diff --git a/src/python/boostPyExtension.h b/src/python/boostPyExtension.h
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..bfdc780ca
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/python/boostPyExtension.h
@@ -0,0 +1,44 @@
+#pragma once
+#include <boost/python.hpp>
+
+
+namespace boost { namespace python { namespace converter {
+
+            template <class T>
+            PyObject* shared_ptr_to_python(std::shared_ptr<T> const& x)
+            {
+                if (!x)
+                    return python::detail::none();
+                else if (shared_ptr_deleter* d = std::get_deleter<shared_ptr_deleter>(x))
+                    return incref( d->owner.get() );
+                else
+                    return converter::registered<std::shared_ptr<T> const&>::converters.to_python(&x);
+            }
+
+    /// @brief Adapter a non-member function that returns a unique_ptr to
+    ///        a python function object that returns a raw pointer but
+    ///        explicitly passes ownership to Python.
+    template<typename T, typename ...Args>
+    object adapt_unique(std::unique_ptr<T> (*fn)(Args...))
+    {
+        return make_function(
+            [fn](Args... args) { return fn(args...).release(); },
+            return_value_policy<manage_new_object>(),
+            boost::mpl::vector<T*, Args...>()
+        );
+    }
+
+    /// @brief Adapter a member function that returns a unique_ptr to
+    ///        a python function object that returns a raw pointer but
+    ///        explicitly passes ownership to Python.
+    template<typename T, typename C, typename ...Args>
+    object adapt_unique(std::unique_ptr<T> (C::*fn)(Args...))
+    {
+        return make_function(
+            [fn](C& self, Args... args) { return (self.*fn)(args...).release(); },
+            python::return_value_policy<manage_new_object>(),
+            boost::mpl::vector<T*, C&, Args...>()
+        );
+    }
+
+        }}} // namespace boost::python::converter
diff --git a/src/python/helpers.h b/src/python/helpers.h
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..9e96700e0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/python/helpers.h
@@ -0,0 +1,56 @@
+#pragma once
+
+#include <boost/python.hpp>
+
+template<typename Source, typename Target>
+void shared_ptr_implicitly_convertible() {
+    boost::python::implicitly_convertible<std::shared_ptr<Source>, std::shared_ptr<Target>>();
+}
+
+
+template<typename T>
+void register_shared_ptr() {
+    boost::python::register_ptr_to_python<std::shared_ptr<T>>();
+}
+
+
+
+namespace dtl{
+// primary class template
+    template<typename S, typename T, typename Enable = void>
+    struct ImplConversionSharedPtr {
+        void c() { shared_ptr_implicitly_convertible<S, T>(); }
+    };
+
+// specialized class template
+    template<typename S, typename T>
+    struct ImplConversionSharedPtr<S, T, typename std::enable_if<std::is_same<T, void>::value>::type> {
+        void c() { }
+    };
+
+    template<typename B>
+    struct bases_holder {
+        typedef boost::python::bases<B> Type;
+    };
+
+    template<>
+    struct bases_holder<void> {
+        typedef boost::python::bases<> Type;
+    };
+}
+
+template<typename C, typename B=void, typename NC=void>
+boost::python::class_<C, std::shared_ptr<C>, typename dtl::bases_holder<B>::Type, NC> defineClass(char const* name, char const* docstring, typename  std::enable_if_t<std::is_default_constructible<C>::value>::type* = 0) {
+    auto inst = boost::python::class_<C, std::shared_ptr<C>, typename dtl::bases_holder<B>::Type, NC>(name, docstring);
+    register_shared_ptr<C>();
+    dtl::ImplConversionSharedPtr<C,B>().c();
+    return inst;
+};
+
+template<typename C, typename B=void, typename NC=void>
+boost::python::class_<C, std::shared_ptr<C>, typename dtl::bases_holder<B>::Type, NC> defineClass(char const* name, char const* docstring) {
+    auto inst = boost::python::class_<C, std::shared_ptr<C>, typename dtl::bases_holder<B>::Type, NC>(name, docstring, boost::python::no_init);
+    register_shared_ptr<C>();
+    dtl::ImplConversionSharedPtr<C,B>().c();
+    return inst;
+};
diff --git a/src/python/storm-core.cpp b/src/python/storm-core.cpp
index 4945fc272..4f9dcd2a5 100644
--- a/src/python/storm-core.cpp
+++ b/src/python/storm-core.cpp
@@ -5,62 +5,8 @@
 
