diff --git a/modules/algebra/include/VectorBaseD.h b/modules/algebra/include/VectorBaseD.h
index 41f9d409a4..ec880a1753 100644
--- a/modules/algebra/include/VectorBaseD.h
+++ b/modules/algebra/include/VectorBaseD.h
@@ -27,15 +27,19 @@
 
 #if IMP_HAS_CHECKS >= IMP_INTERNAL
 #define IMP_ALGEBRA_VECTOR_CHECK check_vector()
+#define IMP_ALGEBRA_VECTOR_CHECK_OTHER(o) o.check_vector()
 #else
 #define IMP_ALGEBRA_VECTOR_CHECK
+#define IMP_ALGEBRA_VECTOR_CHECK_OTHER(o)
 #endif
 
+/* Should only need to check for "compatible" (same dimension) vectors
+   when using variable-dimension vectors; otherwise, it is checked at
+   compile time */
 #if IMP_HAS_CHECKS >= IMP_USAGE
 #define IMP_ALGEBRA_VECTOR_CHECK_INDEX(i) check_index(i)
 #define IMP_ALGEBRA_VECTOR_CHECK_COMPATIBLE(o) \
-  check_compatible_vector(o);                  \
-  o.check_vector()
+  if (D == -1) { check_compatible_vector(o); }
 #else
 #define IMP_ALGEBRA_VECTOR_CHECK_INDEX(i)
 #define IMP_ALGEBRA_VECTOR_CHECK_COMPATIBLE(o)
@@ -128,9 +132,10 @@ class VectorBaseD : public GeometricPrimitiveD<D> {
   //! Default constructor
   VectorBaseD() {}
 
-  double get_scalar_product(const VectorBaseD<D> &o) const {
-    IMP_ALGEBRA_VECTOR_CHECK_COMPATIBLE(o);
+  double get_scalar_product(const VectorBaseD &o) const {
     IMP_ALGEBRA_VECTOR_CHECK;
+    IMP_ALGEBRA_VECTOR_CHECK_OTHER(o);
+    IMP_ALGEBRA_VECTOR_CHECK_COMPATIBLE(o);
     double ret = 0;
     for (unsigned int i = 0; i < get_dimension(); ++i) {
       ret += operator[](i) * o.operator[](i);
@@ -158,8 +163,9 @@ class VectorBaseD : public GeometricPrimitiveD<D> {
   }
 
   VectorBaseD &operator+=(const VectorBaseD &o) {
-    IMP_ALGEBRA_VECTOR_CHECK_COMPATIBLE(o);
     IMP_ALGEBRA_VECTOR_CHECK;
+    IMP_ALGEBRA_VECTOR_CHECK_OTHER(o);
+    IMP_ALGEBRA_VECTOR_CHECK_COMPATIBLE(o);
     for (unsigned int i = 0; i < get_dimension(); ++i) {
       operator[](i) += o[i];
     }
@@ -167,8 +173,9 @@ class VectorBaseD : public GeometricPrimitiveD<D> {
   }
 
   VectorBaseD &operator-=(const VectorBaseD &o) {
-    IMP_ALGEBRA_VECTOR_CHECK_COMPATIBLE(o);
     IMP_ALGEBRA_VECTOR_CHECK;
+    IMP_ALGEBRA_VECTOR_CHECK_OTHER(o);
+    IMP_ALGEBRA_VECTOR_CHECK_COMPATIBLE(o);
     for (unsigned int i = 0; i < get_dimension(); ++i) {
       operator[](i) -= o[i];
     }
diff --git a/modules/algebra/include/VectorD.h b/modules/algebra/include/VectorD.h
index de5f12ce38..e4712e47ca 100644
--- a/modules/algebra/include/VectorD.h
+++ b/modules/algebra/include/VectorD.h
@@ -26,22 +26,6 @@
 #include <cmath>
 #include <boost/random/normal_distribution.hpp>
 
-#if IMP_HAS_CHECKS >= IMP_INTERNAL
-#define IMP_ALGEBRA_VECTOR_CHECK check_vector()
-#else
-#define IMP_ALGEBRA_VECTOR_CHECK
-#endif
-
-#if IMP_HAS_CHECKS >= IMP_USAGE
-#define IMP_ALGEBRA_VECTOR_CHECK_INDEX(i) check_index(i)
-#define IMP_ALGEBRA_VECTOR_CHECK_COMPATIBLE(o) \
-  check_compatible_vector(o);                  \
-  o.check_vector()
-#else
-#define IMP_ALGEBRA_VECTOR_CHECK_INDEX(i)
-#define IMP_ALGEBRA_VECTOR_CHECK_COMPATIBLE(o)
-#endif
-
 IMPALGEBRA_BEGIN_NAMESPACE
 //! A Cartesian vector in D-dimensions.
 /** Store a vector of Cartesian coordinates. It supports all expected