diff --git a/gen/llvmhelpers.cpp b/gen/llvmhelpers.cpp
index 22dd807d1b..3426ef99e7 100644
--- a/gen/llvmhelpers.cpp
+++ b/gen/llvmhelpers.cpp
@@ -91,15 +91,6 @@ LLValue *DtoNew(const Loc &loc, Type *newtype) {
   return DtoBitCast(mem, DtoPtrToType(newtype), ".gc_mem");
 }
 
-LLValue *DtoNewStruct(const Loc &loc, TypeStruct *newtype) {
-  llvm::Function *fn = getRuntimeFunction(
-      loc, gIR->module,
-      newtype->isZeroInit(newtype->sym->loc) ? "_d_newitemT" : "_d_newitemiT");
-  LLConstant *ti = DtoTypeInfoOf(loc, newtype);
-  LLValue *mem = gIR->CreateCallOrInvoke(fn, ti, ".gc_struct");
-  return DtoBitCast(mem, DtoPtrToType(newtype), ".gc_struct");
-}
-
 void DtoDeleteMemory(const Loc &loc, DValue *ptr) {
   llvm::Function *fn = getRuntimeFunction(loc, gIR->module, "_d_delmemory");
   LLValue *lval = (ptr->isLVal() ? DtoLVal(ptr) : makeLValue(loc, ptr));
diff --git a/gen/llvmhelpers.h b/gen/llvmhelpers.h
index 7dbacbefda..6720309942 100644
--- a/gen/llvmhelpers.h
+++ b/gen/llvmhelpers.h
@@ -30,7 +30,6 @@ llvm::LLVMContext& getGlobalContext();
 
 // dynamic memory helpers
 LLValue *DtoNew(const Loc &loc, Type *newtype);
-LLValue *DtoNewStruct(const Loc &loc, TypeStruct *newtype);
 void DtoDeleteMemory(const Loc &loc, DValue *ptr);
 void DtoDeleteStruct(const Loc &loc, DValue *ptr);
 void DtoDeleteClass(const Loc &loc, DValue *inst);
diff --git a/gen/runtime.cpp b/gen/runtime.cpp
index 706acac292..4fc39fdff2 100644
--- a/gen/runtime.cpp
+++ b/gen/runtime.cpp
@@ -89,8 +89,7 @@ static void checkForImplicitGCCall(const Loc &loc, const char *name) {
         "_d_newarrayU",
         "_d_newclass",
         "_d_allocclass",
-        "_d_newitemT",
-        "_d_newitemiT",
+        // TODO: _d_newitemT instantiations
     };
 
     if (binary_search(&GCNAMES[0],
@@ -618,11 +617,6 @@ static void buildRuntimeModule() {
   createFwdDecl(LINK::c, throwableTy, {"_d_newThrowable"}, {classInfoTy},
                 {STCconst});
 
-  // void* _d_newitemT (TypeInfo ti)
-  // void* _d_newitemiT(TypeInfo ti)
-  createFwdDecl(LINK::c, voidPtrTy, {"_d_newitemT", "_d_newitemiT"},
-                {typeInfoTy}, {0});
-
   // void _d_delarray_t(void[]* p, const TypeInfo_Struct ti)
   createFwdDecl(LINK::c, voidTy, {"_d_delarray_t"},
                 {voidArrayPtrTy, structTypeInfoTy}, {0, STCconst});
diff --git a/gen/toir.cpp b/gen/toir.cpp
index 6ea93a6982..1fa7a7f5bd 100644
--- a/gen/toir.cpp
+++ b/gen/toir.cpp
@@ -1549,8 +1549,9 @@ public:
 
       TypeStruct *ts = static_cast<TypeStruct *>(ntype);
 
-      // allocate
-      LLValue *mem = DtoNewStruct(e->loc, ts);
+      // allocate (via _d_newitemT template lowering)
+      assert(e->lowering);
+      LLValue *mem = DtoRVal(e->lowering);
 
       if (!e->member && e->arguments) {
         IF_LOG Logger::println("Constructing using literal");