diff --git a/src/ansi-c/c_typecheck_type.cpp b/src/ansi-c/c_typecheck_type.cpp
index d82e81c0038..ac3fe7f2928 100644
--- a/src/ansi-c/c_typecheck_type.cpp
+++ b/src/ansi-c/c_typecheck_type.cpp
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ void c_typecheck_baset::typecheck_type(typet &type)
     exprt alignment=static_cast<const exprt &>(type.find(ID_C_alignment));
     irept _typedef=type.find(ID_C_typedef);
 
-    type.swap(type.subtype());
+    type=type.subtype();
 
     c_qualifiers.write(type);
     if(packed)
diff --git a/src/ansi-c/padding.cpp b/src/ansi-c/padding.cpp
index cdcc1cd802b..16391ee33a7 100644
--- a/src/ansi-c/padding.cpp
+++ b/src/ansi-c/padding.cpp
@@ -203,7 +203,7 @@ void add_padding(struct_typet &type, const namespacet &ns)
       it!=components.end();
       it++)
   {
-    const typet &it_type=it->type();
+    const typet it_type=it->type();
     mp_integer a=1;
 
     const bool packed=it_type.get_bool(ID_C_packed) ||