diff --git a/code/Common/BaseImporter.cpp b/code/Common/BaseImporter.cpp
index 660a6a965..8d7b029ba 100644
--- a/code/Common/BaseImporter.cpp
+++ b/code/Common/BaseImporter.cpp
@@ -191,7 +191,7 @@ void BaseImporter::GetExtensionList(std::set<std::string>& extensions) {
     }
 
     std::unique_ptr<IOStream> pStream (pIOHandler->Open(pFile));
-    if (pStream.get() ) {
+    if (pStream) {
         // read 200 characters from the file
         std::unique_ptr<char[]> _buffer (new char[searchBytes+1 /* for the '\0' */]);
         char *buffer( _buffer.get() );
@@ -283,7 +283,6 @@ std::string BaseImporter::GetExtension( const std::string& file ) {
         return "";
     }
 
-
     // thanks to Andy Maloney for the hint
     std::string ret = file.substr( pos + 1 );
     std::transform( ret.begin(), ret.end(), ret.begin(), ToLower<char>);
@@ -309,7 +308,7 @@ std::string BaseImporter::GetExtension( const std::string& file ) {
     };
     magic = reinterpret_cast<const char*>(_magic);
     std::unique_ptr<IOStream> pStream (pIOHandler->Open(pFile));
-    if (pStream.get() ) {
+    if (pStream) {
 
         // skip to offset
         pStream->Seek(offset,aiOrigin_SET);
@@ -603,7 +602,7 @@ unsigned int BatchLoader::AddLoadRequest(const std::string& file,
     }
 
     // no, we don't have it. So add it to the queue ...
-    m_data->requests.push_back(LoadRequest(file,steps,map, m_data->next_id));
+    m_data->requests.emplace_back(file, steps, map, m_data->next_id);
     return m_data->next_id++;
 }
 
diff --git a/code/Common/Importer.cpp b/code/Common/Importer.cpp
index 5601298f1..a59ec9812 100644
--- a/code/Common/Importer.cpp
+++ b/code/Common/Importer.cpp
@@ -1071,7 +1071,7 @@ ai_real Importer::GetPropertyFloat(const char* szName, ai_real iErrorReturn /*=
 
 // ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // Get a configuration property
-const std::string Importer::GetPropertyString(const char* szName, const std::string& iErrorReturn /*= ""*/) const {
+std::string Importer::GetPropertyString(const char* szName, const std::string& iErrorReturn /*= ""*/) const {
     ai_assert(nullptr != pimpl);
     
     return GetGenericProperty<std::string>(pimpl->mStringProperties,szName,iErrorReturn);
@@ -1079,7 +1079,7 @@ const std::string Importer::GetPropertyString(const char* szName, const std::str
 
 // ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // Get a configuration property
-const aiMatrix4x4 Importer::GetPropertyMatrix(const char* szName, const aiMatrix4x4& iErrorReturn /*= aiMatrix4x4()*/) const {
+aiMatrix4x4 Importer::GetPropertyMatrix(const char* szName, const aiMatrix4x4& iErrorReturn /*= aiMatrix4x4()*/) const {
     ai_assert(nullptr != pimpl);
     
     return GetGenericProperty<aiMatrix4x4>(pimpl->mMatrixProperties,szName,iErrorReturn);
@@ -1110,10 +1110,9 @@ void Importer::GetMemoryRequirements(aiMemoryInfo& in) const {
     aiScene* mScene = pimpl->mScene;
 
     // return if we have no scene loaded
-    if (!pimpl->mScene)
+    if (!mScene)
         return;
 
-
     in.total = sizeof(aiScene);
 
     // add all meshes
@@ -1202,5 +1201,6 @@ void Importer::GetMemoryRequirements(aiMemoryInfo& in) const {
             in.materials += pc->mProperties[a]->mDataLength;
         }
     }
+
     in.total += in.materials;
 }
diff --git a/include/assimp/Importer.hpp b/include/assimp/Importer.hpp
index 7ec4f519c..df52471a9 100644
--- a/include/assimp/Importer.hpp
+++ b/include/assimp/Importer.hpp
@@ -285,7 +285,7 @@ public:
      *  The return value remains valid until the property is modified.
      * @see GetPropertyInteger()
      */
-    const std::string GetPropertyString(const char* szName,
+    std::string GetPropertyString(const char* szName,
         const std::string& sErrorReturn = "") const;
 
     // -------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -294,7 +294,7 @@ public:
      *  The return value remains valid until the property is modified.
      * @see GetPropertyInteger()
      */
-    const aiMatrix4x4 GetPropertyMatrix(const char* szName,
+    aiMatrix4x4 GetPropertyMatrix(const char* szName,
         const aiMatrix4x4& sErrorReturn = aiMatrix4x4()) const;
 
     // -------------------------------------------------------------------