diff --git a/src/backend/core/mmio/PIF.cpp b/src/backend/core/mmio/PIF.cpp
index 1bca2783..39b4f419 100644
--- a/src/backend/core/mmio/PIF.cpp
+++ b/src/backend/core/mmio/PIF.cpp
@@ -171,7 +171,7 @@ void PIF::ConfigureJoyBusFrame() {
   int i = 0;
   while (i < 63) {
     u8 *packet = &ram[i++];
-    const u8& commandLength = packet[COMMAND_LEN] & 0x3F;
+    const u8 commandLength = packet[COMMAND_LEN] & 0x3F;
 
     if (commandLength == 0) {
       channel++;
@@ -189,7 +189,7 @@ void PIF::ConfigureJoyBusFrame() {
       }
       const u8 reslen = r & 0x3F;
       u8 *res = &ram[i + commandLength];
-      const u8& commandIndex = packet[COMMAND_INDEX];
+      const u8 commandIndex = packet[COMMAND_INDEX];
 
       switch (commandIndex) {
         case 0:
@@ -221,7 +221,7 @@ void PIF::ConfigureJoyBusFrame() {
           res[2] = 0x80;
           break;
         case 7: {
-          const u8& commandStart = packet[COMMAND_START];
+          const u8 commandStart = packet[COMMAND_START];
           switch (commandStart) {
             case 0:
             case 1:
diff --git a/src/utils/MemoryHelpers.hpp b/src/utils/MemoryHelpers.hpp
index bdb47568..778b784f 100644
--- a/src/utils/MemoryHelpers.hpp
+++ b/src/utils/MemoryHelpers.hpp
@@ -54,8 +54,7 @@ template <>
 constexpr FORCE_INLINE u64 ReadAccess(const std::vector<u8> &data, const u32 index) {
   u32 hi = *reinterpret_cast<const u32 *>(&data[index + 0]);
   u32 lo = *reinterpret_cast<const u32 *>(&data[index + 4]);
-  const u64& result = (static_cast<u64>(hi) << 32) | static_cast<u64>(lo);
-  return result;
+  return (static_cast<u64>(hi) << 32) | static_cast<u64>(lo);
 }
 
 template <typename T>
@@ -67,8 +66,7 @@ template <size_t Size>
 constexpr FORCE_INLINE u64 ReadAccess(const std::array<u8, Size> &data, const u32 index) {
   u32 hi = *reinterpret_cast<const u32 *>(&data[index + 0]);
   u32 lo = *reinterpret_cast<const u32 *>(&data[index + 4]);
-  const u64& result = static_cast<u64>(hi) << 32 | static_cast<u64>(lo);
-  return result;
+  return static_cast<u64>(hi) << 32 | static_cast<u64>(lo);
 }
 
 template <typename T, size_t Size>
@@ -77,7 +75,7 @@ static constexpr FORCE_INLINE T ReadAccess(const std::array<u8, Size> &data, con
 }
 
 template <size_t Size>
-constexpr FORCE_INLINE void WriteAccess(std::array<u8, Size> &data, const u32 index, const u64& val) {
+constexpr FORCE_INLINE void WriteAccess(std::array<u8, Size> &data, const u32 index, const u64 val) {
   const u32 hi = val >> 32;
   const u32 lo = val;