diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index bf9972177f..a1bdfb4b62 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -608,7 +608,6 @@ if(openPMD_HAVE_PYTHON)
         src/binding/python/BaseRecord.cpp
         src/binding/python/BaseRecordComponent.cpp
         src/binding/python/ChunkInfo.cpp
-        src/binding/python/Container.cpp
         src/binding/python/Dataset.cpp
         src/binding/python/Datatype.cpp
         src/binding/python/Error.cpp
diff --git a/src/binding/python/Container.cpp b/include/openPMD/binding/python/Container.H
similarity index 80%
rename from src/binding/python/Container.cpp
rename to include/openPMD/binding/python/Container.H
index ef0a194637..86f98e74cf 100644
--- a/src/binding/python/Container.cpp
+++ b/include/openPMD/binding/python/Container.H
@@ -23,6 +23,8 @@
  *
  * BSD-style license, see pybind11 LICENSE file.
  */
+#pragma once
+
 #include "openPMD/backend/Container.hpp"
 
 #include "openPMD/binding/python/Common.hpp"
@@ -33,7 +35,7 @@
 #include <string>
 #include <utility>
 
-namespace detail
+namespace openPMD
 {
 /* based on std_bind.h in pybind11
  *
@@ -46,7 +48,7 @@ template <
     typename holder_type = std::unique_ptr<Map>,
     typename... Args>
 py::class_<Map, holder_type, Attributable>
-bind_container(py::handle scope, std::string const &name, Args &&...args)
+declare_container(py::handle scope, std::string const &name, Args &&...args)
 {
     using KeyType = typename Map::key_type;
     using MappedType = typename Map::mapped_type;
@@ -101,6 +103,20 @@ bind_container(py::handle scope, std::string const &name, Args &&...args)
         return stream.str();
     });
 
+    return cl;
+}
+
+template <
+    typename Map,
+    typename holder_type = std::unique_ptr<Map>,
+    typename... Args>
+py::class_<Map, holder_type, Attributable>
+finalize_container(py::class_<Map, holder_type, Attributable> cl)
+{
+    using KeyType = typename Map::key_type;
+    using MappedType = typename Map::mapped_type;
+    using Class_ = py::class_<Map, holder_type, Attributable>;
+
     cl.def(
         "items",
         [](Map &m) { return py::make_iterator(m.begin(), m.end()); },
@@ -137,23 +153,4 @@ bind_container(py::handle scope, std::string const &name, Args &&...args)
 
     return cl;
 }
-} // namespace detail
-
-void init_Container(py::module &m)
-{
-    ::detail::bind_container<PyIterationContainer>(m, "Iteration_Container");
-    ::detail::bind_container<PyMeshContainer>(m, "Mesh_Container");
-    ::detail::bind_container<PyPartContainer>(m, "Particle_Container");
-    ::detail::bind_container<PyPatchContainer>(m, "Particle_Patches_Container");
-    ::detail::bind_container<PyRecordContainer>(m, "Record_Container");
-    ::detail::bind_container<PyPatchRecordContainer>(
-        m, "Patch_Record_Container");
-    ::detail::bind_container<PyRecordComponentContainer>(
-        m, "Record_Component_Container");
-    ::detail::bind_container<PyMeshRecordComponentContainer>(
-        m, "Mesh_Record_Component_Container");
-    ::detail::bind_container<PyPatchRecordComponentContainer>(
-        m, "Patch_Record_Component_Container");
-    ::detail::bind_container<PyBaseRecordComponentContainer>(
-        m, "Base_Record_Component_Container");
-}
+} // namespace openPMD
diff --git a/src/binding/python/BaseRecord.cpp b/src/binding/python/BaseRecord.cpp
index 7aeee2d38a..233ad90512 100644
--- a/src/binding/python/BaseRecord.cpp
+++ b/src/binding/python/BaseRecord.cpp
@@ -47,11 +47,13 @@ Returns true if this record only contains a single component.
         m, "Base_Record_Record_Component")
         .def_property_readonly(
             "scalar", &BaseRecord<RecordComponent>::scalar, doc_scalar);
+
     py::class_<
         BaseRecord<MeshRecordComponent>,
         Container<MeshRecordComponent> >(m, "Base_Record_Mesh_Record_Component")
         .def_property_readonly(
             "scalar", &BaseRecord<MeshRecordComponent>::scalar, doc_scalar);
+
     py::class_<
         BaseRecord<PatchRecordComponent>,
         Container<PatchRecordComponent> >(
diff --git a/src/binding/python/BaseRecordComponent.cpp b/src/binding/python/BaseRecordComponent.cpp
index 95be596560..cf6f2d829c 100644
--- a/src/binding/python/BaseRecordComponent.cpp
+++ b/src/binding/python/BaseRecordComponent.cpp
@@ -22,12 +22,16 @@
 #include "openPMD/Datatype.hpp"
 
