diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index c3e7acae..c459f3bf 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -12,12 +12,19 @@ versions.
 
 ### Added
 
-- Resource types can now be registered implicitly via a `#[derive(Resource)]`
-  instead of explicit registration in a `load` function using
-  `rustler::resource!` (#617)
+- Resource type registration has been refactored to eventually remove the
+  `rustler::resource!` macro (#617, necessary due to a pending deprecation of a
+  Rust feature, #606)
+- Resources can now explicitly implement the new `Resource` trait and provide a
+  custom `destructor` function that is run before `drop` and receives an `Env`
+  parameter (#617)
+- Process monitoring via resources can now be used on resource types that
+  implement the `MonitorResource` trait (#617)
 
 ### Fixed
 
+- Unwinding in the `on_load` callback is now caught and leads to a panic (#617)
+
 ### Changed
 
 - NIF implementations are now discovered automatically and the respective
diff --git a/rustler/src/codegen_runtime.rs b/rustler/src/codegen_runtime.rs
index 750d5d78..725f42c3 100644
--- a/rustler/src/codegen_runtime.rs
+++ b/rustler/src/codegen_runtime.rs
@@ -6,7 +6,6 @@ use std::fmt;
 use crate::{Encoder, Env, OwnedBinary, Term};
 
 // Re-export of inventory
-pub use crate::resource::Registration;
 pub use inventory;
 
 // Names used by the `rustler::init!` macro or other generated code.
diff --git a/rustler/src/env.rs b/rustler/src/env.rs
index 1d2490d1..acec2c25 100644
--- a/rustler/src/env.rs
+++ b/rustler/src/env.rs
@@ -55,6 +55,13 @@ impl<'a> Env<'a> {
         }
     }
 
+    #[doc(hidden)]
+    pub unsafe fn new_init_env<T>(_lifetime_marker: &'a T, env: NIF_ENV) -> Env<'a> {
+        let mut res = Self::new(_lifetime_marker, env);
+        res.init = true;
+        res
+    }
+
     pub fn as_c_arg(self) -> NIF_ENV {
         self.env
     }
diff --git a/rustler/src/lib.rs b/rustler/src/lib.rs
index 63a8e8b8..a7aea28b 100644
--- a/rustler/src/lib.rs
+++ b/rustler/src/lib.rs
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ pub use crate::types::{
 pub use crate::types::BigInt;
 
 mod resource;
-pub use crate::resource::{Monitor, MonitorResource, Resource, ResourceArc, ResourceInitError};
+pub use crate::resource::{Monitor, Resource, ResourceArc, ResourceInitError};
 
 #[doc(hidden)]
 pub mod dynamic;
diff --git a/rustler/src/resource/handle.rs b/rustler/src/resource/handle.rs
index dccdeaa1..e9d04344 100644
--- a/rustler/src/resource/handle.rs
+++ b/rustler/src/resource/handle.rs
@@ -5,10 +5,7 @@ use std::ptr;
 use rustler_sys::{c_void, ErlNifEnv};
 
 use crate::thread::is_scheduler_thread;
-use crate::{
-    Binary, Decoder, Encoder, Env, Error, LocalPid, Monitor, MonitorResource, NifResult, OwnedEnv,
-    Term,
-};
+use crate::{Binary, Decoder, Encoder, Env, Error, LocalPid, Monitor, NifResult, OwnedEnv, Term};
 
 use super::traits::{Resource, ResourceExt};
 use super::util::{align_alloced_mem_for_struct, get_alloc_size_struct};
@@ -120,9 +117,13 @@ where
 
 impl<T> ResourceArc<T>
 where
-    T: MonitorResource,
+    T: Resource,
 {
     pub fn monitor(&self, caller_env: Option<&Env>, pid: &LocalPid) -> Option<Monitor> {
+        if !T::IMPLEMENTS_DOWN {
+            return None;
+        }
+
         let env = maybe_env(caller_env);
         let mut mon = MaybeUninit::uninit();
         let res = unsafe {
@@ -136,13 +137,17 @@ where
     }
 
