diff --git a/include/qpdf/QPDF.hh b/include/qpdf/QPDF.hh
index 84c1c87..a6fd6d0 100644
--- a/include/qpdf/QPDF.hh
+++ b/include/qpdf/QPDF.hh
@@ -879,7 +879,7 @@ class QPDF
     void generateHintStream(
         QPDFWriter::NewObjTable const& new_obj,
         QPDFWriter::ObjTable const& obj,
-        std::shared_ptr<Buffer>& hint_stream,
+        std::string& hint_stream,
         int& S,
         int& O,
         bool compressed);
diff --git a/include/qpdf/QPDFWriter.hh b/include/qpdf/QPDFWriter.hh
index 419cdeb..e79a522 100644
--- a/include/qpdf/QPDFWriter.hh
+++ b/include/qpdf/QPDFWriter.hh
@@ -43,6 +43,11 @@
 #include <qpdf/QPDFObjectHandle.hh>
 #include <qpdf/QPDFXRefEntry.hh>
 
+namespace qpdf::pl
+{
+    struct Link;
+}
+
 class QPDF;
 class Pl_Count;
 class Pl_MD5;
@@ -462,23 +467,20 @@ class QPDFWriter
         friend class QPDFWriter;
 
       public:
-        PipelinePopper(QPDFWriter* qw, std::shared_ptr<Buffer>* bp = nullptr) :
-            qw(qw),
-            bp(bp)
+        PipelinePopper(QPDFWriter* qw) :
+            qw(qw)
         {
         }
         ~PipelinePopper();
 
       private:
-        QPDFWriter* qw;
-        std::shared_ptr<Buffer>* bp;
-        std::string stack_id;
+        QPDFWriter* qw{nullptr};
+        unsigned long stack_id{0};
     };
 
     unsigned int bytesNeeded(long long n);
     void writeBinary(unsigned long long val, unsigned int bytes);
     void writeString(std::string_view str);
-    void writeBuffer(std::shared_ptr<Buffer>&);
     void writeStringQDF(std::string_view str);
     void writeStringNoQDF(std::string_view str);
     void writePad(size_t nspaces);
@@ -493,7 +495,7 @@ class QPDFWriter
         QPDFObjectHandle stream,
         bool& compress_stream,
         bool& is_metadata,
-        std::shared_ptr<Buffer>* stream_data);
+        std::string* stream_data);
     void unparseObject(
         QPDFObjectHandle object,
         int level,
@@ -600,12 +602,17 @@ class QPDFWriter
     // activate the pipeline stack. When the passed in PipelinePopper goes out of scope, the stack
     // is popped.
     Pipeline* pushPipeline(Pipeline*);
-    void activatePipelineStack(PipelinePopper&);
+    void activatePipelineStack(PipelinePopper& pp, std::string& str);
+    void activatePipelineStack(PipelinePopper& pp, std::unique_ptr<qpdf::pl::Link> link);
+    void activatePipelineStack(
+        PipelinePopper& pp,
+        bool discard = false,
+        std::string* str = nullptr,
+        std::unique_ptr<qpdf::pl::Link> link = nullptr);
     void initializePipelineStack(Pipeline*);
 
     void adjustAESStreamLength(size_t& length);
     void pushEncryptionFilter(PipelinePopper&);
-    void pushDiscardFilter(PipelinePopper&);
     void pushMD5Pipeline(PipelinePopper&);
     void computeDeterministicIDData();
 
diff --git a/libqpdf/QPDFWriter.cc b/libqpdf/QPDFWriter.cc
index b4380bf..0daa066 100644
--- a/libqpdf/QPDFWriter.cc
+++ b/libqpdf/QPDFWriter.cc
@@ -6,13 +6,12 @@
 