 #include "openPMD/binding/python/Common.hpp"
+#include "openPMD/binding/python/Container.H"
 #include "openPMD/binding/python/Numpy.hpp"
 
 #include <sstream>
 
 void init_BaseRecordComponent(py::module &m)
 {
+    auto py_brc_cont = declare_container<PyBaseRecordComponentContainer>(
+        m, "Base_Record_Component_Container");
+
     py::class_<BaseRecordComponent, Attributable>(m, "Base_Record_Component")
         .def(
             "__repr__",
@@ -46,4 +50,6 @@ void init_BaseRecordComponent(py::module &m)
         .def_property_readonly("dtype", [](BaseRecordComponent &brc) {
             return dtype_to_numpy(brc.getDatatype());
         });
+
+    finalize_container<PyBaseRecordComponentContainer>(py_brc_cont);
 }
diff --git a/src/binding/python/Helper.cpp b/src/binding/python/Helper.cpp
index e0aef84e0d..a7e6f209b4 100644
--- a/src/binding/python/Helper.cpp
+++ b/src/binding/python/Helper.cpp
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ void init_Helper(py::module &m)
              py::print(s.str());
          },
          py::arg("series"),
-         py::arg_v("longer", false, "Print more verbose output."),
+         py::arg("longer") = false,
          "List information about an openPMD data series")
         // CLI entry point
         .def(
diff --git a/src/binding/python/Iteration.cpp b/src/binding/python/Iteration.cpp
index 22e51aa974..a9dc2c23c8 100644
--- a/src/binding/python/Iteration.cpp
+++ b/src/binding/python/Iteration.cpp
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@
 #include "openPMD/Iteration.hpp"
 
 #include "openPMD/binding/python/Common.hpp"
+#include "openPMD/binding/python/Container.H"
 
 #include <ios>
 #include <sstream>
@@ -28,6 +29,9 @@
 
 void init_Iteration(py::module &m)
 {
+    auto py_it_cont =
+        declare_container<PyIterationContainer>(m, "Iteration_Container");
+
     py::class_<Iteration, Attributable>(m, "Iteration")
         .def(py::init<Iteration const &>())
 
@@ -93,4 +97,6 @@ void init_Iteration(py::module &m)
             py::return_value_policy::copy,
             // garbage collection: return value must be freed before Iteration
             py::keep_alive<1, 0>());
+
+    finalize_container<PyIterationContainer>(py_it_cont);
 }
diff --git a/src/binding/python/Mesh.cpp b/src/binding/python/Mesh.cpp
index e883e5e496..506e1bba70 100644
--- a/src/binding/python/Mesh.cpp
+++ b/src/binding/python/Mesh.cpp
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@
 #include "openPMD/backend/MeshRecordComponent.hpp"
 
 #include "openPMD/binding/python/Common.hpp"
+#include "openPMD/binding/python/Container.H"
 #include "openPMD/binding/python/Pickle.hpp"
 #include "openPMD/binding/python/UnitDimension.hpp"
 
@@ -31,7 +32,17 @@
 
 void init_Mesh(py::module &m)
 {
+    auto py_m_cont = declare_container<PyMeshContainer>(m, "Mesh_Container");
+
     py::class_<Mesh, BaseRecord<MeshRecordComponent> > cl(m, "Mesh");
+
+    py::enum_<Mesh::Geometry>(m, "Geometry") // TODO: m -> cl
+        .value("cartesian", Mesh::Geometry::cartesian)
+        .value("thetaMode", Mesh::Geometry::thetaMode)
+        .value("cylindrical", Mesh::Geometry::cylindrical)
+        .value("spherical", Mesh::Geometry::spherical)
+        .value("other", Mesh::Geometry::other);
+
     cl.def(py::init<Mesh const &>())
 
