diff --git a/src/libraries/JANA/Components/JStorage.h b/src/libraries/JANA/Components/JStorage.h
index 08b366995..1b812ddc0 100644
--- a/src/libraries/JANA/Components/JStorage.h
+++ b/src/libraries/JANA/Components/JStorage.h
@@ -12,7 +12,6 @@
 #include <typeindex>
 #include <vector>
 #include <memory>
-#include <optional>
 
 
 class JFactory;
@@ -26,10 +25,10 @@ class JStorage {
     // Fields
     Status m_status = Status::Empty;
     std::string m_collection_name;
-    std::optional<std::string> m_collection_tag = std::nullopt;
+    JOptional<std::string> m_collection_tag;
     std::string m_type_name;
     JFactory* m_factory = nullptr;
-    std::optional<std::type_index> m_inner_type_index = std::nullopt; // e.g. Hit, Cluster
+    JOptional<std::type_index> m_inner_type_index;
     mutable JCallGraphRecorder::JDataOrigin m_insert_origin = JCallGraphRecorder::ORIGIN_NOT_AVAILABLE;
 
 protected:
@@ -45,9 +44,9 @@ class JStorage {
     // Getters
     Status GetStatus() const { return m_status; }
     std::string GetCollectionName() const { return m_collection_name; }
-    std::optional<std::string> GetCollectionTag() const { return m_collection_tag; }
+    JOptional<std::string> GetCollectionTag() const { return m_collection_tag; }
     std::string GetTypeName() const { return m_type_name; }
-    std::optional<std::type_index> GetTypeIndex() const { return m_inner_type_index; }
+    JOptional<std::type_index> GetTypeIndex() const { return m_inner_type_index; }
     JCallGraphRecorder::JDataOrigin GetInsertOrigin() const { return m_insert_origin; } ///< If objects were placed here by JEvent::Insert() this records whether that call was made from a source or factory.
     JFactory* GetFactory() const { return m_factory; }
 
diff --git a/src/libraries/JANA/JFactory.h b/src/libraries/JANA/JFactory.h
index 3369c925d..7db60f2a2 100644
--- a/src/libraries/JANA/JFactory.h
+++ b/src/libraries/JANA/JFactory.h
@@ -17,7 +17,6 @@
 #include <vector>
 #include <unordered_map>
 #include <functional>
-#include <optional>
 
 
 class JEvent;
@@ -165,7 +164,7 @@ class JFactory : public jana::components::JComponent,
     virtual void Process(const std::shared_ptr<const JEvent>&) {}
     virtual void Finish() {}
 
-    virtual std::optional<std::type_index> GetObjectType() const { return std::nullopt; }
+    virtual std::type_index GetObjectType() const { throw JException("GetObjectType not supported for non-JFactoryT's"); }
 
     virtual std::size_t GetNumObjects() const {
         throw JException("Not implemented!");
diff --git a/src/libraries/JANA/JFactorySet.cc b/src/libraries/JANA/JFactorySet.cc
index 7ff1dfbd2..ccf99d6f7 100644
--- a/src/libraries/JANA/JFactorySet.cc
+++ b/src/libraries/JANA/JFactorySet.cc
@@ -105,11 +105,11 @@ bool JFactorySet::Add(JFactory* aFactory)
 
 
     mAllFactories.push_back(aFactory);
-    auto object_type = aFactory->GetObjectType();
-    if (object_type != std::nullopt) {
+
+    if (aFactory->GetOutputs().empty()) {
         // We have an old-style JFactory!
 
-        auto typed_key = std::make_pair( *object_type, aFactory->GetTag() );
+        auto typed_key = std::make_pair( aFactory->GetObjectType(), aFactory->GetTag() );
         auto untyped_key = std::make_pair( aFactory->GetObjectName(), aFactory->GetTag() );
 
         auto typed_result = mFactories.find(typed_key);
@@ -291,10 +291,13 @@ void JFactorySet::Print() const
 
 /// Release() loops over all contained factories, clearing their data
 void JFactorySet::Release() {
-
-    for (const auto& sFactoryPair : mFactories) {
-        auto sFactory = sFactoryPair.second;
-        sFactory->ClearData();
+    for (auto* fac : mAllFactories) {
+        fac->ClearData();
+    }
+    for (auto& it : mCollectionsFromName) {
+        if (it.second->GetFactory() == nullptr) {
+            it.second->ClearData();
+        }
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/src/libraries/JANA/JFactoryT.h b/src/libraries/JANA/JFactoryT.h
index 456a63200..46fbccb33 100644
--- a/src/libraries/JANA/JFactoryT.h
+++ b/src/libraries/JANA/JFactoryT.h
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ class JFactoryT : public JFactory {
     void Process(const std::shared_ptr<const JEvent>&) override {}
 
 
-    std::optional<std::type_index> GetObjectType(void) const override {
+    std::type_index GetObjectType(void) const override {
         return std::type_index(typeid(T));
     }
 
diff --git a/src/libraries/JANA/Utils/JAny.h b/src/libraries/JANA/Utils/JAny.h
index ad244afaf..68e343af1 100644
--- a/src/libraries/JANA/Utils/JAny.h
+++ b/src/libraries/JANA/Utils/JAny.h
@@ -3,6 +3,9 @@
 // Subject to the terms in the LICENSE file found in the top-level directory.
 
 #pragma once
+#include <utility>
+#include <stdexcept>
+#include <type_traits>
 
 /// Ideally we'd just use std::any, but we are restricted to C++14 for the time being
 struct JAny {
@@ -17,3 +20,68 @@ struct JAnyT : JAny {
     ~JAnyT() override = default; // deletes the t
 };
 
+
+template <typename T>
+class JOptional {
+private:
+    using StorageT = typename std::aligned_storage<sizeof(T), alignof(T)>::type;
+    bool has_value;
+    StorageT storage;
+
+public:
+    JOptional() : has_value(false) {}
+
+    JOptional(const T& val) : has_value(true) {
+        new (&storage) T(val);
+    }
+
+    JOptional(T&& val) : has_value(true) {
+        new (&storage) T(std::move(val));
+    }
+
+    ~JOptional() {
+        reset();
+    }
+
+    // Checks if there is a value
+    bool hasValue() const { return has_value; }
+
+    // Accesses the value, throws if not present
+    T& get() {
+        if (!has_value) {
+            throw std::runtime_error("No value present");
+        }
+        return *reinterpret_cast<T*>(&storage);  // Access without launder (C++14)
+    }
+
+    const T& get() const {
+        if (!has_value) {
+            throw std::runtime_error("No value present");
+        }
+        return *reinterpret_cast<const T*>(&storage);  // Access without launder (C++14)
+    }
+
+    // Resets the optional (removes the value)
+    void reset() {
+        if (has_value) {
+            reinterpret_cast<T*>(&storage)->~T();  // Explicitly call destructor
+            has_value = false;
+        }
+    }
+
+    // Set the value
+    void set(const T& val) {
+        reset();
+        new (&storage) T(val);  // Placement new
+        has_value = true;
+    }
+
+    // Set using move semantics
+    void set(T&& val) {
+        reset();
+        new (&storage) T(std::move(val));  // Placement new
+        has_value = true;
+    }
+};
+
+