 #include <qpdf/MD5.hh>
 #include <qpdf/Pl_AES_PDF.hh>
-#include <qpdf/Pl_Count.hh>
-#include <qpdf/Pl_Discard.hh>
 #include <qpdf/Pl_Flate.hh>
 #include <qpdf/Pl_MD5.hh>
 #include <qpdf/Pl_PNGFilter.hh>
 #include <qpdf/Pl_RC4.hh>
 #include <qpdf/Pl_StdioFile.hh>
+#include <qpdf/Pl_String.hh>
 #include <qpdf/QIntC.hh>
 #include <qpdf/QPDFObjectHandle_private.hh>
 #include <qpdf/QPDFObject_private.hh>
@@ -880,12 +879,6 @@ QPDFWriter::writeString(std::string_view str)
 }
 
 void
-QPDFWriter::writeBuffer(std::shared_ptr<Buffer>& b)
-{
-    m->pipeline->write(b->getBuffer(), b->getSize());
-}
-
-void
 QPDFWriter::writeStringQDF(std::string_view str)
 {
     if (m->qdf_mode) {
@@ -910,58 +903,76 @@ QPDFWriter::writePad(size_t nspaces)
 Pipeline*
 QPDFWriter::pushPipeline(Pipeline* p)
 {
-    qpdf_assert_debug(dynamic_cast<Pl_Count*>(p) == nullptr);
-    m->pipeline_stack.push_back(p);
+    qpdf_assert_debug(!dynamic_cast<pl::Count*>(p));
+    m->pipeline_stack.emplace_back(p);
     return p;
 }
 
 void
 QPDFWriter::initializePipelineStack(Pipeline* p)
 {
-    m->pipeline = new Pl_Count("pipeline stack base", p);
-    m->to_delete.push_back(std::shared_ptr<Pipeline>(m->pipeline));
-    m->pipeline_stack.push_back(m->pipeline);
+    m->pipeline = new pl::Count(1, p);
+    m->to_delete.emplace_back(std::shared_ptr<Pipeline>(m->pipeline));
+    m->pipeline_stack.emplace_back(m->pipeline);
 }
 
 void
-QPDFWriter::activatePipelineStack(PipelinePopper& pp)
+QPDFWriter::activatePipelineStack(PipelinePopper& pp, std::string& str)
 {
-    std::string stack_id("stack " + std::to_string(m->next_stack_id));
-    auto* c = new Pl_Count(stack_id.c_str(), m->pipeline_stack.back());
-    ++m->next_stack_id;
-    m->pipeline_stack.push_back(c);
+    activatePipelineStack(pp, false, &str, nullptr);
+}
+
+void
+QPDFWriter::activatePipelineStack(PipelinePopper& pp, std::unique_ptr<pl::Link> link)
+{
+    m->count_buffer.clear();
+    activatePipelineStack(pp, false, &m->count_buffer, std::move(link));
+}
+
+void
+QPDFWriter::activatePipelineStack(
+    PipelinePopper& pp, bool discard, std::string* str, std::unique_ptr<pl::Link> link)
+{
+    pl::Count* c;
+    if (link) {
+        c = new pl::Count(m->next_stack_id, m->count_buffer, std::move(link));
+    } else if (discard) {
+        c = new pl::Count(m->next_stack_id, nullptr);
+    } else if (!str) {
+        c = new pl::Count(m->next_stack_id, m->pipeline_stack.back());
+    } else {
+        c = new pl::Count(m->next_stack_id, *str);
+    }
+    pp.stack_id = m->next_stack_id;
+    m->pipeline_stack.emplace_back(c);
     m->pipeline = c;
-    pp.stack_id = stack_id;
+    ++m->next_stack_id;
 }
 
