diff --git a/compiler/src/main/cpp/capnpc-java.c++ b/compiler/src/main/cpp/capnpc-java.c++
index 6de8cee..31f7b99 100644
--- a/compiler/src/main/cpp/capnpc-java.c++
+++ b/compiler/src/main/cpp/capnpc-java.c++
@@ -968,23 +968,17 @@ private:
       return FieldText {
         kj::strTree(
             kj::mv(unionDiscrim.readerIsDecl),
-            spaces(indent), "  public boolean has", titleCase, "() {\n",
+            spaces(indent), "  public final boolean has", titleCase, "() {\n",
             spaces(indent), "    return !_reader.getPointerField(", offset, ").isNull();\n",
             spaces(indent), "  }\n",
 
-            spaces(indent), "  public final ", type, ".Reader<",  elementReaderType, ">",
+            spaces(indent), "  public final ", type, ".Reader<", elementReaderType, ">",
             " get", titleCase, "() {\n",
-            (kind == FieldKind::LIST ?
-             kj::strTree(spaces(indent),
-                         "    return new ", type, ".Reader<",
-                         elementReaderType,
-                         ">(_reader.getPointerField(",
-                         offset, ").getList(",
-
-                         // XXX what about lists of non-structs?
-                         typeName(typeBody.getList().getElementType()),".STRUCT_SIZE.preferredListEncoding), ",
-                         elementReaderType, ".factory);\n") :
-              kj::strTree(spaces(indent), "Struct\n")),  // XXX
+            spaces(indent), "    return new ", type, ".Reader<",
+            elementReaderType, ">(_reader.getPointerField(", offset, ").getList(",
+            // XXX what about lists of non-structs?
+            typeName(typeBody.getList().getElementType()),".STRUCT_SIZE.preferredListEncoding), ",
+            elementReaderType, ".factory);\n",
             spaces(indent), "  }\n",
             "\n"),
 
@@ -1002,7 +996,10 @@ private:
             spaces(indent), "  }\n",
             spaces(indent), "  public final ", type, ".Builder<", elementBuilderType,">",
             " init", titleCase, "(int size) {\n",
-            spaces(indent), "    throw new Error();\n",
+            spaces(indent), "    return new ", type, ".Builder<", elementBuilderType, ">",
+            "(_builder.getPointerField(", offset, ").initStructList(", // XXX what about non-struct lists?
+            "size,", typeName(typeBody.getList().getElementType()),".STRUCT_SIZE), ",
+            elementBuilderType, ".factory);\n",
             spaces(indent), "  }\n"),
 
         kj::strTree(
diff --git a/runtime/src/main/java/org/capnproto/StructList.java b/runtime/src/main/java/org/capnproto/StructList.java
index 49df15e..9014788 100644
--- a/runtime/src/main/java/org/capnproto/StructList.java
+++ b/runtime/src/main/java/org/capnproto/StructList.java
@@ -28,7 +28,13 @@ public final class StructList {
             this.factory = factory;
         }
 
-        public T get(int index) {
+        // init
+        Builder(PointerBuilder builder, int size, FromStructBuilder<T> factory) {
+            this.builder = builder.initStructList(size, factory.structSize());
+            this.factory = factory;
+        }
+
+        public final T get(int index) {
             return this.factory.fromStructBuilder(this.builder.getStructElement(index));
         }