diff --git a/egui_node_graph/src/editor_ui.rs b/egui_node_graph/src/editor_ui.rs
index d573e48..a8126cf 100644
--- a/egui_node_graph/src/editor_ui.rs
+++ b/egui_node_graph/src/editor_ui.rs
@@ -82,6 +82,7 @@ where
         &mut self,
         ui: &mut Ui,
         all_kinds: impl NodeTemplateIter<Item = NodeTemplate>,
+        user_state: &UserState,
     ) -> GraphResponse<UserResponse, NodeData> {
         // This causes the graph editor to use as much free space as it can.
         // (so for windows it will use up to the resizeably set limit
@@ -124,7 +125,7 @@ where
                     .unwrap_or(false),
                 pan: self.pan_zoom.pan + editor_rect.min.to_vec2(),
             }
-            .show(ui, &self.user_state);
+            .show(ui, &user_state);
 
             // Actions executed later
             delayed_responses.extend(responses);
@@ -147,7 +148,7 @@ where
                     let new_node = self.graph.add_node(
                         node_kind.node_graph_label(),
                         node_kind.user_data(),
-                        |graph, node_id| node_kind.build_node(graph, &self.user_state, node_id),
+                        |graph, node_id| node_kind.build_node(graph, &user_state, node_id),
                     );
                     self.node_positions.insert(
                         new_node,
@@ -174,7 +175,7 @@ where
         /* Draw connections */
         if let Some((_, ref locator)) = self.connection_in_progress {
             let port_type = self.graph.any_param_type(*locator).unwrap();
-            let connection_color = port_type.data_type_color(&self.user_state);
+            let connection_color = port_type.data_type_color(&user_state);
             let start_pos = port_locations[locator];
 
             // Find a port to connect to
@@ -213,7 +214,7 @@ where
                 .graph
                 .any_param_type(AnyParameterId::Output(output))
                 .unwrap();
-            let connection_color = port_type.data_type_color(&self.user_state);
+            let connection_color = port_type.data_type_color(&user_state);
             let src_pos = port_locations[&AnyParameterId::Output(output)];
             let dst_pos = port_locations[&AnyParameterId::Input(input)];
             draw_connection(ui.painter(), src_pos, dst_pos, connection_color);
diff --git a/egui_node_graph/src/ui_state.rs b/egui_node_graph/src/ui_state.rs
index 8fc1a81..43ceba5 100644
--- a/egui_node_graph/src/ui_state.rs
+++ b/egui_node_graph/src/ui_state.rs
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 use super::*;
+use std::marker::PhantomData;
 
 #[cfg(feature = "persistence")]
 use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
@@ -29,13 +30,13 @@ pub struct GraphEditorState<NodeData, DataType, ValueType, NodeTemplate, UserSta
     pub node_finder: Option<NodeFinder<NodeTemplate>>,
     /// The panning of the graph viewport.
     pub pan_zoom: PanZoom,
-    pub user_state: UserState,
+    pub _user_state: PhantomData<fn() -> UserState>,
 }
 
 impl<NodeData, DataType, ValueType, NodeKind, UserState>
     GraphEditorState<NodeData, DataType, ValueType, NodeKind, UserState>
 {
-    pub fn new(default_zoom: f32, user_state: UserState) -> Self {
+    pub fn new(default_zoom: f32) -> Self {
         Self {
             graph: Graph::new(),
             node_order: Vec::new(),
@@ -47,7 +48,7 @@ impl<NodeData, DataType, ValueType, NodeKind, UserState>
                 pan: egui::Vec2::ZERO,
                 zoom: default_zoom,
             },
-            user_state,
+            _user_state: PhantomData,
         }
     }
 }
diff --git a/egui_node_graph_example/src/app.rs b/egui_node_graph_example/src/app.rs
index 3e2551d..e67e2e8 100644
--- a/egui_node_graph_example/src/app.rs
+++ b/egui_node_graph_example/src/app.rs
@@ -340,12 +340,15 @@ pub struct NodeGraphExample {
     // The `GraphEditorState` is the top-level object. You "register" all your
     // custom types by specifying it as its generic parameters.
     state: MyEditorState,
+
+    user_state: MyGraphState,
 }
 
 impl Default for NodeGraphExample {
     fn default() -> Self {
         Self {
-            state: GraphEditorState::new(1.0, MyGraphState::default()),
+            state: GraphEditorState::new(1.0),
+            user_state: MyGraphState::default(),
         }
     }
 }
@@ -361,7 +364,8 @@ impl eframe::App for NodeGraphExample {
         });
         let graph_response = egui::CentralPanel::default()
             .show(ctx, |ui| {
-                self.state.draw_graph_editor(ui, AllMyNodeTemplates)
+                self.state
+                    .draw_graph_editor(ui, AllMyNodeTemplates, &self.user_state)
             })
             .inner;
         for node_response in graph_response.node_responses {
@@ -370,15 +374,13 @@ impl eframe::App for NodeGraphExample {
             // connection is created
             if let NodeResponse::User(user_event) = node_response {
                 match user_event {
-                    MyResponse::SetActiveNode(node) => {
-                        self.state.user_state.active_node = Some(node)
-                    }
-                    MyResponse::ClearActiveNode => self.state.user_state.active_node = None,
+                    MyResponse::SetActiveNode(node) => self.user_state.active_node = Some(node),
+                    MyResponse::ClearActiveNode => self.user_state.active_node = None,
                 }
             }
         }
 
-        if let Some(node) = self.state.user_state.active_node {
+        if let Some(node) = self.user_state.active_node {
             if self.state.graph.nodes.contains_key(node) {
                 let text = match evaluate_node(&self.state.graph, node, &mut HashMap::new()) {
                     Ok(value) => format!("The result is: {:?}", value),
@@ -392,7 +394,7 @@ impl eframe::App for NodeGraphExample {
                     egui::Color32::WHITE,
                 );
             } else {
-                self.state.user_state.active_node = None;
+                self.user_state.active_node = None;
             }
         }
     }