 QPDFWriter::PipelinePopper::~PipelinePopper()
 {
-    if (stack_id.empty()) {
+    if (!stack_id) {
         return;
     }
     qpdf_assert_debug(qw->m->pipeline_stack.size() >= 2);
     qw->m->pipeline->finish();
-    qpdf_assert_debug(dynamic_cast<Pl_Count*>(qw->m->pipeline_stack.back()) == qw->m->pipeline);
+    qpdf_assert_debug(dynamic_cast<pl::Count*>(qw->m->pipeline_stack.back()) == qw->m->pipeline);
     // It might be possible for this assertion to fail if writeLinearized exits by exception when
     // deterministic ID, but I don't think so. As of this writing, this is the only case in which
     // two dynamically allocated PipelinePopper objects ever exist at the same time, so the
     // assertion will fail if they get popped out of order from automatic destruction.
-    qpdf_assert_debug(qw->m->pipeline->getIdentifier() == stack_id);
+    qpdf_assert_debug(qw->m->pipeline->id() == stack_id);
     delete qw->m->pipeline_stack.back();
     qw->m->pipeline_stack.pop_back();
-    while (dynamic_cast<Pl_Count*>(qw->m->pipeline_stack.back()) == nullptr) {
+    while (!dynamic_cast<pl::Count*>(qw->m->pipeline_stack.back())) {
         Pipeline* p = qw->m->pipeline_stack.back();
         if (dynamic_cast<Pl_MD5*>(p) == qw->m->md5_pipeline) {
             qw->m->md5_pipeline = nullptr;
         }
         qw->m->pipeline_stack.pop_back();
-        auto* buf = dynamic_cast<Pl_Buffer*>(p);
-        if (bp && buf) {
-            *bp = buf->getBufferSharedPointer();
-        }
         delete p;
     }
-    qw->m->pipeline = dynamic_cast<Pl_Count*>(qw->m->pipeline_stack.back());
+    qw->m->pipeline = dynamic_cast<pl::Count*>(qw->m->pipeline_stack.back());
 }
 
 void
@@ -1001,13 +1012,6 @@ QPDFWriter::pushEncryptionFilter(PipelinePopper& pp)
 }
 
 void
-QPDFWriter::pushDiscardFilter(PipelinePopper& pp)
-{
-    pushPipeline(new Pl_Discard());
-    activatePipelineStack(pp);
-}
-
-void
 QPDFWriter::pushMD5Pipeline(PipelinePopper& pp)
 {
     if (!m->id2.empty()) {
@@ -1244,7 +1248,7 @@ QPDFWriter::willFilterStream(
     QPDFObjectHandle stream,
     bool& compress_stream, // out only
     bool& is_metadata,     // out only
-    std::shared_ptr<Buffer>* stream_data)
+    std::string* stream_data)
 {
     compress_stream = false;
     is_metadata = false;
@@ -1290,9 +1294,12 @@ QPDFWriter::willFilterStream(
 
     bool filtered = false;
     for (bool first_attempt: {true, false}) {
-        pushPipeline(new Pl_Buffer("stream data"));
-        PipelinePopper pp_stream_data(this, stream_data);
-        activatePipelineStack(pp_stream_data);
+        PipelinePopper pp_stream_data(this);
+        if (stream_data != nullptr) {
+            activatePipelineStack(pp_stream_data, *stream_data);
+        } else {
+            activatePipelineStack(pp_stream_data, true);
+        }
         try {
             filtered = stream.pipeStreamData(
                 m->pipeline,
@@ -1320,6 +1327,9 @@ QPDFWriter::willFilterStream(
             throw std::runtime_error(
                 "error while getting stream data for " + stream.unparse() + ": " + e.what());
         }
+        if (stream_data) {
+            stream_data->clear();
+        }
     }
     if (!filtered) {
         compress_stream = false;
@@ -1545,29 +1555,28 @@ QPDFWriter::unparseObject(
         flags |= f_stream;
         bool compress_stream = false;
         bool is_metadata = false;
-        std::shared_ptr<Buffer> stream_data;
+        std::string stream_data;
         if (willFilterStream(object, compress_stream, is_metadata, &stream_data)) {
             flags |= f_filtered;
         }
         QPDFObjectHandle stream_dict = object.getDict();
 
-        m->cur_stream_length = stream_data->getSize();
+        m->cur_stream_length = stream_data.size();
         if (is_metadata && m->encrypted && (!m->encrypt_metadata)) {
             // Don't encrypt stream data for the metadata stream
             m->cur_data_key.clear();
         }
         adjustAESStreamLength(m->cur_stream_length);
         unparseObject(stream_dict, 0, flags, m->cur_stream_length, compress_stream);
-        unsigned char last_char = '\0';
+        char last_char = stream_data.empty() ? '\0' : stream_data.back();
         writeString("\nstream\n");
         {
             PipelinePopper pp_enc(this);
             pushEncryptionFilter(pp_enc);
-            writeBuffer(stream_data);
-            last_char = m->pipeline->getLastChar();
+            writeString(stream_data);
         }
 
