diff --git a/examples/analogTime.lua b/examples/analogTime.lua
index 375459a..84692c0 100644
--- a/examples/analogTime.lua
+++ b/examples/analogTime.lua
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-local analogTime = lvgl.AnalogTime(nil, {
+local analogTime = lvgl.AnalogTime {
     border_width = 0,
     x = lvgl.HOR_RES() // 2,
     y = lvgl.VER_RES() // 2,
@@ -8,6 +8,6 @@ local analogTime = lvgl.AnalogTime(nil, {
         second = SCRIPT_PATH .. "/assets/hand-second.png",
     },
     period = 33,
-})
+}
 
 print("analogTime: ", analogTime)
diff --git a/examples/dropdown.lua b/examples/dropdown.lua
index 037f51c..1003646 100644
--- a/examples/dropdown.lua
+++ b/examples/dropdown.lua
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 -- a dropdown on top left
-local dd = lvgl.Dropdown(nil, {
+local dd = lvgl.Dropdown {
     -- note there are two "Orange"
     options = "Apple\nBanana\nOrange\nCherry\nGrape\nRaspberry\nMelon\nOrange\nLemon\nNuts",
     symbol = "\xEF\x81\x94",
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ local dd = lvgl.Dropdown(nil, {
         x_ofs = 20,
         y_ofs = 20,
     }
-})
+}
 local list = dd:get("list")
 print("get dropdown list: ", list)
 list:set { text_font = lvgl.BUILTIN_FONT.MONTSERRAT_20 }
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ dd:onevent(lvgl.EVENT.VALUE_CHANGED,
 )
 
 -- another dropdown on top left
-local dd = lvgl.Dropdown(nil, {
+local dd = lvgl.Dropdown {
     options = "Apple\nBanana\nOrange\nCherry\nGrape\nRaspberry\nMelon\nOrange\nLemon\nNuts",
     symbol = "\xEF\x81\xB7",
     dir = lvgl.DIR.BOTTOM,
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ local dd = lvgl.Dropdown(nil, {
         x_ofs = 0,
         y_ofs = -20,
     }
-})
+}
 
 
 dd:get("list"):set { text_font = lvgl.Font("montserrat", 24) }
diff --git a/examples/examples.lua b/examples/examples.lua
index 64e0b63..952a90b 100644
--- a/examples/examples.lua
+++ b/examples/examples.lua
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-local container = lvgl.Object(nil, {
+local container = lvgl.Object {
     w = lvgl.HOR_RES(),
     h = lvgl.VER_RES(),
     bg_color = "#888",
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ local container = lvgl.Object(nil, {
         flex_direction = "row",
         flex_wrap = "wrap"
     }
-})
+}
 
 print("created container", container)
 
diff --git a/examples/extension.lua b/examples/extension.lua
index e51f355..617e3e3 100644
--- a/examples/extension.lua
+++ b/examples/extension.lua
@@ -1,11 +1,11 @@
 -- demo of external widget added to lvgl. See simulator/extension.c
 
-local extension = lvgl.Extension(nil, {
+local extension = lvgl.Extension {
     border_width = 1,
     w = lvgl.PCT(20),
     h = lvgl.PCT(20),
     align = lvgl.ALIGN.CENTER,
-})
+}
 
 extension:onClicked(function ()
     print("clicked")
diff --git a/examples/flappyBird/flappyBird.lua b/examples/flappyBird/flappyBird.lua
index 8acc3d6..69231dc 100644
--- a/examples/flappyBird/flappyBird.lua
+++ b/examples/flappyBird/flappyBird.lua
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ local function screenCreate(parent)
             pad_all = 0
         }
     else
-        scr = lvgl.Object(nil, property)
+        scr = lvgl.Object(property)
     end
     scr:clear_flag(lvgl.FLAG.SCROLLABLE)
     scr:clear_flag(lvgl.FLAG.CLICKABLE)
diff --git a/examples/flexLayout.lua b/examples/flexLayout.lua
index d03e479..0037620 100644
--- a/examples/flexLayout.lua
+++ b/examples/flexLayout.lua
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 local lvgl = require("lvgl")
 
