNIEnv* env, jclass C, jstring jname, jint port )
 {
     CommsAddrRec addr;
 
     const char* chars = (*env)->GetStringUTFChars( env, jname, NULL );
     comms_getInitialAddr( &addr, chars, port );
     (*env)->ReleaseStringUTFChars( env, jname, chars );
+    jobject jaddr = makeObjectEmptyConst( env, PKG_PATH("jni/CommsAddrRec") );
     setJAddrRec( env, jaddr, &addr );
+    return jaddr;
 }
 
 JNIEXPORT jstring JNICALL
@@ -1016,26 +1021,23 @@ Java_org_eehouse_android_xw4_jni_XwJNI_dict_1tilesToStr
     return result;
 }
 
-JNIEXPORT jboolean JNICALL
+JNIEXPORT jobject JNICALL
 Java_org_eehouse_android_xw4_jni_XwJNI_dict_1getInfo
 ( JNIEnv* env, jclass C, jlong jniGlobalPtr, jlong dictPtr,
-  jboolean check, jobject jinfo )
+  jboolean check )
 {
-    jboolean result = false;
+    jobject result = NULL;
 #ifdef MAP_THREAD_TO_ENV
     JNIGlobalState* globalState = (JNIGlobalState*)jniGlobalPtr;
     MAP_THREAD( &globalState->ti, env );
 #endif
     DictionaryCtxt* dict = (DictionaryCtxt*)dictPtr;
     if ( NULL != dict ) {
-        if ( NULL != jinfo ) {
-            XP_LangCode code = dict_getLangCode( dict );
-            XP_ASSERT( 0 < code );
-            setInt( env, jinfo, "langCode", code );
-            setInt( env, jinfo, "wordCount", dict_getWordCount( dict, env ) );
-            setString( env, jinfo, "md5Sum", dict_getMd5Sum( dict ) );
-        }
-        result = true;
+        result = makeObjectEmptyConst( env, PKG_PATH("jni/DictInfo") );
+        XP_LangCode code = dict_getLangCode( dict );
+        setInt( env, result, "langCode", code );
+        setInt( env, result, "wordCount", dict_getWordCount( dict, env ) );
+        setString( env, result, "md5Sum", dict_getMd5Sum( dict ) );
     }
 
     return result;
@@ -1980,15 +1982,18 @@ Java_org_eehouse_android_xw4_jni_XwJNI_model_1getNumTilesInTray
     return result;
 }
 
-JNIEXPORT void JNICALL
+JNIEXPORT jobject JNICALL
 Java_org_eehouse_android_xw4_jni_XwJNI_model_1getPlayersLastScore
-( JNIEnv* env, jclass C, GamePtrType gamePtr, jint player, jobject jlmi )
+( JNIEnv* env, jclass C, GamePtrType gamePtr, jint player )
 {
+    jobject jlmi;
     XWJNI_START();
     XP_ASSERT( !!state->game.model );
     LastMoveInfo lmi;
     XP_Bool valid = model_getPlayersLastScore( state->game.model, env,
                                                player, &lmi );
+
+    jlmi = makeObjectEmptyConst( env, PKG_PATH("jni/LastMoveInfo") );
     setBool( env, jlmi, "isValid", valid );
     if ( valid ) {
         setBool( env, jlmi, "inDuplicateMode", lmi.inDuplicateMode );
@@ -1999,6 +2004,7 @@ Java_org_eehouse_android_xw4_jni_XwJNI_model_1getPlayersLastScore
         setString( env, jlmi, "word", lmi.word );
     }
     XWJNI_END();
+    return jlmi;
 }
 
 JNIEXPORT jstring JNICALL
@@ -2075,16 +2081,19 @@ Java_org_eehouse_android_xw4_jni_XwJNI_comms_1resetSame
     XWJNI_END();
 }
 
-JNIEXPORT void JNICALL
+JNIEXPORT jobject JNICALL
 Java_org_eehouse_android_xw4_jni_XwJNI_comms_1getAddr
-(JNIEnv* env, jclass C, GamePtrType gamePtr, jobject jaddr )
+(JNIEnv* env, jclass C, GamePtrType gamePtr )
 {
+    jobject jaddr;
     XWJNI_START();
     XP_ASSERT( state->game.comms );
     CommsAddrRec addr;
     comms_getAddr( state->game.comms, &addr );
+    jaddr = makeObjectEmptyConst( env, PKG_PATH("jni/CommsAddrRec") );
     setJAddrRec( env, jaddr, &addr );
     XWJNI_END();
+    return jaddr;
 }
 
 JNIEXPORT jobjectArray JNICALL