-        if (m->newline_before_endstream || (m->qdf_mode && (last_char != '\n'))) {
+        if (m->newline_before_endstream || (m->qdf_mode && last_char != '\n')) {
             writeString("\n");
             m->added_newline = true;
         } else {
@@ -1643,15 +1652,14 @@ QPDFWriter::writeObjectStream(QPDFObjectHandle object)
 
     // Generate stream itself.  We have to do this in two passes so we can calculate offsets in the
     // first pass.
-    std::shared_ptr<Buffer> stream_buffer;
+    std::string stream_buffer_pass1;
+    std::string stream_buffer_pass2;
     int first_obj = -1;
-    bool compressed = false;
+    const bool compressed = m->compress_streams && !m->qdf_mode;
     {
         // Pass 1
-        PipelinePopper pp_ostream_pass1(this, &stream_buffer);
-
-        pushPipeline(new Pl_Buffer("object stream"));
-        activatePipelineStack(pp_ostream_pass1);
+        PipelinePopper pp_ostream_pass1(this);
+        activatePipelineStack(pp_ostream_pass1, stream_buffer_pass1);
 
         int count = -1;
         for (auto const& obj: m->object_stream_to_objects[old_id]) {
@@ -1695,7 +1703,7 @@ QPDFWriter::writeObjectStream(QPDFObjectHandle object)
         }
     }
     {
-        PipelinePopper pp_ostream(this, &stream_buffer);
+        PipelinePopper pp_ostream(this);
         // Adjust offsets to skip over comment before first object
         first = offsets.at(0);
         for (auto& iter: offsets) {
@@ -1705,20 +1713,24 @@ QPDFWriter::writeObjectStream(QPDFObjectHandle object)
         // Take one pass at writing pairs of numbers so we can get their size information
         {
             PipelinePopper pp_discard(this);
-            pushDiscardFilter(pp_discard);
+            activatePipelineStack(pp_discard, true);
             writeObjectStreamOffsets(offsets, first_obj);
             first += m->pipeline->getCount();
         }
 
         // Set up a stream to write the stream data into a buffer.
-        Pipeline* next = pushPipeline(new Pl_Buffer("object stream"));
-        if (m->compress_streams && !m->qdf_mode) {
-            compressed = true;
-            next = pushPipeline(new Pl_Flate("compress object stream", next, Pl_Flate::a_deflate));
+        if (compressed) {
+            activatePipelineStack(
+                pp_ostream,
+                pl::create<Pl_Flate>(
+                    pl::create<pl::String>(stream_buffer_pass2), Pl_Flate::a_deflate));
+        } else {
+            activatePipelineStack(pp_ostream, stream_buffer_pass2);
         }
-        activatePipelineStack(pp_ostream);
         writeObjectStreamOffsets(offsets, first_obj);
-        writeBuffer(stream_buffer);
+        writeString(stream_buffer_pass1);
+        stream_buffer_pass1.clear();
+        stream_buffer_pass1.shrink_to_fit();
     }
 
     // Write the object
@@ -1728,7 +1740,7 @@ QPDFWriter::writeObjectStream(QPDFObjectHandle object)
     writeStringQDF("\n ");
     writeString(" /Type /ObjStm");
     writeStringQDF("\n ");
-    size_t length = stream_buffer->getSize();
+    size_t length = stream_buffer_pass2.size();
     adjustAESStreamLength(length);
     writeString(" /Length " + std::to_string(length));
     writeStringQDF("\n ");
@@ -1758,7 +1770,7 @@ QPDFWriter::writeObjectStream(QPDFObjectHandle object)
     {
         PipelinePopper pp_enc(this);
         pushEncryptionFilter(pp_enc);
-        writeBuffer(stream_buffer);
+        writeString(stream_buffer_pass2);
     }
     if (m->newline_before_endstream) {
         writeString("\n");
@@ -2331,7 +2343,7 @@ QPDFWriter::writeHeader()
 void
 QPDFWriter::writeHintStream(int hint_id)
 {
-    std::shared_ptr<Buffer> hint_buffer;
+    std::string hint_buffer;
     int S = 0;
     int O = 0;
     bool compressed = (m->compress_streams && !m->qdf_mode);
@@ -2340,7 +2352,7 @@ QPDFWriter::writeHintStream(int hint_id)
     openObject(hint_id);
     setDataKey(hint_id);
 
