diff --git a/packages/uml-parser/src/index.ts b/packages/uml-parser/src/index.ts
index c4d7086d..d9599574 100644
--- a/packages/uml-parser/src/index.ts
+++ b/packages/uml-parser/src/index.ts
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ import { compose, definePlugin } from '@cm2ml/plugin'
 import { XmiParser } from '@cm2ml/xmi-parser'
 import { Stream } from '@yeger/streams'
 
-import { getHandler } from './metamodel/handler-registry'
+import { inferHandler } from './metamodel/handler-registry'
 import { Uml, setFallbackType } from './uml'
 
 export const UmlRefiner = definePlugin({
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ function stripModel(model: GraphModel) {
 }
 
 function refineNode(node: GraphNode, strict: boolean) {
-  const handler = getHandler(node)
+  const handler = inferHandler(node)
   if (!handler) {
     if (strict) {
       throw new Error(
@@ -84,6 +84,6 @@ function refineNode(node: GraphNode, strict: boolean) {
     }
     return
   }
-  handler(node)
+  handler.handle(node)
   Stream.from(node.children).forEach((child) => refineNode(child, strict))
 }
diff --git a/packages/uml-parser/src/metamodel/handler-registry.ts b/packages/uml-parser/src/metamodel/handler-registry.ts
index 38f84182..4cde3ccf 100644
--- a/packages/uml-parser/src/metamodel/handler-registry.ts
+++ b/packages/uml-parser/src/metamodel/handler-registry.ts
@@ -4,49 +4,36 @@ import { Uml } from '../uml'
 import type { UmlTag, UmlType } from '../uml'
 
 import { handlers } from './handlers'
-import type { Handler } from './metamodel'
+import type { MetamodelElement } from './metamodel'
 
-export const typeHandlers: Partial<Record<UmlType, Handler>> = {
-  Abstraction: handlers.AbstractionHandler,
-  Association: handlers.AssociationHandler,
-  Class: handlers.ClassHandler,
-  DataType: handlers.DataTypeHandler,
-  Dependency: handlers.DependencyHandler,
-  Enumeration: handlers.EnumerationHandler,
-  EnumerationLiteral: handlers.EnumerationLiteralHandler,
-  Generalization: handlers.GeneralizationHandler,
-  Interface: handlers.InterfaceHandler,
-  InterfaceRealization: handlers.InterfaceRealizationHandler,
-  LiteralInteger: handlers.LiteralIntegerHandler,
-  LiteralUnlimitedNatural: handlers.LiteralUnlimitedNaturalHandler,
-  Model: handlers.ModelHandler,
-  Operation: handlers.OperationHandler,
-  Package: handlers.PackageHandler,
-  Parameter: handlers.ParameterHandler,
-  PrimitiveType: handlers.PrimitiveTypeHandler,
-  Property: handlers.PropertyHandler,
-  Realization: handlers.RealizationHandler,
-  Substitution: handlers.SubstitutionHandler,
-  Usage: handlers.UsageHandler,
+// This registry includes all handlers that are addressable by a UML tag or type
+const handlerRegistry = new Map<UmlTag | UmlType, MetamodelElement>()
+
+function registerHandler(key: UmlTag | UmlType, handler: MetamodelElement) {
+  if (handlerRegistry.has(key)) {
+    throw new Error(`Handler for ${key} already registered`)
+  }
+  handlerRegistry.set(key, handler)
 }
 
-export const tagHandlers: Partial<Record<UmlTag, Handler>> = {
-  interfaceRealization: handlers.InterfaceRealizationHandler,
-  ownedAttribute: handlers.PropertyHandler,
-  ownedLiteral: handlers.EnumerationLiteralHandler,
-  ownedParameter: handlers.ParameterHandler,
-  ownedOperation: handlers.OperationHandler,
-  substitution: handlers.SubstitutionHandler,
+function getHandler(key: string | undefined) {
+  if (Uml.isValidTag(key) || Uml.isValidType(key)) {
+    return handlerRegistry.get(key)
+  }
+  return undefined
 }
 
