diff --git a/include/bout/differential_operators.hxx b/include/bout/differential_operators.hxx
index 2747eb2b15..22188751a9 100644
--- a/include/bout/differential_operators.hxx
+++ b/include/bout/differential_operators.hxx
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ class DifferentialOperators {
   using FieldMetric = MetricTensor::FieldMetric;
 
 public:
-  DifferentialOperators(Mesh* mesh, FieldMetric intShiftTorsion, const CELL_LOC& location,
+  DifferentialOperators(Mesh* mesh, FieldMetric intShiftTorsion, const CELL_LOC location,
                         FieldMetric& dx, FieldMetric& dy, FieldMetric& dz);
 
   //  DifferentialOperators(DifferentialOperators operators,
@@ -124,7 +124,7 @@ public:
 private:
   Mesh* mesh;
   FieldMetric intShiftTorsion;
-  const CELL_LOC& location;
+  const CELL_LOC location;
   FieldMetric& dx;
   FieldMetric& dy;
   FieldMetric& dz;
diff --git a/src/mesh/differential_operators.cxx b/src/mesh/differential_operators.cxx
index fad3fbe238..2a3da43f70 100644
--- a/src/mesh/differential_operators.cxx
+++ b/src/mesh/differential_operators.cxx
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
 #include <bout/derivs.hxx>
 
 DifferentialOperators::DifferentialOperators(Mesh* mesh, FieldMetric intShiftTorsion,
-                                             const CELL_LOC& location, FieldMetric& dx,
+                                             const CELL_LOC location, FieldMetric& dx,
                                              FieldMetric& dy, FieldMetric& dz)
     : mesh(mesh), intShiftTorsion(intShiftTorsion), location(location), dx(dx), dy(dy),
       dz(dz) {}