diff --git a/gtsam/linear/JacobianFactor-inl.h b/gtsam/linear/JacobianFactor-inl.h
index 302275623..06fac1a67 100644
--- a/gtsam/linear/JacobianFactor-inl.h
+++ b/gtsam/linear/JacobianFactor-inl.h
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ namespace gtsam {
         : keys(keys), Ab(Ab), i(i) {}
 
       template<class MATRIX>
-      void operator()(const std::pair<Key, const MATRIX&>& term) const
+      void operator()(const std::pair<Key, MATRIX>& term) const
       {
         // Check block rows
         if(term.second.rows() != Ab.rows())
@@ -91,18 +91,6 @@ namespace gtsam {
         ++ i;
       }
 
-      template<class MATRIX>
-      void operator()(const std::pair<int, const MATRIX&>& term) const
-      {
-        operator()(std::pair<Key, const MATRIX&>(term));
-      }
-
-      template<class MATRIX>
-      void operator()(const std::pair<Key, MATRIX>& term) const
-      {
-        operator()(std::pair<Key, const MATRIX&>(term));
-      }
-
       template<class MATRIX>
       void operator()(const std::pair<int, MATRIX>& term) const
       {
diff --git a/gtsam/linear/VectorValues.h b/gtsam/linear/VectorValues.h
index c8de78dca..43cf1e9ad 100644
--- a/gtsam/linear/VectorValues.h
+++ b/gtsam/linear/VectorValues.h
@@ -175,14 +175,14 @@ namespace gtsam {
      * @param value The vector to be inserted.
      * @param j The index with which the value will be associated. */
     void insert(Key j, const Vector& value) {
-      insert(std::pair<Key, const Vector&>(j, value)); // Note only passing a reference to the Vector
+      insert(std::make_pair(j, value)); // Note only passing a reference to the Vector
     }
 
     /** Insert a vector \c value with key \c j.  Throws an invalid_argument exception if the key \c
      *  j is already used.
      * @param value The vector to be inserted.
      * @param j The index with which the value will be associated. */
-    void insert(std::pair<Key, const Vector&> key_value) {
+    void insert(const std::pair<Key, Vector>& key_value) {
       // Note that here we accept a pair with a reference to the Vector, but the Vector is copied as
       // it is inserted into the values_ map.
       if(!values_.insert(key_value).second)