diff --git a/src/dsc.h b/src/dsc.h
index 56c61674..9b1183ba 100644
--- a/src/dsc.h
+++ b/src/dsc.h
@@ -9,6 +9,34 @@
 
 #include "solvespace.h"
 
+#include <type_traits>
+
+/// Trait indicating which types are handle types and should get the associated operators.
+/// Specialize for each handle type and inherit from std::true_type.
+template<typename T>
+struct IsHandleOracle : std::false_type {};
+
+// Equality-compare any two instances of a handle type.
+template<typename T>
+static inline typename std::enable_if<IsHandleOracle<T>::value, bool>::type
+operator==(T const &lhs, T const &rhs) {
+    return lhs.v == rhs.v;
+}
+
+// Inequality-compare any two instances of a handle type.
+template<typename T>
+static inline typename std::enable_if<IsHandleOracle<T>::value, bool>::type
+operator!=(T const &lhs, T const &rhs) {
+    return !(lhs == rhs);
+}
+
+// Less-than-compare any two instances of a handle type.
+template<typename T>
+static inline typename std::enable_if<IsHandleOracle<T>::value, bool>::type
+operator<(T const &lhs, T const &rhs) {
+    return lhs.v < rhs.v;
+}
+
 class Vector;
 class Vector4;
 class Point2d;
@@ -285,6 +313,7 @@ public:
     }
 };
 
+
 // A list, where each element has an integer identifier. The list is kept
 // sorted by that identifier, and items can be looked up in log n time by
 // id.
diff --git a/src/render/render.h b/src/render/render.h
index 714180d2..c179d878 100644
--- a/src/render/render.h
+++ b/src/render/render.h
@@ -172,6 +172,13 @@ public:
     virtual std::shared_ptr<BatchCanvas> CreateBatch();
 };
 
+template<>
+struct IsHandleOracle<Canvas::hStroke> : std::true_type {};
+
+template<>
+struct IsHandleOracle<Canvas::hFill> : std::true_type {};
+
+
 // An interface for view-dependent visualization.
 class ViewportCanvas : public Canvas {
 public:
diff --git a/src/sketch.h b/src/sketch.h
index 2f568386..e1c442bd 100644
--- a/src/sketch.h
+++ b/src/sketch.h
@@ -59,6 +59,10 @@ public:
     inline hParam param(int i) const;
     inline hEquation equation(int i) const;
 };
+
+template<>
+struct IsHandleOracle<hGroup> : std::true_type {};
+
 class hRequest {
 public:
     // bits 15: 0   -- request index
@@ -69,6 +73,10 @@ public:
 
     inline bool IsFromReferences() const;
 };
+
+template<>
+struct IsHandleOracle<hRequest> : std::true_type {};
+
 class hEntity {
 public:
     // bits 15: 0   -- entity index
@@ -80,6 +88,10 @@ public:
     inline hGroup group() const;
     inline hEquation equation(int i) const;
 };
+
+template<>
+struct IsHandleOracle<hEntity> : std::true_type {};
+
 class hParam {
 public:
     // bits 15: 0   -- param index
@@ -89,14 +101,24 @@ public:
     inline hRequest request() const;
 };
 
+template<>
+struct IsHandleOracle<hParam> : std::true_type {};
+
 class hStyle {
 public:
     uint32_t v;
 };
 
+template<>
+struct IsHandleOracle<hStyle> : std::true_type {};
+
 struct EntityId {
     uint32_t v;     // entity ID, starting from 0
 };
+
+template<>
+struct IsHandleOracle<EntityId> : std::true_type {};
+
 struct EntityKey {
     hEntity     input;
     int         copyNumber;
@@ -595,6 +617,9 @@ public:
     inline hParam param(int i) const;
 };
 
+template<>
+struct IsHandleOracle<hConstraint> : std::true_type {};
+
 class ConstraintBase {
 public:
     int         tag;
@@ -763,6 +788,9 @@ public:
     inline hConstraint constraint() const;
 };
 
+template<>
+struct IsHandleOracle<hEquation> : std::true_type {};
+
 class Equation {
 public:
     int         tag;
diff --git a/src/srf/surface.h b/src/srf/surface.h
index 4bca7e7d..f61b87c1 100644
--- a/src/srf/surface.h
+++ b/src/srf/surface.h
@@ -63,11 +63,17 @@ public:
     uint32_t v;
 };
 
+template<>
+struct IsHandleOracle<hSSurface> : std::true_type {};
+
 class hSCurve {
 public:
     uint32_t v;
 };
 
+template<>
+struct IsHandleOracle<hSCurve> : std::true_type {};
+
 // Stuff for rational polynomial curves, of degree one to three. These are
 // our inputs, and are also calculated for certain exact surface-surface
 // intersections.