-    size_t hlen = hint_buffer->getSize();
+    size_t hlen = hint_buffer.size();
 
     writeString("<< ");
     if (compressed) {
@@ -2360,12 +2372,11 @@ QPDFWriter::writeHintStream(int hint_id)
     if (m->encrypted) {
         QTC::TC("qpdf", "QPDFWriter encrypted hint stream");
     }
-    unsigned char last_char = '\0';
+    char last_char = hint_buffer.empty() ? '\0' : hint_buffer.back();
     {
         PipelinePopper pp_enc(this);
         pushEncryptionFilter(pp_enc);
-        writeBuffer(hint_buffer);
-        last_char = m->pipeline->getLastChar();
+        writeString(hint_buffer);
     }
 
     if (last_char != '\n') {
@@ -2463,21 +2474,24 @@ QPDFWriter::writeXRefStream(
     // openObject to do it.
     m->new_obj[xref_id].xref = QPDFXRefEntry(m->pipeline->getCount());
 
-    Pipeline* p = pushPipeline(new Pl_Buffer("xref stream"));
-    bool compressed = false;
-    if (m->compress_streams && !m->qdf_mode) {
-        compressed = true;
-        if (!skip_compression) {
-            // Write the stream dictionary for compression but don't actually compress.  This helps
-            // us with computation of padding for pass 1 of linearization.
-            p = pushPipeline(new Pl_Flate("compress xref", p, Pl_Flate::a_deflate));
-        }
-        p = pushPipeline(new Pl_PNGFilter("pngify xref", p, Pl_PNGFilter::a_encode, esize));
-    }
-    std::shared_ptr<Buffer> xref_data;
+    std::string xref_data;
+    const bool compressed = m->compress_streams && !m->qdf_mode;
     {
-        PipelinePopper pp_xref(this, &xref_data);
-        activatePipelineStack(pp_xref);
+        PipelinePopper pp_xref(this);
+        if (compressed) {
+            m->count_buffer.clear();
+            auto link = pl::create<pl::String>(xref_data);
+            if (!skip_compression) {
+                // Write the stream dictionary for compression but don't actually compress.  This
+                // helps us with computation of padding for pass 1 of linearization.
+                link = pl::create<Pl_Flate>(std::move(link), Pl_Flate::a_deflate);
+            }
+            activatePipelineStack(
+                pp_xref, pl::create<Pl_PNGFilter>(std::move(link), Pl_PNGFilter::a_encode, esize));
+        } else {
+            activatePipelineStack(pp_xref, xref_data);
+        }
+
         for (int i = first; i <= last; ++i) {
             QPDFXRefEntry& e = m->new_obj[i].xref;
             switch (e.getType()) {
@@ -2517,7 +2531,7 @@ QPDFWriter::writeXRefStream(
     writeStringQDF("\n ");
     writeString(" /Type /XRef");
     writeStringQDF("\n ");
-    writeString(" /Length " + std::to_string(xref_data->getSize()));
+    writeString(" /Length " + std::to_string(xref_data.size()));
     if (compressed) {
         writeStringQDF("\n ");
         writeString(" /Filter /FlateDecode");
@@ -2532,7 +2546,7 @@ QPDFWriter::writeXRefStream(
     }
     writeTrailer(which, size, true, prev, linearization_pass);
     writeString("\nstream\n");
-    writeBuffer(xref_data);
+    writeString(xref_data);
     writeString("\nendstream");
     closeObject(xref_id);
     return space_before_zero;
@@ -2674,21 +2688,21 @@ QPDFWriter::writeLinearized()
     }
 
     qpdf_offset_t hint_length = 0;
-    std::shared_ptr<Buffer> hint_buffer;
+    std::string hint_buffer;
 
     // Write file in two passes.  Part numbers refer to PDF spec 1.4.
 
