diff --git a/CvGameCoreDLL_Expansion2/CvPlayerAI.cpp b/CvGameCoreDLL_Expansion2/CvPlayerAI.cpp
index e0d4a82ce8..a3f35daa32 100644
--- a/CvGameCoreDLL_Expansion2/CvPlayerAI.cpp
+++ b/CvGameCoreDLL_Expansion2/CvPlayerAI.cpp
@@ -2034,7 +2034,7 @@ CvPlot* CvPlayerAI::FindBestMerchantTargetPlotForCash(CvUnit* pMerchant)
 
 //	--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 /// planner for AI spaceship production: returns the cities in which the currently available spaceship parts should be built in order to achieve SV as early as possible
-const vector<CvCity*>& CvPlayerAI::GetBestCitiesForSpaceshipParts()
+const vector<CvCity*> CvPlayerAI::GetBestCitiesForSpaceshipParts()
 {
 	const vector<CvCity*> vpEmpty;
 
@@ -2262,7 +2262,7 @@ void CvPlayerAI::AI_doSpaceshipProduction()
 		return;
 
 	// calculate cities to build spaceship parts in
-	const vector<CvCity*>& vBestCitiesForSpaceshipParts = GetBestCitiesForSpaceshipParts();
+	const vector<CvCity*> vBestCitiesForSpaceshipParts = GetBestCitiesForSpaceshipParts();
 
 	// cancel spaceship part production in cities that are not considered the best cities (have to do this first to make the parts available)
 	CvString strOutBuf;
diff --git a/CvGameCoreDLL_Expansion2/CvPlayerAI.h b/CvGameCoreDLL_Expansion2/CvPlayerAI.h
index fdaa26cec7..325daddaa5 100644
--- a/CvGameCoreDLL_Expansion2/CvPlayerAI.h
+++ b/CvGameCoreDLL_Expansion2/CvPlayerAI.h
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ class CvPlayerAI : public CvPlayer
 	CvPlot* FindBestMerchantTargetPlotForPuppet(CvUnit* pMerchant);
 
 	//spaceship planning
-	const vector<CvCity*>& GetBestCitiesForSpaceshipParts();
+	const vector<CvCity*> GetBestCitiesForSpaceshipParts();
 	void AI_doSpaceshipProduction();
 
 	//For Great Diplomats