diff --git a/gtsam/nonlinear/Values.cpp b/gtsam/nonlinear/Values.cpp
index 47ad0ca6f..b92e54143 100644
--- a/gtsam/nonlinear/Values.cpp
+++ b/gtsam/nonlinear/Values.cpp
@@ -125,8 +125,7 @@ namespace gtsam {
 
   /* ************************************************************************* */
   void Values::insert(Key j, const Value& val) {
-    Key key = j; // Non-const duplicate to deal with non-const insert argument
-    std::pair<KeyValueMap::iterator,bool> insertResult = values_.insert(key, val.clone_());
+    std::pair<iterator,bool> insertResult = tryInsert(j, val);
     if(!insertResult.second)
       throw ValuesKeyAlreadyExists(j);
   }
@@ -139,6 +138,12 @@ namespace gtsam {
     }
   }
 
+  /* ************************************************************************* */
+  std::pair<Values::iterator, bool> Values::tryInsert(Key j, const Value& value) {
+    std::pair<KeyValueMap::iterator, bool> result = values_.insert(j, value.clone_());
+    return std::make_pair(boost::make_transform_iterator(result.first, &make_deref_pair), result.second);
+  }
+
   /* ************************************************************************* */
   void Values::update(Key j, const Value& val) {
     // Find the value to update
diff --git a/gtsam/nonlinear/Values.h b/gtsam/nonlinear/Values.h
index 9ba1282b8..e364d1fc2 100644
--- a/gtsam/nonlinear/Values.h
+++ b/gtsam/nonlinear/Values.h
@@ -232,6 +232,12 @@ namespace gtsam {
     /** Add a set of variables, throws KeyAlreadyExists<J> if a key is already present */
     void insert(const Values& values);
 
+    /** insert that mimics the STL map insert - if the value already exists, the map is not modified
+     *  and an iterator to the existing value is returned, along with 'false'.  If the value did not
+     *  exist, it is inserted and an iterator pointing to the new element, along with 'true', is
+     *  returned. */
+    std::pair<iterator, bool> tryInsert(Key j, const Value& value);
+
     /** single element change of existing element */
     void update(Key j, const Value& val);