     FILE* lin_pass1_file = nullptr;
-    auto pp_pass1 = std::make_shared<PipelinePopper>(this);
-    auto pp_md5 = std::make_shared<PipelinePopper>(this);
-    for (int pass = 1; pass <= 2; ++pass) {
+    auto pp_pass1 = std::make_unique<PipelinePopper>(this);
+    auto pp_md5 = std::make_unique<PipelinePopper>(this);
+    for (int pass: {1, 2}) {
         if (pass == 1) {
             if (!m->lin_pass1_filename.empty()) {
                 lin_pass1_file = QUtil::safe_fopen(m->lin_pass1_filename.c_str(), "wb");
                 pushPipeline(new Pl_StdioFile("linearization pass1", lin_pass1_file));
                 activatePipelineStack(*pp_pass1);
             } else {
-                pushDiscardFilter(*pp_pass1);
+                activatePipelineStack(*pp_pass1, true);
             }
             if (m->deterministic_id) {
                 pushMD5Pipeline(*pp_md5);
@@ -2818,7 +2832,7 @@ QPDFWriter::writeLinearized()
                     m->new_obj[hint_id].xref = QPDFXRefEntry(m->pipeline->getCount());
                 } else {
                     // Part 5: hint stream
-                    writeBuffer(hint_buffer);
+                    writeString(hint_buffer);
                 }
             }
             if (cur_object.getObjectID() == part6_end_marker) {
@@ -2892,12 +2906,11 @@ QPDFWriter::writeLinearized()
 
             // Write hint stream to a buffer
             {
-                pushPipeline(new Pl_Buffer("hint buffer"));
-                PipelinePopper pp_hint(this, &hint_buffer);
-                activatePipelineStack(pp_hint);
+                PipelinePopper pp_hint(this);
+                activatePipelineStack(pp_hint, hint_buffer);
                 writeHintStream(hint_id);
             }
-            hint_length = QIntC::to_offset(hint_buffer->getSize());
+            hint_length = QIntC::to_offset(hint_buffer.size());
 
             // Restore hint offset
             m->new_obj[hint_id].xref = QPDFXRefEntry(hint_offset1);
@@ -3012,9 +3025,9 @@ QPDFWriter::registerProgressReporter(std::shared_ptr<ProgressReporter> pr)
 void
 QPDFWriter::writeStandard()
 {
-    auto pp_md5 = std::make_shared<PipelinePopper>(this);
+    auto pp_md5 = PipelinePopper(this);
     if (m->deterministic_id) {
-        pushMD5Pipeline(*pp_md5);
+        pushMD5Pipeline(pp_md5);
     }
 
     // Start writing
@@ -3060,7 +3073,5 @@ QPDFWriter::writeStandard()
             "qpdf",
             "QPDFWriter standard deterministic ID",
             m->object_stream_to_objects.empty() ? 0 : 1);
-        pp_md5 = nullptr;
-        qpdf_assert_debug(m->md5_pipeline == nullptr);
     }
 }
diff --git a/libqpdf/QPDF_linearization.cc b/libqpdf/QPDF_linearization.cc
index e4ea689..605f865 100644
--- a/libqpdf/QPDF_linearization.cc
+++ b/libqpdf/QPDF_linearization.cc
@@ -5,9 +5,10 @@
 #include <qpdf/BitStream.hh>
 #include <qpdf/BitWriter.hh>
 #include <qpdf/InputSource_private.hh>
+#include <qpdf/Pipeline_private.hh>
 #include <qpdf/Pl_Buffer.hh>
-#include <qpdf/Pl_Count.hh>
 #include <qpdf/Pl_Flate.hh>
+#include <qpdf/Pl_String.hh>
 #include <qpdf/QPDFExc.hh>
 #include <qpdf/QPDFLogger.hh>
 #include <qpdf/QPDFWriter_private.hh>
@@ -1742,7 +1743,7 @@ void
 QPDF::generateHintStream(
     QPDFWriter::NewObjTable const& new_obj,
     QPDFWriter::ObjTable const& obj,
-    std::shared_ptr<Buffer>& hint_buffer,
+    std::string& hint_buffer,
     int& S,
     int& O,
     bool compressed)
@@ -1754,26 +1755,21 @@ QPDF::generateHintStream(
 