-local root = lvgl.Object(nil, {
+local root = lvgl.Object {
     flex = {
         flex_direction = "row",
         flex_wrap = "wrap",
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ local root = lvgl.Object(nil, {
     w = 300,
     h = 75,
     align = lvgl.ALIGN.CENTER
-})
+}
 
 for i = 1, 10 do
     local item = root:Object {
diff --git a/examples/font.lua b/examples/font.lua
index 7d650cc..d9d8e38 100644
--- a/examples/font.lua
+++ b/examples/font.lua
@@ -1,18 +1,18 @@
-local label1 = lvgl.Label(nil, {
+local label1 = lvgl.Label {
     x = 0, y = 0,
     text_font = lvgl.Font("montserrat", 32, "normal"),
     text = "Hello Font",
     align = lvgl.ALIGN.CENTER
-})
+}
 
 print("label1: ", label1)
 
-lvgl.Label(nil, {
+lvgl.Label {
     -- x= 0, y = 0,
     -- text_font = lvgl.Font("MiSansW medium, montserrat", 24),
     text_font = lvgl.BUILTIN_FONT.MONTSERRAT_22,
     text = "Hello Font2",
-}):align_to({
+}:align_to({
     type = lvgl.ALIGN.OUT_BOTTOM_LEFT,
     base = label1,
 })
diff --git a/examples/fs.lua b/examples/fs.lua
index 6672f4d..7f8037b 100644
--- a/examples/fs.lua
+++ b/examples/fs.lua
@@ -20,19 +20,19 @@ local function fs_example()
     print("header len:", #header, ": ", header)
     print("remaining: ", remaining)
 
-    lvgl.Label(nil, {
+    lvgl.Label {
         x = 0,
         y = 0,
         text_font = lvgl.Font("montserrat", 20, "normal"),
         text = header .. remaining,
         align = lvgl.ALIGN.TOP_LEFT
-    })
+    }
 
-    local list = lvgl.List(nil, {
+    local list = lvgl.List {
         align = lvgl.ALIGN.TOP_RIGHT,
         pad_all = 10,
         text_font = lvgl.BUILTIN_FONT.MONTSERRAT_12
-    })
+    }
     list:add_text("Directory list:")
 
     -- local dir <close>, msg, code = lvgl.fs.open_dir(SCRIPT_PATH .. "/")
diff --git a/examples/group.lua b/examples/group.lua
index f80dd32..d7d83a1 100644
--- a/examples/group.lua
+++ b/examples/group.lua
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ local function group_example()
             border_color = "#a00",
         })
 
-    local root = lvgl.Object(nil, {
+    local root = lvgl.Object {
             w = lvgl.PCT(100),
             h = lvgl.PCT(100),
             align = lvgl.ALIGN.CENTER,
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ local function group_example()
                 flex_direction = "row",
                 flex_wrap = "wrap"
             }
-        })
+        }
 
     root:add_style(style, lvgl.STATE.FOCUSED)
 
diff --git a/examples/indev.lua b/examples/indev.lua
index 563b0f0..a4b0643 100644
--- a/examples/indev.lua
+++ b/examples/indev.lua
@@ -9,12 +9,12 @@ local function indev_example()
     local obj_act = lvgl.indev.get_obj_act()
     print("obj_act: ", obj_act)
 