 #include <type_traits>
 
-namespace boost {
-    template<class T> T* get_pointer(std::shared_ptr<T> p) { return p.get(); }
-}
-
-namespace boost { namespace python { namespace converter {
-
-            template <class T>
-            PyObject* shared_ptr_to_python(std::shared_ptr<T> const& x)
-            {
-                if (!x)
-                    return python::detail::none();
-                else if (shared_ptr_deleter* d = std::get_deleter<shared_ptr_deleter>(x))
-                    return incref( d->owner.get() );
-                else
-                    return converter::registered<std::shared_ptr<T> const&>::converters.to_python(&x);
-            }
-
-    /// @brief Adapter a non-member function that returns a unique_ptr to
-    ///        a python function object that returns a raw pointer but
-    ///        explicitly passes ownership to Python.
-    template<typename T, typename ...Args>
-    object adapt_unique(std::unique_ptr<T> (*fn)(Args...))
-    {
-        return make_function(
-            [fn](Args... args) { return fn(args...).release(); },
-            return_value_policy<manage_new_object>(),
-            boost::mpl::vector<T*, Args...>()
-        );
-    }
-
-    /// @brief Adapter a member function that returns a unique_ptr to
-    ///        a python function object that returns a raw pointer but
-    ///        explicitly passes ownership to Python.
-    template<typename T, typename C, typename ...Args>
-    object adapt_unique(std::unique_ptr<T> (C::*fn)(Args...))
-    {
-        return make_function(
-            [fn](C& self, Args... args) { return (self.*fn)(args...).release(); },
-            python::return_value_policy<manage_new_object>(),
-            boost::mpl::vector<T*, C&, Args...>()
-        );
-    }
-
-        }}} // namespace boost::python::converter
-
-
-template<typename Source, typename Target>
-void shared_ptr_implicitly_convertible() {
-    boost::python::implicitly_convertible<std::shared_ptr<Source>, std::shared_ptr<Target>>();
-}
-
-
-template<typename T>
-void register_shared_ptr() {
-    boost::python::register_ptr_to_python<std::shared_ptr<T>>();
-}
+#include "helpers.h"
+#include "boostPyExtension.h"
 
 
 
@@ -77,46 +23,6 @@ void setupStormLib(std::string const& args) {
     storm::settings::SettingsManager::manager().setFromString(args);
 }
 
-// primary class template
-template<typename S, typename T, typename Enable = void>
-struct ImplConversionSharedPtr
-{
-    void c() { shared_ptr_implicitly_convertible<S,T>(); }
-};
-
-// specialized class template
-template<typename S, typename T>
-struct ImplConversionSharedPtr<S, T, typename std::enable_if<std::is_same<T, void>::value>::type>
-{
-    void c() { }
-};
-
-template<typename B>
-struct bases_holder {
-    typedef boost::python::bases<B> Type;
-};
-
-template<>
-struct bases_holder<void> {
-    typedef boost::python::bases<> Type;
-};
-
-
-template<typename C, typename B=void, typename NC=void>
-boost::python::class_<C, std::shared_ptr<C>, typename bases_holder<B>::Type, NC> defineClass(char const* name, char const* docstring, typename  std::enable_if_t<std::is_default_constructible<C>::value>::type* = 0) {
-    auto inst = boost::python::class_<C, std::shared_ptr<C>, typename bases_holder<B>::Type, NC>(name, docstring);
-    register_shared_ptr<C>();
-    ImplConversionSharedPtr<C,B>().c();
-    return inst;
-};
-
-template<typename C, typename B=void, typename NC=void>
-boost::python::class_<C, std::shared_ptr<C>, typename bases_holder<B>::Type, NC> defineClass(char const* name, char const* docstring) {
-    auto inst = boost::python::class_<C, std::shared_ptr<C>, typename bases_holder<B>::Type, NC>(name, docstring, boost::python::no_init);
-    register_shared_ptr<C>();
-    ImplConversionSharedPtr<C,B>().c();
-    return inst;
-};
 
