diff --git a/src/h5cpp/node/node.cpp b/src/h5cpp/node/node.cpp
index 0e0d4b5855..2d2a25c9bc 100644
--- a/src/h5cpp/node/node.cpp
+++ b/src/h5cpp/node/node.cpp
@@ -32,20 +32,20 @@ namespace node {
 
 Node::Node():
     attributes(*this),
-    handle_(),
-    link_()
+    link_(),
+    handle_()
 {}
 
 Node::Node(ObjectHandle &&handle,const Link &link):
     attributes(*this),
-    handle_(std::move(handle)),
-    link_(link)
+    link_(link),
+    handle_(std::move(handle))
 {}
 
 Node::Node(const Node &node):
     attributes(*this),
-    handle_(node.handle_),
-    link_(node.link_)
+    link_(node.link_),
+    handle_(node.handle_)
 {}
 
 Node &Node::operator=(const Node &node)
diff --git a/src/h5cpp/node/node.hpp b/src/h5cpp/node/node.hpp
index bf76821698..4c51ff13a6 100644
--- a/src/h5cpp/node/node.hpp
+++ b/src/h5cpp/node/node.hpp
@@ -130,8 +130,8 @@ class DLL_EXPORT Node
     attribute::AttributeManager attributes;
 
   private:
-    ObjectHandle handle_; //!< access handle to the object
     Link link_;           //!< stores the link to the object
+    ObjectHandle handle_; //!< access handle to the object
 };
 
 DLL_EXPORT bool operator==(const Node &lhs, const Node &rhs);