-    local root = lvgl.Object(nil, {
+    local root = lvgl.Object {
             w = lvgl.PCT(30),
             h = lvgl.PCT(30),
             align = lvgl.ALIGN.CENTER,
             bg_color = "#aaa",
-        })
+        }
 
     root:Object({
         w = 1000,
diff --git a/examples/keyboard.lua b/examples/keyboard.lua
index feb85d3..ca13807 100644
--- a/examples/keyboard.lua
+++ b/examples/keyboard.lua
@@ -1,10 +1,10 @@
-local root = lvgl.Object(nil, {
+local root = lvgl.Object {
     w = lvgl.HOR_RES(),
     h = lvgl.VER_RES(),
     pad_all = 0,
     bg_color = "#333",
     bg_opa = lvgl.OPA(50),
-})
+}
 root:add_flag(lvgl.FLAG.CLICKABLE)
 
 local ta = root:Textarea {
diff --git a/examples/pointer.lua b/examples/pointer.lua
index c344f77..d760961 100644
--- a/examples/pointer.lua
+++ b/examples/pointer.lua
@@ -1,11 +1,11 @@
-local root = lvgl.Object(nil, {
+local root = lvgl.Object {
     w = 0,
     h = 0,
     pad_all = 0,
     align = lvgl.ALIGN.CENTER,
     border_width = 1,
     border_color = "#F00",
-})
+}
 
 local pointer = root:Pointer {
     src = SCRIPT_PATH .. "/assets/second.png",
diff --git a/examples/protectedcall.lua b/examples/protectedcall.lua
index a23fd9d..b8ff976 100644
--- a/examples/protectedcall.lua
+++ b/examples/protectedcall.lua
@@ -21,10 +21,10 @@ local function testCrash6()
     testCrash5()
 end
 
-lvgl.Label(nil, {
+lvgl.Label {
     text = "crash in 1 second.",
     align = lvgl.ALIGN.CENTER
-})
+}
 
 lvgl.Timer {
     period = 1000,
diff --git a/examples/roller.lua b/examples/roller.lua
index 0d76332..9748a47 100644
--- a/examples/roller.lua
+++ b/examples/roller.lua
@@ -1,14 +1,13 @@
-local roller = lvgl.Roller(nil, {
+local roller = lvgl.Roller {
     options = {
         options = "January\nFebruary\nMarch\nApril\nMay\nJune\nJuly\nAugust\nSeptember\nOctober\nNovember\nDecember",
         mode = lvgl.ROLLER_MODE.INFINITE,
     },
     visible_cnt = 4,
     align = lvgl.ALIGN.CENTER
-})
+}
 
 print("create roller:", roller)
 roller:onevent(lvgl.EVENT.VALUE_CHANGED, function (obj, code)
     print(obj:get_selected_str())
 end)
-
diff --git a/examples/tests.lua b/examples/tests.lua
index 25b1dc8..5047439 100644
--- a/examples/tests.lua
+++ b/examples/tests.lua
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-local container = lvgl.Object(nil, {
+local container = lvgl.Object {
     w = lvgl.HOR_RES(),
     h = lvgl.VER_RES(),
     bg_color = "#888",
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ local container = lvgl.Object(nil, {
         flex_direction = "row",
         flex_wrap = "wrap"
     }
-})
+}
 
 local function createBtn(parent, name)
     local root = parent:Object {
diff --git a/src/obj.c b/src/obj.c
index 3707074..c5f829d 100644
--- a/src/obj.c
+++ b/src/obj.c
@@ -718,7 +718,7 @@ static const luaL_Reg luavgl_obj_methods[] = {
     {"delete",                   luavgl_obj_delete                  },
     {"clean",                    luavgl_obj_clean                   },
 
- /* misc. functions */
+    /* misc. functions */
     {"parent",                   luavgl_obj_set_get_parent          },
     {"set_parent",               luavgl_obj_set_parent              },
     {"get_parent",               luavgl_obj_get_parent              },
@@ -842,7 +842,8 @@ LUALIB_API int luavgl_obj_create_helper(lua_State *L,
   luavgl_ctx_t *ctx = luavgl_context(L);
   lv_obj_t *parent;
 
-  if (lua_isnoneornil(L, 1)) {
+  int type = lua_type(L, 1);
+  if (type == LUA_TTABLE || type == LUA_TNONE || type == LUA_TNIL) {
     parent = ctx->root;
   } else {
     parent = luavgl_to_obj(L, 1);