diff --git a/include/mpicpp-lite/impl/Environment.h b/include/mpicpp-lite/impl/Environment.h
index 997796d..3e612b6 100644
--- a/include/mpicpp-lite/impl/Environment.h
+++ b/include/mpicpp-lite/impl/Environment.h
@@ -10,6 +10,10 @@
 
 namespace mpicpp_lite {
 
+namespace op {
+MPI_Op create(MPI_User_function * user_fn, bool commute);
+}
+
 enum class ThreadSupport : int {
     SINGLE = MPI_THREAD_SINGLE,
     FUNNELED = MPI_THREAD_FUNNELED,
@@ -51,9 +55,12 @@ class Environment {
 private:
     /// User-registered datatypes
     static inline std::vector<MPI_Datatype> user_datatypes_;
+    /// user-defined operations
+    static inline std::vector<MPI_Op> user_operations_;
 
     template <typename T>
     friend MPI_Datatype register_mpi_datatype();
+    friend MPI_Op op::create(MPI_User_function * user_fn, bool commute);
 };
 
 inline Environment::Environment() : initialized_(false)
@@ -150,6 +157,10 @@ Environment::destroy()
     for (auto & dt : user_datatypes_)
         MPI_CHECK(MPI_Type_free(&dt));
     user_datatypes_.clear();
+
+    for (auto & op : user_operations_)
+        MPI_CHECK(MPI_Op_free(&op));
+    user_operations_.clear();
 }
 
 } // namespace mpicpp_lite
diff --git a/include/mpicpp-lite/impl/Operation.h b/include/mpicpp-lite/impl/Operation.h
index c76af61..be85db0 100644
--- a/include/mpicpp-lite/impl/Operation.h
+++ b/include/mpicpp-lite/impl/Operation.h
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 
 #include "mpi.h"
 #include "Error.h"
+#include "Environment.h"
 #include <algorithm>
 #include <type_traits>
 #include <concepts>
@@ -315,6 +316,7 @@ create(MPI_User_function * user_fn, bool commute)
 {
     MPI_Op op;
     MPI_CHECK(MPI_Op_create(user_fn, commute, &op));
+    Environment::user_operations_.push_back(op);
     return op;
 }