diff --git a/bin/taox11_tests.lst b/bin/taox11_tests.lst
index a847c160..c9085b86 100644
--- a/bin/taox11_tests.lst
+++ b/bin/taox11_tests.lst
@@ -82,6 +82,7 @@ tests/idl4/default/run_test.pl:
 tests/idl4/enum/run_test.pl:
 tests/idl4/explicit_ints/run_test.pl:
 tests/idl4/explicit_ints/run_illegal_idl3_test.pl:
+tests/idl4/external/run_test.pl:
 tests/idl4/illegal_idl/run_test.pl:
 tests/idl4/map/run_test.pl:
 tests/idl4/map/run_illegal_idl3_test.pl:
diff --git a/ridlbe/c++11/templates/cli/hdr/struct_idl_traits_def.erb b/ridlbe/c++11/templates/cli/hdr/struct_idl_traits_def.erb
index 86936b47..4892e0fc 100644
--- a/ridlbe/c++11/templates/cli/hdr/struct_idl_traits_def.erb
+++ b/ridlbe/c++11/templates/cli/hdr/struct_idl_traits_def.erb
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ struct formatter<<%= scoped_cxxtype %>, OStrm_>
         << "object}"
 %       end
 %     else
-% unless _m.optional?
+% unless _m.optional? || _m.external?
         << "<%= _sep %><%= _m.cxxname %>=" << IDL::traits<<%= _m.scoped_cxxtype %>>::write(val_.<%= _m.cxxname %> ())
 % else
 %# TODO
diff --git a/ridlbe/c++11/visitors/struct.rb b/ridlbe/c++11/visitors/struct.rb
index 202686df..580570ec 100644
--- a/ridlbe/c++11/visitors/struct.rb
+++ b/ridlbe/c++11/visitors/struct.rb
@@ -78,6 +78,10 @@ def optional?
         !node.annotations[:optional].first.nil?
       end
 
+      def external?
+        !node.annotations[:external].first.nil?
+      end
+
       def is_reference?
         if optional?
           false
@@ -95,42 +99,52 @@ def is_pod?
       end
 
       def cxx_byval_type
-        unless optional?
-          super
-        else
+        if optional?
           "IDL::optional<#{cxx_return_type}>"
+        elsif external?
+          "std::shared_ptr<#{cxx_return_type}>"
+        else
+          super
         end
       end
 
       def cxx_out_type
-        unless optional?
-          super
-        else
+        if optional?
           "IDL::optional<#{cxx_return_type}>&"
+        elsif external?
+          "std::shared_ptr<#{cxx_return_type}>&"
+        else
+          super
         end
       end
 
       def cxx_in_type
-        unless optional?
-          super
-        else
+        if optional?
           "const IDL::optional<#{super}>&"
+        elsif external?
+          "const std::shared_ptr<#{super}>&"
+        else
+          super
         end
       end
 
       def cxx_move_type
-        unless optional?
-          super
-        else
+        if optional?
           "IDL::optional<#{cxx_return_type}>&&"
+        elsif external?
+          "std::shared_ptr<#{cxx_return_type}>&&"
+        else
+          super
         end
       end
 
       def cxx_member_type
-        unless optional?
-          super
-        else
+        if optional?
           "IDL::optional<#{super}>"
+        elsif external?
+          "std::shared_ptr<#{super}>"
+        else
+          super
         end
       end
     end
diff --git a/tests/annotations/run_test.pl b/tests/annotations/run_test.pl
index 82d03efe..1a1bcc10 100755
--- a/tests/annotations/run_test.pl
+++ b/tests/annotations/run_test.pl
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@
 $server = $SV->SpawnWaitKill ($target->ProcessStartWaitInterval());
 
 if ($server != 0) {
-    print STDERR "ERROR: const returned $server\n";
+    print STDERR "ERROR: client returned $server\n";
     $status = 1;
 }
 
diff --git a/tests/idl4/bitset/run_test.pl b/tests/idl4/bitset/run_test.pl
index 82d03efe..1a1bcc10 100755
--- a/tests/idl4/bitset/run_test.pl
+++ b/tests/idl4/bitset/run_test.pl
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@
 $server = $SV->SpawnWaitKill ($target->ProcessStartWaitInterval());
 
 if ($server != 0) {
-    print STDERR "ERROR: const returned $server\n";
+    print STDERR "ERROR: client returned $server\n";
     $status = 1;
 }
 
diff --git a/tests/idl4/enum/run_test.pl b/tests/idl4/enum/run_test.pl
index 82d03efe..1a1bcc10 100755
--- a/tests/idl4/enum/run_test.pl
+++ b/tests/idl4/enum/run_test.pl
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@
 $server = $SV->SpawnWaitKill ($target->ProcessStartWaitInterval());
 
