diff --git a/db/db_bench.cc b/db/db_bench.cc
index 8cfdfcb82..04f1f4ca1 100644
--- a/db/db_bench.cc
+++ b/db/db_bench.cc
@@ -1817,7 +1817,7 @@ int main(int argc, char** argv) {
     } else if (sscanf(argv[i], "--statistics=%d%c", &n, &junk) == 1 &&
                (n == 0 || n == 1)) {
       if (n == 1) {
-        dbstats.reset(new leveldb::DBStatistics());
+        dbstats = leveldb::CreateDBStatistics();
         FLAGS_statistics = true;
       }
     } else if (sscanf(argv[i], "--writes=%d%c", &n, &junk) == 1) {
diff --git a/db/db_statistics.h b/db/db_statistics.h
index badfd1b58..9f2d93ef2 100644
--- a/db/db_statistics.h
+++ b/db/db_statistics.h
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
 #include <cassert>
 #include <stdlib.h>
 #include <vector>
+#include <memory>
 
 #include "leveldb/statistics.h"
 #include "util/histogram.h"
@@ -48,6 +49,11 @@ class DBStatistics: public Statistics {
   std::vector<Ticker> allTickers_;
   std::vector<HistogramImpl> allHistograms_;
 };
+
+std::shared_ptr<Statistics> CreateDBStatistics() {
+  return std::make_shared<DBStatistics>();
+}
+
 } // namespace leveldb
 
 #endif // LEVELDB_STORAGE_DB_DB_STATISTICS_H_
diff --git a/include/leveldb/statistics.h b/include/leveldb/statistics.h
index 31f542edd..fe4878f23 100644
--- a/include/leveldb/statistics.h
+++ b/include/leveldb/statistics.h
@@ -128,6 +128,9 @@ class Statistics {
 
 };
 
+// Create a concrete DBStatistics object
+std::shared_ptr<Statistics> CreateDBStatistics();
+
 // Ease of Use functions
 inline void RecordTick(std::shared_ptr<Statistics> statistics,
                        Tickers ticker,
diff --git a/tools/db_stress.cc b/tools/db_stress.cc
index 3a759d5c9..791ff25c1 100644
--- a/tools/db_stress.cc
+++ b/tools/db_stress.cc
@@ -1081,7 +1081,7 @@ int main(int argc, char** argv) {
     } else if (sscanf(argv[i], "--statistics=%d%c", &n, &junk) == 1 &&
                (n == 0 || n == 1)) {
       if (n == 1) {
-        dbstats.reset(new leveldb::DBStatistics());
+        dbstats = leveldb::CreateDBStatistics();
       }
     } else if (sscanf(argv[i], "--sync=%d%c", &n, &junk) == 1 &&
                (n == 0 || n == 1)) {