     // Write the hint stream itself into a compressed memory buffer. Write through a counter so we
     // can get offsets.
-    Pl_Buffer hint_stream("hint stream");
-    Pipeline* next = &hint_stream;
-    std::shared_ptr<Pipeline> flate;
-    if (compressed) {
-        flate =
-            std::make_shared<Pl_Flate>("compress hint stream", &hint_stream, Pl_Flate::a_deflate);
-        next = flate.get();
-    }
-    Pl_Count c("count", next);
-    BitWriter w(&c);
+    std::string b;
+    auto c = compressed
+        ? std::make_unique<pl::Count>(
+              0, b, pl::create<Pl_Flate>(pl::create<pl::String>(hint_buffer), Pl_Flate::a_deflate))
+        : std::make_unique<pl::Count>(0, hint_buffer);
+
+    BitWriter w(c.get());
 
     writeHPageOffset(w);
-    S = toI(c.getCount());
+    S = toI(c->getCount());
     writeHSharedObject(w);
     O = 0;
     if (m->outline_hints.nobjects > 0) {
-        O = toI(c.getCount());
+        O = toI(c->getCount());
         writeHGeneric(w, m->outline_hints);
     }
-    c.finish();
-
-    hint_buffer = hint_stream.getBufferSharedPointer();
+    c->finish();
 }
diff --git a/libqpdf/qpdf/Pipeline_private.hh b/libqpdf/qpdf/Pipeline_private.hh
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c46af4c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/libqpdf/qpdf/Pipeline_private.hh
@@ -0,0 +1,148 @@
+#ifndef PIPELINE_PRIVATE_HH
+#define PIPELINE_PRIVATE_HH
+
+#include <qpdf/Pipeline.hh>
+
+#include <qpdf/Pl_Flate.hh>
+
+namespace qpdf::pl
+{
+    struct Link
+    {
+        Link(std::unique_ptr<Link> next_link, std::unique_ptr<Pipeline> next_pl) :
+            next_link(std::move(next_link)),
+            next_pl(std::move(next_pl))
+        {
+        }
+
+        std::unique_ptr<Link> next_link{nullptr};
+        std::unique_ptr<Pipeline> next_pl{nullptr};
+    };
+
+    template <typename P, typename... Args>
+    std::unique_ptr<Link>
+    create(Args&&... args)
+    {
+        return std::make_unique<Link>(
+            nullptr, std::make_unique<P>("", nullptr, std::forward<Args>(args)...));
+    }
+
+    template <typename P, typename... Args>
+    std::unique_ptr<Link>
+    create(std::unique_ptr<Link> link, Args&&... args)
+    {
+        auto* next = link->next_pl.get();
+        return std::make_unique<Link>(
+            std::move(link), std::make_unique<P>("", next, std::forward<Args>(args)...));
+    }
+
+    class String final: public Pipeline
+    {
+      public:
+        String(char const* identifier, Pipeline*, std::string& str) :
+            Pipeline(identifier, nullptr),
+            str(str)
+        {
+        }
+
+        ~String() final = default;
+
+        void
+        write(unsigned char const* buf, size_t len) final
+        {
+            if (len) {
+                str.append(reinterpret_cast<char const*>(buf), len);
+            }
+        }
+
+        void
+        finish() final
+        {
+        }
+
+      private:
+        std::string& str;
+    };
+
+    class Count final: public Pipeline
+    {
+      public:
+        // Count the number of characters written. If 'next' is not set, the content written will be
+        // discarded.
+        Count(unsigned long id, Pipeline* next = nullptr) :
+            Pipeline("", next),
+            id_(id),
+            pass_immediately_to_next(next)
+        {
+        }
+
+        // Count the number of characters written. If 'next' is not set, the content written will be
+        // discarded.
+        Count(unsigned long id, std::unique_ptr<Link> link) :
+            Pipeline("", link ? link->next_pl.get() : nullptr),
+            link(std::move(link)),
+            id_(id),
+            pass_immediately_to_next(link)
+        {
+        }
+
+        // Write to 'str'. If 'next' is set, 'str' will be written to 'next' when 'finish' is
+        // called.
+        Count(unsigned long id, std::string& str, std::unique_ptr<Link> link = nullptr) :
+            Pipeline("", link ? link->next_pl.get() : nullptr),
+            str(&str),
+            link(std::move(link)),
+            id_(id)
+        {
+        }
+
+        ~Count() final = default;
+
+        void
+        write(unsigned char const* buf, size_t len) final
+        {
+            if (len) {
+                if (str) {
+                    str->append(reinterpret_cast<char const*>(buf), len);
+                    return;
+                }
+                count += static_cast<qpdf_offset_t>(len);
+                if (pass_immediately_to_next) {
+                    next()->write(buf, len);
+                }
+            }
+        }
+
+        void
+        finish() final
+        {
+            if (next()) {
+                if (!pass_immediately_to_next) {
+                    next()->write(reinterpret_cast<unsigned char const*>(str->data()), str->size());
+                }
+                next()->finish();
+            }
+        }
+
+        qpdf_offset_t
+        getCount() const
+        {
+            return str ? static_cast<qpdf_offset_t>(str->size()) : count;
+        }
+
+        unsigned long long
+        id() const
+        {
+            return id_;
+        }
+
+      private:
+        qpdf_offset_t count{0};
+        std::string* str{nullptr};
+        std::unique_ptr<Link> link{nullptr};
+        unsigned long id_{0};
+        bool pass_immediately_to_next{false};
+    };
+} // namespace qpdf::pl
+
+#endif // PIPELINE_PRIVATE_HH
diff --git a/libqpdf/qpdf/QPDFWriter_private.hh b/libqpdf/qpdf/QPDFWriter_private.hh
index cbb667f..1afb3f6 100644
--- a/libqpdf/qpdf/QPDFWriter_private.hh
+++ b/libqpdf/qpdf/QPDFWriter_private.hh
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 #include <qpdf/QPDFWriter.hh>
 
