diff --git a/cpp/core/src/zxing/oned/UPCEANReader.h b/cpp/core/src/zxing/oned/UPCEANReader.h
index 3ffe4b2cc..5ce7ab012 100644
--- a/cpp/core/src/zxing/oned/UPCEANReader.h
+++ b/cpp/core/src/zxing/oned/UPCEANReader.h
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ namespace zxing {
 			
 			static int* findStartGuardPattern(Ref<BitArray> row);																	//throws ReaderException
 			
-			int* decodeEnd(Ref<BitArray> row, int endStart);																		//throws ReaderException
+			virtual int* decodeEnd(Ref<BitArray> row, int endStart);																		//throws ReaderException
 			
 			static bool checkStandardUPCEANChecksum(std::string s);																	//throws ReaderException 
 		protected:
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ namespace zxing {
 			
 			static int decodeDigit(Ref<BitArray> row, int counters[], int countersLen, int rowOffset, UPC_EAN_PATTERNS patternType);	//throws ReaderException 
 			
-			bool checkChecksum(std::string s);																						//throws ReaderException
+			virtual bool checkChecksum(std::string s);																						//throws ReaderException
 			
 			virtual BarcodeFormat getBarcodeFormat() = 0;
 			virtual ~UPCEANReader();
diff --git a/cpp/core/src/zxing/oned/UPCEReader.cpp b/cpp/core/src/zxing/oned/UPCEReader.cpp
index 1fce8dd85..fdea388f4 100644
--- a/cpp/core/src/zxing/oned/UPCEReader.cpp
+++ b/cpp/core/src/zxing/oned/UPCEReader.cpp
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ namespace zxing {
 		 * @param upce UPC-E code as string of digits
 		 * @return equivalent UPC-A code as string of digits
 		 */
-		std::string& UPCEReader::convertUPCEtoUPCA(std::string upce) {			
+		std::string UPCEReader::convertUPCEtoUPCA(std::string upce) {
 			std::string result;
 			result.append(1, upce[0]);
 			char lastChar = upce[6];
@@ -125,8 +125,7 @@ namespace zxing {
 					break;
 			}
 			result.append(1, upce[7]);
-			std::string& returnResult = result;
-			return returnResult;
+			return result;
 		}
 		
 		
diff --git a/cpp/core/src/zxing/oned/UPCEReader.h b/cpp/core/src/zxing/oned/UPCEReader.h
index 454d6ba9d..2a9e89a08 100644
--- a/cpp/core/src/zxing/oned/UPCEReader.h
+++ b/cpp/core/src/zxing/oned/UPCEReader.h
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ namespace zxing {
 			UPCEReader();
 			
 			int decodeMiddle(Ref<BitArray> row, int startRange[], int startRangeLen, std::string& resultString);		//throws ReaderException
-			static std::string& convertUPCEtoUPCA(std::string upce);
+			static std::string convertUPCEtoUPCA(std::string upce);
 			
 			BarcodeFormat getBarcodeFormat();
 		};