     pub fn demonitor(&self, caller_env: Option<&Env>, mon: &Monitor) -> bool {
+        if !T::IMPLEMENTS_DOWN {
+            return false;
+        }
+
         let env = maybe_env(caller_env);
         unsafe { rustler_sys::enif_demonitor_process(env, self.raw, mon.as_c_arg()) == 0 }
     }
 }
 
 impl OwnedEnv {
-    pub fn monitor<T: MonitorResource>(
+    pub fn monitor<T: Resource>(
         &self,
         resource: &ResourceArc<T>,
         pid: &LocalPid,
@@ -150,13 +155,13 @@ impl OwnedEnv {
         resource.monitor(None, pid)
     }
 
-    pub fn demonitor<T: MonitorResource>(&self, resource: &ResourceArc<T>, mon: &Monitor) -> bool {
+    pub fn demonitor<T: Resource>(&self, resource: &ResourceArc<T>, mon: &Monitor) -> bool {
         resource.demonitor(None, mon)
     }
 }
 
 impl<'a> Env<'a> {
-    pub fn monitor<T: MonitorResource>(
+    pub fn monitor<T: Resource>(
         &self,
         resource: &ResourceArc<T>,
         pid: &LocalPid,
@@ -164,7 +169,7 @@ impl<'a> Env<'a> {
         resource.monitor(Some(self), pid)
     }
 
-    pub fn demonitor<T: MonitorResource>(&self, resource: &ResourceArc<T>, mon: &Monitor) -> bool {
+    pub fn demonitor<T: Resource>(&self, resource: &ResourceArc<T>, mon: &Monitor) -> bool {
         resource.demonitor(Some(self), mon)
     }
 }
diff --git a/rustler/src/resource/init_env.rs b/rustler/src/resource/init_env.rs
deleted file mode 100644
index f0d56d2a..00000000
--- a/rustler/src/resource/init_env.rs
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,27 +0,0 @@
-use crate::{Env, MonitorResource, Resource};
-
-use super::{Registration, ResourceInitError};
-
-impl<'a> Env<'a> {
-    pub unsafe fn to_init_env(&mut self) {
-        self.init = true;
-    }
-
-    pub fn add_resource_type<T: Resource>(self) -> Result<(), ResourceInitError> {
-        if !self.init {
-            return Err(ResourceInitError);
-        }
-
-        Registration::new::<T>().register(self)
-    }
-
-    pub fn add_monitor_resource_type<T: MonitorResource>(self) -> Result<(), ResourceInitError> {
-        if !self.init {
-            return Err(ResourceInitError);
-        }
-
-        Registration::new::<T>()
-            .add_down_callback::<T>()
-            .register(self)
-    }
-}
diff --git a/rustler/src/resource/mod.rs b/rustler/src/resource/mod.rs
index 582dd77f..5ace000f 100644
--- a/rustler/src/resource/mod.rs
+++ b/rustler/src/resource/mod.rs
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@
 //! more references to the resource.
 
 mod handle;
-mod init_env;
 mod monitor;
 mod registration;
 mod traits;
@@ -17,10 +16,9 @@ use super::{Decoder, Error, NifResult, Term};
 
 pub use handle::ResourceArc;
 pub use monitor::Monitor;
-pub use registration::Registration;
 use rustler_sys::c_void;
+pub use traits::Resource;
 use traits::ResourceExt;
-pub use traits::{MonitorResource, Resource};
 use util::align_alloced_mem_for_struct;
 