         .def(
@@ -107,10 +118,5 @@ void init_Mesh(py::module &m)
             return series.iterations[n_it].meshes[group.at(3)];
         });
 
-    py::enum_<Mesh::Geometry>(m, "Geometry")
-        .value("cartesian", Mesh::Geometry::cartesian)
-        .value("thetaMode", Mesh::Geometry::thetaMode)
-        .value("cylindrical", Mesh::Geometry::cylindrical)
-        .value("spherical", Mesh::Geometry::spherical)
-        .value("other", Mesh::Geometry::other);
+    finalize_container<PyMeshContainer>(py_m_cont);
 }
diff --git a/src/binding/python/MeshRecordComponent.cpp b/src/binding/python/MeshRecordComponent.cpp
index 120fe00da2..e2e5e7b42a 100644
--- a/src/binding/python/MeshRecordComponent.cpp
+++ b/src/binding/python/MeshRecordComponent.cpp
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@
 #include "openPMD/Series.hpp"
 
 #include "openPMD/binding/python/Common.hpp"
+#include "openPMD/binding/python/Container.H"
 #include "openPMD/binding/python/Pickle.hpp"
 
 #include <string>
@@ -31,6 +32,9 @@
 
 void init_MeshRecordComponent(py::module &m)
 {
+    auto py_mrc_cnt = declare_container<PyMeshRecordComponentContainer>(
+        m, "Mesh_Record_Component_Container");
+
     py::class_<MeshRecordComponent, RecordComponent> cl(
         m, "Mesh_Record_Component");
     cl.def(
@@ -79,4 +83,6 @@ void init_MeshRecordComponent(py::module &m)
             uint64_t const n_it = std::stoull(group.at(1));
             return series.iterations[n_it].meshes[group.at(3)][group.at(4)];
         });
+
+    finalize_container<PyMeshRecordComponentContainer>(py_mrc_cnt);
 }
diff --git a/src/binding/python/ParticlePatches.cpp b/src/binding/python/ParticlePatches.cpp
index 326162191d..f04f36bf09 100644
--- a/src/binding/python/ParticlePatches.cpp
+++ b/src/binding/python/ParticlePatches.cpp
@@ -23,11 +23,15 @@
 #include "openPMD/backend/PatchRecord.hpp"
 
 #include "openPMD/binding/python/Common.hpp"
+#include "openPMD/binding/python/Container.H"
 
 #include <string>
 
 void init_ParticlePatches(py::module &m)
 {
+    auto py_pp_cnt =
+        declare_container<PyPatchContainer>(m, "Particle_Patches_Container");
+
     py::class_<ParticlePatches, Container<PatchRecord> >(m, "Particle_Patches")
         .def(
             "__repr__",
@@ -40,4 +44,6 @@ void init_ParticlePatches(py::module &m)
             })
 
         .def_property_readonly("num_patches", &ParticlePatches::numPatches);
+
+    finalize_container<PyPatchContainer>(py_pp_cnt);
 }
diff --git a/src/binding/python/ParticleSpecies.cpp b/src/binding/python/ParticleSpecies.cpp
index 349ea8c689..7c3112029a 100644
--- a/src/binding/python/ParticleSpecies.cpp
+++ b/src/binding/python/ParticleSpecies.cpp
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@
 #include "openPMD/backend/Container.hpp"
 
 #include "openPMD/binding/python/Common.hpp"
+#include "openPMD/binding/python/Container.H"
 #include "openPMD/binding/python/Pickle.hpp"
 
