diff --git a/gtsam/base/Matrix.h b/gtsam/base/Matrix.h
index 1f414f3ca..37990be64 100644
--- a/gtsam/base/Matrix.h
+++ b/gtsam/base/Matrix.h
@@ -29,9 +29,11 @@
 #include <gtsam/base/Vector.h>
 
 /**
- * Matrix is a *global* typedef
+ * Matrix is a typedef in the gtsam namespace
+ * TODO: make a version to work with matlab wrapping
  * we use the default < double,col_major,unbounded_array<double> >
  */
+namespace gtsam {
 
 typedef Eigen::MatrixXd Matrix;
 typedef Eigen::Matrix<double, Eigen::Dynamic, Eigen::Dynamic, Eigen::RowMajor> MatrixRowMajor;
@@ -40,8 +42,6 @@ typedef Eigen::Matrix<double, Eigen::Dynamic, Eigen::Dynamic, Eigen::RowMajor> M
 typedef Eigen::Block<Matrix> SubMatrix;
 typedef Eigen::Block<const Matrix> ConstSubMatrix;
 
-namespace gtsam {
-
 /**
  *  constructor with size and initial data, row order !
  */
@@ -469,7 +469,7 @@ namespace serialization {
 
 // split version - sends sizes ahead
 template<class Archive>
-void save(Archive & ar, const Matrix & m, unsigned int version)
+void save(Archive & ar, const gtsam::Matrix & m, unsigned int version)
 {
 	const int rows = m.rows(), cols = m.cols(), elements = rows*cols;
 	std::vector<double> raw_data(elements);
@@ -479,18 +479,18 @@ void save(Archive & ar, const Matrix & m, unsigned int version)
 	ar << make_nvp("data", raw_data);
 }
 template<class Archive>
-void load(Archive & ar, Matrix & m, unsigned int version)
+void load(Archive & ar, gtsam::Matrix & m, unsigned int version)
 {
 	size_t rows, cols;
 	std::vector<double> raw_data;
 	ar >> make_nvp("rows", rows);
 	ar >> make_nvp("cols", cols);
 	ar >> make_nvp("data", raw_data);
-	m = Matrix(rows, cols);
+	m = gtsam::Matrix(rows, cols);
 	std::copy(raw_data.begin(), raw_data.end(), m.data());
 }
 
 } // namespace serialization
 } // namespace boost
 
-BOOST_SERIALIZATION_SPLIT_FREE(Matrix)
+BOOST_SERIALIZATION_SPLIT_FREE(gtsam::Matrix)
diff --git a/gtsam/base/Vector.h b/gtsam/base/Vector.h
index 97c34f499..655950ea8 100644
--- a/gtsam/base/Vector.h
+++ b/gtsam/base/Vector.h
@@ -25,7 +25,10 @@
 #include <gtsam/3rdparty/Eigen/Core>
 #include <boost/random/linear_congruential.hpp>
 
-// Vector is a *global* typedef
+// Vector is just a typedef of the Eigen dynamic vector type
+// TODO: make a version that works for matlab wrapping
+
+namespace gtsam {
 
 // Typedef arbitary length vector
 typedef Eigen::VectorXd Vector;
@@ -33,8 +36,6 @@ typedef Eigen::VectorXd Vector;
 typedef Eigen::VectorBlock<Vector> SubVector;
 typedef Eigen::VectorBlock<const Vector> ConstSubVector;
 
-namespace gtsam {
-
 /**
  * An auxiliary function to printf for Win32 compatibility, added by Kai
  */
@@ -353,7 +354,7 @@ namespace serialization {
 
 // split version - copies into an STL vector for serialization
 template<class Archive>
-void save(Archive & ar, const Vector & v, unsigned int version)
+void save(Archive & ar, const gtsam::Vector & v, unsigned int version)
 {
 	const size_t n = v.size();
 	std::vector<double> raw_data(n);
@@ -361,7 +362,7 @@ void save(Archive & ar, const Vector & v, unsigned int version)
 	ar << make_nvp("data", raw_data);
 }
 template<class Archive>
-void load(Archive & ar, Vector & v, unsigned int version)
+void load(Archive & ar, gtsam::Vector & v, unsigned int version)
 {
 	std::vector<double> raw_data;
 	ar >> make_nvp("data", raw_data);
@@ -371,4 +372,4 @@ void load(Archive & ar, Vector & v, unsigned int version)
 } // namespace serialization
 } // namespace boost
 
-BOOST_SERIALIZATION_SPLIT_FREE(Vector)
+BOOST_SERIALIZATION_SPLIT_FREE(gtsam::Vector)