 if ($server != 0) {
-    print STDERR "ERROR: const returned $server\n";
+    print STDERR "ERROR: client returned $server\n";
     $status = 1;
 }
 
diff --git a/tests/idl4/explicit_ints/run_test.pl b/tests/idl4/explicit_ints/run_test.pl
index 82d03efe..1a1bcc10 100755
--- a/tests/idl4/explicit_ints/run_test.pl
+++ b/tests/idl4/explicit_ints/run_test.pl
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@
 $server = $SV->SpawnWaitKill ($target->ProcessStartWaitInterval());
 
 if ($server != 0) {
-    print STDERR "ERROR: const returned $server\n";
+    print STDERR "ERROR: client returned $server\n";
     $status = 1;
 }
 
diff --git a/tests/idl4/external/client.cpp b/tests/idl4/external/client.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..71c79c4c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/idl4/external/client.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+/**
+ * @file    client.cpp
+ * @author  Johnny Willemsen
+ *
+ * @brief   CORBA C++11 client application
+ *
+ * @copyright Copyright (c) Remedy IT Expertise BV
+ */
+
+#include "testC.h"
+#include "testlib/taox11_testlog.h"
+
+int main (int /*argc*/, char* /*argv*/[])
+{
+  int retval {};
+  bar mybar;
+
+  TAOX11_TEST_INFO << "mybar: " << mybar << std::endl;
+  return retval;
+}
diff --git a/tests/idl4/external/run_test.pl b/tests/idl4/external/run_test.pl
new file mode 100755
index 00000000..1a1bcc10
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/idl4/external/run_test.pl
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+#---------------------------------------------------------------------
+# @file   run_test.pl
+# @author Marcel Smit
+#
+# @copyright Copyright (c) Remedy IT Expertise BV
+#---------------------------------------------------------------------
+eval '(exit $?0)' && eval 'exec perl -S $0 ${1+"$@"}'
+     & eval 'exec perl -S $0 $argv:q'
+     if 0;
+
+# -*- perl -*-
+
+use lib "$ENV{ACE_ROOT}/bin";
+use PerlACE::TestTarget;
+
+my $target = PerlACE::TestTarget::create_target(2) || die "Create target 2 failed\n";
+
+$status = 0;
+
+$SV = $target->CreateProcess ("client");
+
+$server = $SV->SpawnWaitKill ($target->ProcessStartWaitInterval());
+
+if ($server != 0) {
+    print STDERR "ERROR: client returned $server\n";
+    $status = 1;
+}
+
+$target->GetStderrLog();
+
+exit $status;
diff --git a/tests/idl4/external/test.idl b/tests/idl4/external/test.idl
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..3dba88fb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/idl4/external/test.idl
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+/**
+ * @file    test.idl
+ * @author  Johnny Willemsen
+ *
+ * @copyright Copyright (c) Remedy IT Expertise BV
+ */
+
+struct bar
+{
+  short x;
+  string y;
+  @external short z;
+};
+
diff --git a/tests/idl4/external/test.mpc b/tests/idl4/external/test.mpc
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..4b03445e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/idl4/external/test.mpc
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+// -*- MPC -*-
+
+project(*external_gen_idl): ridl_ostream_defaults {
+  IDL_Files {
+    test.idl
+    idlflags += --idl-version=4 -Scdr
+  }
+  custom_only = 1
+}
+
+project(*external_client): taox11_client {
+  after += *external_gen_idl
+  Source_Files {
+    client.cpp
+  }
+  Source_Files {
+    testC.cpp
+  }
+}
+
diff --git a/tests/idl4/optional/run_test.pl b/tests/idl4/optional/run_test.pl
index 82d03efe..1a1bcc10 100755
--- a/tests/idl4/optional/run_test.pl
+++ b/tests/idl4/optional/run_test.pl
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@
 $server = $SV->SpawnWaitKill ($target->ProcessStartWaitInterval());
 
 if ($server != 0) {
-    print STDERR "ERROR: const returned $server\n";
+    print STDERR "ERROR: client returned $server\n";
     $status = 1;
 }
 
diff --git a/tests/idl4/union/run_test.pl b/tests/idl4/union/run_test.pl
index 82d03efe..1a1bcc10 100755
--- a/tests/idl4/union/run_test.pl
+++ b/tests/idl4/union/run_test.pl
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@
 $server = $SV->SpawnWaitKill ($target->ProcessStartWaitInterval());
 
 if ($server != 0) {
-    print STDERR "ERROR: const returned $server\n";
+    print STDERR "ERROR: client returned $server\n";
     $status = 1;
 }