 #include <sstream>
@@ -32,6 +33,9 @@
 
 void init_ParticleSpecies(py::module &m)
 {
+    auto py_ps_cnt =
+        declare_container<PyPartContainer>(m, "Particle_Container");
+
     py::class_<ParticleSpecies, Container<Record> > cl(m, "ParticleSpecies");
     cl.def(
           "__repr__",
@@ -49,4 +53,6 @@ void init_ParticleSpecies(py::module &m)
             uint64_t const n_it = std::stoull(group.at(1));
             return series.iterations[n_it].particles[group.at(3)];
         });
+
+    finalize_container<PyPartContainer>(py_ps_cnt);
 }
diff --git a/src/binding/python/PatchRecord.cpp b/src/binding/python/PatchRecord.cpp
index aaef39546c..efeea08a97 100644
--- a/src/binding/python/PatchRecord.cpp
+++ b/src/binding/python/PatchRecord.cpp
@@ -24,10 +24,14 @@
 #include "openPMD/backend/PatchRecordComponent.hpp"
 
 #include "openPMD/binding/python/Common.hpp"
+#include "openPMD/binding/python/Container.H"
 #include "openPMD/binding/python/UnitDimension.hpp"
 
 void init_PatchRecord(py::module &m)
 {
+    auto py_pr_cnt =
+        declare_container<PyPatchRecordContainer>(m, "Patch_Record_Container");
+
     py::class_<PatchRecord, BaseRecord<PatchRecordComponent> >(
         m, "Patch_Record")
         .def_property(
@@ -38,4 +42,6 @@ void init_PatchRecord(py::module &m)
 
         // TODO remove in future versions (deprecated)
         .def("set_unit_dimension", &PatchRecord::setUnitDimension);
+
+    finalize_container<PyPatchRecordContainer>(py_pr_cnt);
 }
diff --git a/src/binding/python/PatchRecordComponent.cpp b/src/binding/python/PatchRecordComponent.cpp
index e668f7a1d9..08059826e7 100644
--- a/src/binding/python/PatchRecordComponent.cpp
+++ b/src/binding/python/PatchRecordComponent.cpp
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@
 #include "openPMD/backend/BaseRecordComponent.hpp"
 
 #include "openPMD/binding/python/Common.hpp"
+#include "openPMD/binding/python/Container.H"
 #include "openPMD/binding/python/Numpy.hpp"
 
 namespace
@@ -42,6 +43,9 @@ struct Prc_Load
 
 void init_PatchRecordComponent(py::module &m)
 {
+    auto py_prc_cnt = declare_container<PyPatchRecordComponentContainer>(
+        m, "Patch_Record_Component_Container");
+
     py::class_<PatchRecordComponent, BaseRecordComponent>(
         m, "Patch_Record_Component")
         .def_property(
@@ -195,4 +199,6 @@ void init_PatchRecordComponent(py::module &m)
 
         // TODO remove in future versions (deprecated)
         .def("set_unit_SI", &PatchRecordComponent::setUnitSI);
+
+    finalize_container<PyPatchRecordComponentContainer>(py_prc_cnt);
 }
diff --git a/src/binding/python/Record.cpp b/src/binding/python/Record.cpp
index d97641bbce..4b16088268 100644
--- a/src/binding/python/Record.cpp
+++ b/src/binding/python/Record.cpp
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@
 #include "openPMD/backend/BaseRecord.hpp"
 
 #include "openPMD/binding/python/Common.hpp"
+#include "openPMD/binding/python/Container.H"
 #include "openPMD/binding/python/Pickle.hpp"
 #include "openPMD/binding/python/UnitDimension.hpp"
 
@@ -31,6 +32,8 @@
 
 void init_Record(py::module &m)
 {
+    auto py_r_cnt = declare_container<PyRecordContainer>(m, "Record_Container");
+
     py::class_<Record, BaseRecord<RecordComponent> > cl(m, "Record");
     cl.def(py::init<Record const &>())
 
@@ -71,4 +74,6 @@ void init_Record(py::module &m)
             uint64_t const n_it = std::stoull(group.at(1));
             return series.iterations[n_it].particles[group.at(3)][group.at(4)];
         });
+
+    finalize_container<PyRecordContainer>(py_r_cnt);
 }
diff --git a/src/binding/python/RecordComponent.cpp b/src/binding/python/RecordComponent.cpp
index ee8bb7d3bd..f5ef98f6f6 100644
--- a/src/binding/python/RecordComponent.cpp
+++ b/src/binding/python/RecordComponent.cpp
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@
 #include "openPMD/backend/BaseRecordComponent.hpp"
 
