diff --git a/gtsam/base/Matrix.cpp b/gtsam/base/Matrix.cpp
index 6248ad77d..ebff37a7d 100644
--- a/gtsam/base/Matrix.cpp
+++ b/gtsam/base/Matrix.cpp
@@ -639,7 +639,7 @@ void inplace_QR(Matrix& A){
   Eigen::internal::householder_qr_inplace_blocked<Matrix, HCoeffsType>::run(A, hCoeffs, 48, temp.data());
 #endif
 
-  zeroBelowDiagonal(A);
+  A.triangularView<Eigen::StrictlyLower>().setZero();
 }
 
 } // namespace gtsam
diff --git a/gtsam/base/Matrix.h b/gtsam/base/Matrix.h
index 2b177e3d7..1cbc6e469 100644
--- a/gtsam/base/Matrix.h
+++ b/gtsam/base/Matrix.h
@@ -216,19 +216,6 @@ const typename MATRIX::ConstRowXpr row(const MATRIX& A, size_t j) {
   return A.row(j);
 }
 
-/**
- * Zeros all of the elements below the diagonal of a matrix, in place
- * @param A is a matrix, to be modified in place
- * @param cols is the number of columns to zero, use zero for all columns
- */
-template<class MATRIX>
-void zeroBelowDiagonal(MATRIX& A, size_t cols=0) {
-  const size_t m = A.rows(), n = A.cols();
-  const size_t k = (cols) ? std::min(cols, std::min(m,n)) : std::min(m,n);
-  for (size_t j=0; j<k; ++j)
-    A.col(j).segment(j+1, m-(j+1)).setZero();
-}
-
 /**
  * static transpose function, just calls Eigen transpose member function
  */
diff --git a/gtsam/base/tests/testMatrix.cpp b/gtsam/base/tests/testMatrix.cpp
index ede59a204..48160ec70 100644
--- a/gtsam/base/tests/testMatrix.cpp
+++ b/gtsam/base/tests/testMatrix.cpp
@@ -596,61 +596,6 @@ TEST(Matrix, scalar_divide )
   EQUALITY(B,A/10);
 }
 
-/* ************************************************************************* */
-TEST(Matrix, zero_below_diagonal ) {
-  Matrix A1 = (Matrix(3, 4) <<
-      1.0, 2.0, 3.0, 4.0,
-      1.0, 2.0, 3.0, 4.0,
-      1.0, 2.0, 3.0, 4.0).finished();
-
-  Matrix expected1 = (Matrix(3, 4) <<
-      1.0, 2.0, 3.0, 4.0,
-      0.0, 2.0, 3.0, 4.0,
-      0.0, 0.0, 3.0, 4.0).finished();
-  Matrix actual1r = A1;
-  zeroBelowDiagonal(actual1r);
-  EXPECT(assert_equal(expected1, actual1r, 1e-10));
-
-  Matrix actual1c = A1;
-  zeroBelowDiagonal(actual1c);
-  EXPECT(assert_equal(Matrix(expected1), actual1c, 1e-10));
-
-  actual1c = A1;
-  zeroBelowDiagonal(actual1c, 4);
-  EXPECT(assert_equal(Matrix(expected1), actual1c, 1e-10));
-
-  Matrix A2 = (Matrix(5, 3) <<
-        1.0, 2.0, 3.0,
-        1.0, 2.0, 3.0,
-        1.0, 2.0, 3.0,
-        1.0, 2.0, 3.0,
-        1.0, 2.0, 3.0).finished();
-  Matrix expected2 = (Matrix(5, 3) <<
-      1.0, 2.0, 3.0,
-      0.0, 2.0, 3.0,
-      0.0, 0.0, 3.0,
-      0.0, 0.0, 0.0,
-      0.0, 0.0, 0.0).finished();
-
-  Matrix actual2r = A2;
-  zeroBelowDiagonal(actual2r);
-  EXPECT(assert_equal(expected2, actual2r, 1e-10));
-
-  Matrix actual2c = A2;
-  zeroBelowDiagonal(actual2c);
-  EXPECT(assert_equal(Matrix(expected2), actual2c, 1e-10));
-
-  Matrix expected2_partial = (Matrix(5, 3) <<
-        1.0, 2.0, 3.0,
-        0.0, 2.0, 3.0,
-        0.0, 2.0, 3.0,
-        0.0, 2.0, 3.0,
-        0.0, 2.0, 3.0).finished();
-  actual2c = A2;
-  zeroBelowDiagonal(actual2c, 1);
-  EXPECT(assert_equal(Matrix(expected2_partial), actual2c, 1e-10));
-}
-
 /* ************************************************************************* */
 TEST(Matrix, inverse )
 {
@@ -825,7 +770,7 @@ TEST(Matrix, eigen_QR )
       10, 0, 0,  0,-10,0,   2,
       00, 10,0, 0, 0, -10, -1).finished());
   Matrix actual = A.householderQr().matrixQR();
-  zeroBelowDiagonal(actual);
+  actual.triangularView<Eigen::StrictlyLower>().setZero();
 
   EXPECT(assert_equal(expected, actual, 1e-3));