diff --git a/src/LyXVC.cpp b/src/LyXVC.cpp
index 01743ecadb..449e24d1a8 100644
--- a/src/LyXVC.cpp
+++ b/src/LyXVC.cpp
@@ -50,20 +50,17 @@ bool LyXVC::file_found_hook(FileName const & fn)
 	FileName found_file;
 	// Check if file is under RCS
 	if (!(found_file = RCS::findFile(fn)).empty()) {
-		vcs.reset(new RCS(found_file));
-		vcs->owner(owner_);
+		vcs.reset(new RCS(found_file, owner_));
 		return true;
 	}
 	// Check if file is under CVS
 	if (!(found_file = CVS::findFile(fn)).empty()) {
-		vcs.reset(new CVS(found_file, fn));
-		vcs->owner(owner_);
+		vcs.reset(new CVS(found_file, owner_));
 		return true;
 	}
 	// Check if file is under SVN
 	if (!(found_file = SVN::findFile(fn)).empty()) {
-		vcs.reset(new SVN(found_file, fn));
-		vcs->owner(owner_);
+		vcs.reset(new SVN(found_file, owner_));
 		return true;
 	}
 
@@ -127,20 +124,18 @@ bool LyXVC::registrer()
 		if (svn_entries.isReadableFile()) {
 			LYXERR(Debug::LYXVC, "LyXVC: registering "
 				<< to_utf8(filename.displayName()) << " with SVN");
-			vcs.reset(new SVN(cvs_entries, filename));
+			vcs.reset(new SVN(cvs_entries, owner_));
 
 		} else if (cvs_entries.isReadableFile()) {
 			LYXERR(Debug::LYXVC, "LyXVC: registering "
 				<< to_utf8(filename.displayName()) << " with CVS");
-			vcs.reset(new CVS(cvs_entries, filename));
+			vcs.reset(new CVS(cvs_entries, owner_));
 
 		} else {
 			LYXERR(Debug::LYXVC, "LyXVC: registering "
 				<< to_utf8(filename.displayName()) << " with RCS");
-			vcs.reset(new RCS(FileName()));
+			vcs.reset(new RCS(FileName(), owner_));
 		}
-
-		vcs->owner(owner_);
 	}
 
 	LYXERR(Debug::LYXVC, "LyXVC: registrer");
diff --git a/src/VCBackend.cpp b/src/VCBackend.cpp
index bd468d86a7..31a8eb32e5 100644
--- a/src/VCBackend.cpp
+++ b/src/VCBackend.cpp
@@ -122,7 +122,7 @@ bool VCS::checkparentdirs(FileName const & file, std::string const & pathname)
 //
 /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 
-RCS::RCS(FileName const & m)
+RCS::RCS(FileName const & m, Buffer * b) : VCS(b)
 {
 	master_ = m;
 	scanMaster();
@@ -472,10 +472,9 @@ bool RCS::prepareFileRevisionEnabled()
 //
 /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 
-CVS::CVS(FileName const & m, FileName const & f)
+CVS::CVS(FileName const & m, Buffer * b) : VCS(b)
 {
 	master_ = m;
-	file_ = f;
 	have_rev_info_ = false;
 	scanMaster();
 }
@@ -510,7 +509,7 @@ void CVS::scanMaster()
 	LYXERR(Debug::LYXVC, "LyXVC::CVS: scanMaster. \n     Checking: " << master_);
 	// Ok now we do the real scan...
 	ifstream ifs(master_.toFilesystemEncoding().c_str());
-	string name = onlyFileName(file_.absFileName());
+	string name = onlyFileName(owner_->absFileName());
 	string tmpf = '/' + name + '/';
 	LYXERR(Debug::LYXVC, "\tlooking for `" << tmpf << '\'');
 	string line;
@@ -530,12 +529,13 @@ void CVS::scanMaster()
 