 #include "openPMD/binding/python/Common.hpp"
+#include "openPMD/binding/python/Container.H"
 #include "openPMD/binding/python/Numpy.hpp"
 #include "openPMD/binding/python/Pickle.hpp"
 
@@ -757,6 +758,9 @@ void init_RecordComponent(py::module &m)
             return view.currentView();
         });
 
+    auto py_rc_cnt = declare_container<PyRecordComponentContainer>(
+        m, "Record_Component_Container");
+
     py::class_<RecordComponent, BaseRecordComponent> cl(m, "Record_Component");
     cl.def(
           "__repr__",
@@ -1122,6 +1126,8 @@ void init_RecordComponent(py::module &m)
                 .particles[group.at(3)][group.at(4)][group.at(5)];
         });
 
+    finalize_container<PyRecordComponentContainer>(py_rc_cnt);
+
     py::enum_<RecordComponent::Allocation>(m, "Allocation")
         .value("USER", RecordComponent::Allocation::USER)
         .value("API", RecordComponent::Allocation::API)
diff --git a/src/binding/python/Series.cpp b/src/binding/python/Series.cpp
index 241e14d69f..1a163e3a4f 100644
--- a/src/binding/python/Series.cpp
+++ b/src/binding/python/Series.cpp
@@ -67,6 +67,9 @@ struct SeriesIteratorPythonAdaptor : SeriesIterator
 
 void init_Series(py::module &m)
 {
+    py::class_<IndexedIteration, Iteration>(m, "IndexedIteration")
+        .def_readonly("iteration_index", &IndexedIteration::iterationIndex);
+
     py::class_<WriteIterations>(m, "WriteIterations", R"END(
 Writing side of the streaming API.
 
@@ -100,8 +103,6 @@ not possible once it has been closed.
             &WriteIterations::currentIteration,
             "Return the iteration that is currently being written to, if it "
             "exists.");
-    py::class_<IndexedIteration, Iteration>(m, "IndexedIteration")
-        .def_readonly("iteration_index", &IndexedIteration::iterationIndex);
 
     py::class_<SeriesIteratorPythonAdaptor>(m, "SeriesIterator")
         .def(
diff --git a/src/binding/python/openPMD.cpp b/src/binding/python/openPMD.cpp
index 28b56b7d9c..da6ebb0ebd 100644
--- a/src/binding/python/openPMD.cpp
+++ b/src/binding/python/openPMD.cpp
@@ -33,7 +33,6 @@ void init_Attributable(py::module &);
 void init_BaseRecord(py::module &);
 void init_BaseRecordComponent(py::module &);
 void init_Chunk(py::module &m);
-void init_Container(py::module &);
 void init_Dataset(py::module &);
 void init_Datatype(py::module &);
 void init_Error(py::module &);
@@ -86,25 +85,29 @@ PYBIND11_MODULE(openpmd_api_cxx, m)
     init_UnitDimension(m);
     init_Attributable(m);
     init_Chunk(m);
-    init_Container(m);
     init_Error(m);
-    init_BaseRecord(m);
-    init_Dataset(m);
+
     init_Datatype(m);
-    init_Helper(m);
-    init_Iteration(m);
-    init_IterationEncoding(m);
-    init_Mesh(m);
+    init_Dataset(m);
+
     init_BaseRecordComponent(m);
     init_RecordComponent(m);
     init_MeshRecordComponent(m);
-    init_ParticlePatches(m);
-    init_PatchRecord(m);
     init_PatchRecordComponent(m);
-    init_ParticleSpecies(m);
+
+    init_BaseRecord(m);
     init_Record(m);
+    init_PatchRecord(m);
+    init_ParticlePatches(m);
+    init_ParticleSpecies(m);
+    init_Mesh(m);
+
+    init_Iteration(m);
+    init_IterationEncoding(m);
     init_Series(m);
 
+    init_Helper(m);
+
     // API runtime version
     m.attr("__version__") = openPMD::getVersion();