 impl<'a> Term<'a> {
@@ -68,6 +66,6 @@ pub struct ResourceInitError;
 macro_rules! resource {
     ($struct_name:ty, $env: ident) => {{
         impl $crate::Resource for $struct_name {}
-        $env.add_resource_type::<$struct_name>().is_ok()
+        $env.register::<$struct_name>().is_ok()
     }};
 }
diff --git a/rustler/src/resource/registration.rs b/rustler/src/resource/registration.rs
index bdae510e..0e107af2 100644
--- a/rustler/src/resource/registration.rs
+++ b/rustler/src/resource/registration.rs
@@ -1,9 +1,11 @@
+use super::traits;
 use super::util::align_alloced_mem_for_struct;
-use super::{traits, ResourceInitError};
-use crate::{Env, LocalPid, Monitor, MonitorResource, Resource};
+use super::ResourceInitError;
+use crate::{Env, LocalPid, Monitor, Resource};
+use rustler_sys::ErlNifResourceDtor;
 use rustler_sys::{
-    c_char, c_void, ErlNifEnv, ErlNifMonitor, ErlNifPid, ErlNifResourceDown, ErlNifResourceDtor,
-    ErlNifResourceFlags, ErlNifResourceType, ErlNifResourceTypeInit,
+    c_char, c_void, ErlNifEnv, ErlNifMonitor, ErlNifPid, ErlNifResourceDown, ErlNifResourceFlags,
+    ErlNifResourceType, ErlNifResourceTypeInit,
 };
 use std::any::TypeId;
 use std::ffi::CString;
@@ -11,39 +13,70 @@ use std::mem::MaybeUninit;
 use std::ptr;
 
 #[derive(Debug)]
-pub struct Registration {
+struct Registration {
     get_type_id: fn() -> TypeId,
     get_type_name: fn() -> &'static str,
     init: ErlNifResourceTypeInit,
 }
 
+impl<'a> Env<'a> {
+    pub fn register<T: Resource>(&self) -> Result<(), ResourceInitError> {
+        Registration::new::<T>().register(*self)
+    }
+}
+
 impl Registration {
     pub const fn new<T: Resource>() -> Self {
-        let init = ErlNifResourceTypeInit {
-            dtor: resource_destructor::<T> as *const ErlNifResourceDtor,
-            stop: ptr::null(),
-            down: ptr::null(),
-            members: 1,
-            dyncall: ptr::null(),
-        };
         Self {
-            init,
+            init: ErlNifResourceTypeInit {
+                dtor: ptr::null(),
+                stop: ptr::null(),
+                down: ptr::null(),
+                members: 0,
+                dyncall: ptr::null(),
+            },
             get_type_name: std::any::type_name::<T>,
             get_type_id: TypeId::of::<T>,
         }
+        .maybe_add_destructor_callback::<T>()
+        .maybe_add_down_callback::<T>()
     }
 
-    pub const fn add_down_callback<T: MonitorResource>(self) -> Self {
-        Self {
-            init: ErlNifResourceTypeInit {
-                down: resource_down::<T> as *const ErlNifResourceDown,
-                ..self.init
-            },
-            ..self
+    const fn maybe_add_destructor_callback<T: Resource>(self) -> Self {
+        if T::IMPLEMENTS_DESTRUCTOR || std::mem::needs_drop::<T>() {
+            Self {
+                init: ErlNifResourceTypeInit {
+                    dtor: resource_destructor::<T> as *const ErlNifResourceDtor,
+                    members: max(self.init.members, 1),
+                    ..self.init
+                },
+                ..self
+            }
+        } else {
+            self
+        }
+    }
+
+    const fn maybe_add_down_callback<T: Resource>(self) -> Self {
+        if T::IMPLEMENTS_DOWN {
+            Self {
+                init: ErlNifResourceTypeInit {
+                    down: resource_down::<T> as *const ErlNifResourceDown,
+                    members: max(self.init.members, 3),
+                    ..self.init
+                },
+                ..self
+            }
+        } else {
+            self
         }
     }
 
     pub fn register(&self, env: Env) -> Result<(), ResourceInitError> {
+        if !env.init {
+            return Err(ResourceInitError);
+        }
+
         let type_id = (self.get_type_id)();
         let type_name = (self.get_type_name)();
 
@@ -76,7 +109,7 @@ where
     ptr::read::<T>(aligned as *mut T).destructor(env);
 }
 