 
 BOOST_PYTHON_MODULE(_core)
@@ -172,27 +78,19 @@ BOOST_PYTHON_MODULE(_core)
          .add_property("nr_states", &storm::models::ModelBase::getNumberOfStates)
             .add_property("nr_transitions", &storm::models::ModelBase::getNumberOfTransitions)
             .add_property("model_type", &storm::models::ModelBase::getType)
-            .def("asPdtmc", &storm::models::ModelBase::as<storm::models::sparse::Dtmc<storm::RationalFunction>>)
-            .def("asPmdp", &storm::models::ModelBase::as<storm::models::sparse::Mdp<storm::RationalFunction>>)
+            .def("as_dtmc", &storm::models::ModelBase::as<storm::models::sparse::Dtmc<double>>)
+            .def("as_pdtmc", &storm::models::ModelBase::as<storm::models::sparse::Dtmc<storm::RationalFunction>>)
+            .def("as_pmdp", &storm::models::ModelBase::as<storm::models::sparse::Mdp<storm::RationalFunction>>)
+
     ;
 
     defineClass<storm::models::sparse::Model<storm::RationalFunction>, storm::models::ModelBase, boost::noncopyable>("SparseParametricModel", "");
-    //class_<storm::models::sparse::Model<storm::RationalFunction>, std::shared_ptr<storm::models::sparse::Model<storm::RationalFunction> >, boost::noncopyable, bases<storm::models::ModelBase>>("SparseParametricModel", no_init);
-    //register_shared_ptr<storm::models::sparse::Model<storm::RationalFunction>>();
-    //shared_ptr_implicitly_convertible<storm::models::sparse::Model<storm::RationalFunction>, storm::models::ModelBase>();
 
-    class_<storm::models::sparse::Model<double>, std::shared_ptr<storm::models::sparse::Model<double>>, boost::noncopyable, bases<storm::models::ModelBase>>("SparseModel", no_init);
-    register_shared_ptr<storm::models::sparse::Model<double>>();
-    shared_ptr_implicitly_convertible<storm::models::sparse::Dtmc<double>, storm::models::sparse::Model<double>>();
+    defineClass<storm::models::sparse::Model<double>, storm::models::ModelBase, boost::noncopyable>("SparseModel", "");
+    defineClass<storm::models::sparse::Dtmc<double>, storm::models::sparse::Model<double>, boost::noncopyable>("Dtmc", "");
 
     defineClass<storm::models::sparse::Dtmc<storm::RationalFunction>,  storm::models::sparse::Model<storm::RationalFunction>>("SparseParametricMc", "");
-    //class_<storm::models::sparse::Dtmc<storm::RationalFunction>, std::shared_ptr<storm::models::sparse::Dtmc<storm::RationalFunction>>, boost::noncopyable, bases<storm::models::sparse::Model<storm::RationalFunction>>>("SparseParametricMc", no_init);
-    //register_shared_ptr<storm::models::sparse::Dtmc<storm::RationalFunction>>();
-    //shared_ptr_implicitly_convertible<storm::models::sparse::Dtmc<storm::RationalFunction>, storm::models::sparse::Model<storm::RationalFunction>>();
-
-    class_<storm::models::sparse::Mdp<storm::RationalFunction>, std::shared_ptr<storm::models::sparse::Dtmc<storm::RationalFunction>>, boost::noncopyable, bases<storm::models::sparse::Model<storm::RationalFunction>>>("SparseParametricMdp", no_init);
-    register_shared_ptr<storm::models::sparse::Mdp<storm::RationalFunction>>();
-
+    defineClass<storm::models::sparse::Mdp<storm::RationalFunction>, storm::models::sparse::Model<storm::RationalFunction>>("SparseParametricMdp", "");
 
 
     def("parse_formulae", storm::parseFormulasForProgram);