diff --git a/cython/CMakeLists.txt b/cython/CMakeLists.txt
index 165291246..c264b8f37 100644
--- a/cython/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/cython/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -26,9 +26,11 @@ if (GTSAM_INSTALL_CYTHON_TOOLBOX)
                                     gtsam_unstable  # library to link with
                                     "gtsam_unstable;gtsam_unstable_header;gtsam_cython"  # dependencies to be built before wrapping
                                     )
+    # for some reasons cython gtsam_unstable can't find gtsam/gtsam.pxd without doing this
+    file(WRITE ${PROJECT_BINARY_DIR}/cython/gtsam_unstable/__init__.py "")
   endif()
 
-  # Install the custom-generated __init__.py with gtsam_unstable disabled
+  # Install the custom-generated __init__.py
   # This is to make the build/cython/gtsam folder a python package, so gtsam can be found while wrapping gtsam_unstable
   configure_file(${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/cython/gtsam/__init__.py.in ${PROJECT_BINARY_DIR}/cython/gtsam/__init__.py)
   install_cython_files("${PROJECT_BINARY_DIR}/cython/gtsam/__init__.py" "${GTSAM_CYTHON_INSTALL_PATH}/gtsam")
diff --git a/gtsam_unstable/gtsam_unstable.h b/gtsam_unstable/gtsam_unstable.h
index 16cce45c2..39c910826 100644
--- a/gtsam_unstable/gtsam_unstable.h
+++ b/gtsam_unstable/gtsam_unstable.h
@@ -103,7 +103,7 @@ class PoseRTV {
 #include <gtsam_unstable/geometry/Pose3Upright.h>
 class Pose3Upright {
   Pose3Upright();
-  Pose3Upright(const gtsam::Pose3Upright& x);
+  Pose3Upright(const gtsam::Pose3Upright& other);
   Pose3Upright(const gtsam::Rot2& bearing, const gtsam::Point3& t);
   Pose3Upright(double x, double y, double z, double theta);
   Pose3Upright(const gtsam::Pose2& pose, double z);
@@ -141,7 +141,7 @@ class Pose3Upright {
 #include <gtsam_unstable/geometry/BearingS2.h>
 class BearingS2 {
   BearingS2();
-  BearingS2(double azimuth, double elevation);
+  BearingS2(double azimuth_double, double elevation_double);
   BearingS2(const gtsam::Rot2& azimuth, const gtsam::Rot2& elevation);
 
   gtsam::Rot2 azimuth() const;