 			//sm[4]; // options
 			//sm[5]; // tag or tagdate
-			if (file_.isReadableFile()) {
-				time_t mod = file_.lastModified();
+			FileName file(owner_->absFileName());
+			if (file.isReadableFile()) {
+				time_t mod = file.lastModified();
 				string mod_date = rtrim(asctime(gmtime(&mod)), "\n");
 				LYXERR(Debug::LYXVC, "Date in Entries: `" << file_date
 					<< "'\nModification date of file: `" << mod_date << '\'');
-				if (file_.isReadOnly()) {
+				if (file.isReadOnly()) {
 					// readonly checkout is unlocked
 					vcstatus = UNLOCKED;
 				} else {
@@ -1044,11 +1044,9 @@ bool CVS::prepareFileRevisionEnabled()
 //
 /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 
-SVN::SVN(FileName const & m, FileName const & f)
+SVN::SVN(FileName const & m, Buffer * b) : VCS(b)
 {
-	owner_ = 0;
 	master_ = m;
-	file_ = f;
 	locked_mode_ = 0;
 	scanMaster();
 }
@@ -1103,9 +1101,9 @@ bool SVN::checkLockMode()
 	}
 
 	LYXERR(Debug::LYXVC, "Detecting locking mode...");
-	if (doVCCommandCall("svn proplist " + quoteName(file_.onlyFileName())
+	if (doVCCommandCall("svn proplist " + quoteName(onlyFileName(owner_->absFileName()))
 		    + " > " + quoteName(tmpf.toFilesystemEncoding()),
-		    file_.onlyPath()))
+		    FileName(owner_->filePath())))
 		return false;
 
 	ifstream ifs(tmpf.toFilesystemEncoding().c_str());
@@ -1128,8 +1126,9 @@ bool SVN::checkLockMode()
 
 bool SVN::isLocked() const
 {
-	file_.refresh();
-	return !file_.isReadOnly();
+	FileName file(owner_->absFileName());
+	file.refresh();
+	return !file.isReadOnly();
 }
 
 
diff --git a/src/VCBackend.h b/src/VCBackend.h
index abffaec044..6f81208be1 100644
--- a/src/VCBackend.h
+++ b/src/VCBackend.h
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ public:
 		NOLOCKING
 	};
 
+	VCS(Buffer * b) : owner_(b) {}
 	virtual ~VCS() {}
 
 	/// register a file for version control
@@ -71,8 +72,6 @@ public:
 	virtual void getLog(support::FileName const &) = 0;
 	/// return the current version description
 	virtual std::string const versionString() const = 0;
-	/// set the owning buffer
-	void owner(Buffer * b) { owner_ = b; }
 	/// return the owning buffer
 	Buffer * owner() const { return owner_; }
 	/// return the lock status of this file
@@ -119,7 +118,7 @@ protected:
 	VCStatus vcstatus;
 
 	/// The buffer using this VC
-	Buffer * owner_;
+	Buffer * const owner_;
 };
 
 
@@ -128,7 +127,7 @@ class RCS : public VCS {
 public:
 
 	explicit
-	RCS(support::FileName const & m);
+	RCS(support::FileName const & m, Buffer * b);
 
 	/// return the revision file for the given file, if found
 	static support::FileName const findFile(support::FileName const & file);
@@ -202,7 +201,7 @@ class CVS : public VCS {
 public:
 	///
 	explicit
-	CVS(support::FileName const & m, support::FileName const & f);
+	CVS(support::FileName const & m, Buffer * b);
 
 	/// return the revision file for the given file, if found
 	static support::FileName const findFile(support::FileName const & file);
@@ -272,7 +271,6 @@ protected:
 	};
 
 private:
-	support::FileName file_;
 	// revision number from scanMaster
 	std::string version_;
 
@@ -330,7 +328,7 @@ class SVN : public VCS {
 public:
 	///
 	explicit
-	SVN(support::FileName const & m, support::FileName const & f);
+	SVN(support::FileName const & m, Buffer * b);
 
 	/// return the revision file for the given file, if found
 	static support::FileName const findFile(support::FileName const & file);
@@ -389,7 +387,6 @@ protected:
 	void fileLock(bool lock, support::FileName const & tmpf, std::string & status);
 
 private:
-	support::FileName file_;
 	/// is the loaded file under locking policy?
 	bool locked_mode_;
 	/**