-export function getHandler(node: GraphNode) {
-  const type = Uml.getType(node)
-  if (type) {
-    return typeHandlers[type]
+Object.values(handlers).forEach((handler) => {
+  const tag = handler.assignableTag
+  if (tag !== undefined) {
+    registerHandler(tag, handler)
   }
-  const tag = node.tag
-  if (Uml.isValidTag(tag)) {
-    return tagHandlers[tag]
+  const type = handler.assignableType
+  if (type !== undefined) {
+    registerHandler(type, handler)
   }
-  return undefined
+})
+
+export function inferHandler(node: GraphNode) {
+  return getHandler(Uml.getType(node)) ?? getHandler(node.tag)
 }
diff --git a/packages/uml-parser/src/metamodel/handlers/index.ts b/packages/uml-parser/src/metamodel/handlers/index.ts
index d71b95bb..651b38d6 100644
--- a/packages/uml-parser/src/metamodel/handlers/index.ts
+++ b/packages/uml-parser/src/metamodel/handlers/index.ts
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+import type { MetamodelElement } from '../metamodel'
+
 import { AbstractionHandler } from './Abstraction'
 import { AssociationHandler } from './Association'
 import { ClassHandler } from './Class'
@@ -23,7 +25,9 @@ import { SubstitutionHandler } from './Substitution'
 import { TypedElementHandler } from './TypedElement'
 import { UsageHandler } from './Usage'
 
-export const handlers = {
+// This record includes ALL handlers.
+// Handlers MUST be added to this record, in order to properly instantiate the hierarchy chain.
+export const handlers: Record<`${string}Handler`, MetamodelElement> = {
   AbstractionHandler,
   AssociationHandler,
   ClassHandler,
diff --git a/packages/uml-parser/src/metamodel/metamodel.ts b/packages/uml-parser/src/metamodel/metamodel.ts
index f5e100cb..25585cbb 100644
--- a/packages/uml-parser/src/metamodel/metamodel.ts
+++ b/packages/uml-parser/src/metamodel/metamodel.ts
@@ -3,7 +3,9 @@ import type { GraphNode } from '@cm2ml/ir'
 import { Uml } from '../uml'
 import type { UmlTag, UmlType } from '../uml'
 
-export type Handler = (node: GraphNode) => void
+export interface Handler {
+  handle: (node: GraphNode) => void
+}
 
 export interface Definition {
   generalizations: MetamodelElement[]
@@ -11,14 +13,14 @@ export interface Definition {
   assignableTypes?: UmlType[]
 }
 
-export class MetamodelElement {
+export class MetamodelElement implements Handler {
   readonly #generalizations = new Set<MetamodelElement>()
   readonly #specializations = new Set<MetamodelElement>()
 
   readonly #assignableTags = new Set<UmlTag>()
   readonly #assignableTypes = new Set<string>()
 
-  private handler: Handler | undefined
+  private handler: Handler['handle'] | undefined
 
   // TODO: Make assignableTags and assignableTypes a single element here. Store it separately from the sets
   public constructor(
@@ -82,12 +84,12 @@ export class MetamodelElement {
     })
   }
 
-  public createHandler(handler?: Handler): Handler {
+  public createHandler(handler?: Handler['handle']) {
     if (this.handler !== undefined) {
       throw new Error('Handler already assigned')
     }
     this.handler = handler
-    return (node) => this.handle(node)
+    return this
   }
 
   private specialize(specialization: MetamodelElement) {
diff --git a/packages/uml-parser/src/uml.ts b/packages/uml-parser/src/uml.ts
index 661bc305..ff5ff8ff 100644
--- a/packages/uml-parser/src/uml.ts
+++ b/packages/uml-parser/src/uml.ts
@@ -24,22 +24,6 @@ function isValidTag(tag: string | undefined): tag is UmlTag {
   return tag !== undefined && tag in Tags
 }
 
-// function normalizeTag(tag: string | undefined) {
-//   if (!tag) {
-//     return undefined
-//   }
-//   let normalizedTag = tag
-//   const indexOfColon = tag.indexOf(':')
-//   if (indexOfColon !== -1) {
-//     normalizedTag = tag.slice(indexOfColon + 1)
-//   }
-//   normalizedTag = normalizedTag[0]?.toLowerCase() + normalizedTag.slice(1)
-//   if (isValidTag(normalizedTag)) {
-//     return normalizedTag
-//   }
-//   return undefined
-// }
-
 const Types = {
   Abstraction: 'Abstraction',
   Association: 'Association',