-unsafe extern "C" fn resource_down<T: MonitorResource>(
+unsafe extern "C" fn resource_down<T: Resource>(
     env: *mut ErlNifEnv,
     obj: *mut c_void,
     pid: *const ErlNifPid,
@@ -113,3 +146,11 @@ pub unsafe fn open_resource_type(
         Some(res)
     }
 }
+
+const fn max(i: i32, j: i32) -> i32 {
+    if i > j {
+        i
+    } else {
+        j
+    }
+}
diff --git a/rustler/src/resource/traits.rs b/rustler/src/resource/traits.rs
index db81fb7d..aa087a5e 100644
--- a/rustler/src/resource/traits.rs
+++ b/rustler/src/resource/traits.rs
@@ -17,12 +17,15 @@ pub(crate) unsafe fn register_resource_type(type_id: TypeId, resource_type: NifR
 }
 
 pub trait Resource: Sized + Send + Sync + 'static {
-    #[allow(unused_mut)]
-    fn destructor(mut self, _env: Env<'_>) {}
-}
+    const IMPLEMENTS_DESTRUCTOR: bool = false;
+    const IMPLEMENTS_DOWN: bool = false;
+
+    /// Callback function that is executed right before dropping a resource object.
+    #[allow(unused_mut, unused)]
+    fn destructor(mut self, env: Env<'_>) {}
 
-pub trait MonitorResource: Resource {
-    fn down<'a>(&'a self, env: Env<'a>, pid: LocalPid, monitor: Monitor);
+    #[allow(unused)]
+    fn down<'a>(&'a self, env: Env<'a>, pid: LocalPid, monitor: Monitor) {}
 }
 
 #[doc(hidden)]
diff --git a/rustler_codegen/src/init.rs b/rustler_codegen/src/init.rs
index 53f64187..6d11ca5e 100644
--- a/rustler_codegen/src/init.rs
+++ b/rustler_codegen/src/init.rs
@@ -103,10 +103,9 @@ impl From<InitMacroInput> for proc_macro2::TokenStream {
                         load_info: rustler::codegen_runtime::NIF_TERM
                     ) -> rustler::codegen_runtime::c_int {
                         unsafe {
-                            let mut env = rustler::Env::new(&env, env);
+                            let mut env = rustler::Env::new_init_env(&env, env);
                             // TODO: If an unwrap ever happens, we will unwind right into C! Fix this!
                             let load_info = rustler::Term::new(env, load_info);
-                            env.to_init_env();
                             #load.map_or(0, |inner| {
                                 rustler::codegen_runtime::handle_nif_init_call(
                                     inner, env, load_info
diff --git a/rustler_tests/native/rustler_test/src/test_resource.rs b/rustler_tests/native/rustler_test/src/test_resource.rs
index 8af8f4e2..2ede9954 100644
--- a/rustler_tests/native/rustler_test/src/test_resource.rs
+++ b/rustler_tests/native/rustler_test/src/test_resource.rs
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-use rustler::{Binary, Env, LocalPid, Monitor, MonitorResource, Resource, ResourceArc};
+use rustler::{Binary, Env, LocalPid, Monitor, Resource, ResourceArc};
 use std::sync::{Mutex, OnceLock, RwLock};
 
 pub struct TestResource {
@@ -14,9 +14,9 @@ pub struct TestMonitorResource {
     inner: Mutex<TestMonitorResourceInner>,
 }
 
-impl Resource for TestMonitorResource {}
+impl Resource for TestMonitorResource {
+    const IMPLEMENTS_DOWN: bool = true;
 
-impl MonitorResource for TestMonitorResource {
     fn down<'a>(&'a self, _env: Env<'a>, _pid: LocalPid, mon: Monitor) {
         let mut inner = self.inner.lock().unwrap();
         assert!(Some(mon) == inner.mon);
@@ -41,10 +41,8 @@ pub struct WithBinaries {
 
 pub fn on_load(env: Env) -> bool {
     rustler::resource!(TestResource, env)
-        && env.add_resource_type::<ImmutableResource>().is_ok()
-        && env
-            .add_monitor_resource_type::<TestMonitorResource>()
-            .is_ok()
+        && env.register::<ImmutableResource>().is_ok()
+        && env.register::<TestMonitorResource>().is_ok()
         && rustler::resource!(WithBinaries, env)
 }