diff --git a/src/helpers.cpp b/src/helpers.cpp
index 4ca778590..529098bbb 100644
--- a/src/helpers.cpp
+++ b/src/helpers.cpp
@@ -329,27 +329,27 @@ bool Helpers::check_abs(const int32_t i) {
 }
 
 // for booleans, use isBool true (EMS_VALUE_BOOL)
-bool Helpers::hasValue(const uint8_t v, const uint8_t isBool) {
+bool Helpers::hasValue(const uint8_t &v, const uint8_t isBool) {
     if (isBool == EMS_VALUE_BOOL) {
         return (v != EMS_VALUE_BOOL_NOTSET);
     }
     return (v != EMS_VALUE_UINT_NOTSET);
 }
 
-bool Helpers::hasValue(const int8_t v) {
+bool Helpers::hasValue(const int8_t &v) {
     return (v != EMS_VALUE_INT_NOTSET);
 }
 
 // for short these are typically 0x8300, 0x7D00 and sometimes 0x8000
-bool Helpers::hasValue(const int16_t v) {
+bool Helpers::hasValue(const int16_t &v) {
     return (abs(v) < EMS_VALUE_USHORT_NOTSET);
 }
 
-bool Helpers::hasValue(const uint16_t v) {
+bool Helpers::hasValue(const uint16_t &v) {
     return (v < EMS_VALUE_USHORT_NOTSET);
 }
 
-bool Helpers::hasValue(const uint32_t v) {
+bool Helpers::hasValue(const uint32_t &v) {
     return (v != EMS_VALUE_ULONG_NOTSET);
 }
 
diff --git a/src/helpers.h b/src/helpers.h
index 963c2735f..3f32f1b21 100644
--- a/src/helpers.h
+++ b/src/helpers.h
@@ -50,11 +50,11 @@ class Helpers {
     static char * ultostr(char * ptr, uint32_t value, const uint8_t base);
 #endif
 
-    static bool hasValue(const uint8_t v, const uint8_t isBool = 0);
-    static bool hasValue(const int8_t v);
-    static bool hasValue(const int16_t v);
-    static bool hasValue(const uint16_t v);
-    static bool hasValue(const uint32_t v);
+    static bool hasValue(const uint8_t &v, const uint8_t isBool = 0);
+    static bool hasValue(const int8_t &v);
+    static bool hasValue(const int16_t &v);
+    static bool hasValue(const uint16_t &v);
+    static bool hasValue(const uint32_t &v);
 
     static std::string toLower(std::string const & s);