 #include <qpdf/ObjTable.hh>
+#include <qpdf/Pipeline_private.hh>
 
 // This file is intended for inclusion by QPDFWriter, QPDF, QPDF_optimization and QPDF_linearization
 // only.
@@ -98,7 +99,7 @@ class QPDFWriter::Members
     int encryption_dict_objid{0};
     std::string cur_data_key;
     std::list<std::shared_ptr<Pipeline>> to_delete;
-    Pl_Count* pipeline{nullptr};
+    qpdf::pl::Count* pipeline{nullptr};
     std::vector<QPDFObjectHandle> object_queue;
     size_t object_queue_front{0};
     QPDFWriter::ObjTable obj;
@@ -112,8 +113,9 @@ class QPDFWriter::Members
     std::map<QPDFObjGen, int> page_object_to_seq;
     std::map<QPDFObjGen, int> contents_to_page_seq;
     std::map<int, std::vector<QPDFObjGen>> object_stream_to_objects;
-    std::list<Pipeline*> pipeline_stack;
-    unsigned long long next_stack_id{0};
+    std::vector<Pipeline*> pipeline_stack;
+    unsigned long next_stack_id{2};
+    std::string count_buffer;
     bool deterministic_id{false};
     Pl_MD5* md5_pipeline{nullptr};
     std::string deterministic_id_data;
diff --git a/libqpdf/qpdf/QPDF_private.hh b/libqpdf/qpdf/QPDF_private.hh
index 33621af..54ad4f7 100644
--- a/libqpdf/qpdf/QPDF_private.hh
+++ b/libqpdf/qpdf/QPDF_private.hh
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ class QPDF::Writer
         QPDF& qpdf,
         QPDFWriter::NewObjTable const& new_obj,
         QPDFWriter::ObjTable const& obj,
-        std::shared_ptr<Buffer>& hint_stream,
+        std::string& hint_stream,
         int& S,
         int& O,
         bool compressed)
diff --git a/manual/release-notes.rst b/manual/release-notes.rst
index bfb502d..d55e555 100644
--- a/manual/release-notes.rst
+++ b/manual/release-notes.rst
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ more detail.
       integer object. Previously the method returned false if the first
       dictionary object was not a linearization parameter dictionary.
 
-    = Fix parsing of object streams containing objects not seperated by
+    - Fix parsing of object streams containing objects not seperated by
       white-space. Pre-2020 editions of the PDF specification incorrectly
       stated that white-space was required between objects. qpdf relied on this
       when parsing object streams.
@@ -40,8 +40,8 @@ more detail.
       messages and object descriptions has been refactored with some
       improvement both in runtime and memory usage.
 
-    - There has been some refactoring of how object streams are written with
-      some performance improvement.
+    - There has been some refactoring of QPDFWriter including how object
+      streams are written with some performance improvement.
 
 .. cSpell:ignore substract