diff --git a/sycl/source/detail/buffer_impl.cpp b/sycl/source/detail/buffer_impl.cpp
index b710457da9c56..c39192f224760 100644
--- a/sycl/source/detail/buffer_impl.cpp
+++ b/sycl/source/detail/buffer_impl.cpp
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ buffer_impl::getNativeVector(backend BackendName) const {
     // doesn't have context and platform
     if (!Ctx)
       continue;
-    PlatformImplPtr Platform = Ctx->getPlatformImpl();
+    const PlatformImplPtr &Platform = Ctx->getPlatformImpl();
     assert(Platform && "Platform must be present for device context");
     if (Platform->getBackend() != BackendName)
       continue;
diff --git a/sycl/source/detail/context_impl.hpp b/sycl/source/detail/context_impl.hpp
index 80ae2ce4b0060..872790f07b886 100644
--- a/sycl/source/detail/context_impl.hpp
+++ b/sycl/source/detail/context_impl.hpp
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ class context_impl {
   const AdapterPtr &getAdapter() const { return MPlatform->getAdapter(); }
 
   /// \return the PlatformImpl associated with this context.
-  PlatformImplPtr getPlatformImpl() const { return MPlatform; }
+  const PlatformImplPtr &getPlatformImpl() const { return MPlatform; }
 
   /// Queries this context for information.
   ///
diff --git a/sycl/source/detail/device_impl.hpp b/sycl/source/detail/device_impl.hpp
index 2f45a0b288469..57c3f02fbd2b7 100644
--- a/sycl/source/detail/device_impl.hpp
+++ b/sycl/source/detail/device_impl.hpp
@@ -290,7 +290,7 @@ class device_impl {
 
   /// @brief  Get the platform impl serving this device
   /// @return PlatformImplPtr
-  PlatformImplPtr getPlatformImpl() const { return MPlatform; }
+  const PlatformImplPtr &getPlatformImpl() const { return MPlatform; }
 
   /// Get device info string
   std::string get_device_info_string(ur_device_info_t InfoCode) const;
diff --git a/sycl/source/detail/usm/usm_impl.cpp b/sycl/source/detail/usm/usm_impl.cpp
index 08e08000e9ae2..1a6ba43281f1d 100644
--- a/sycl/source/detail/usm/usm_impl.cpp
+++ b/sycl/source/detail/usm/usm_impl.cpp
@@ -600,7 +600,8 @@ device get_pointer_device(const void *Ptr, const context &Ctxt) {
 
   // The device is not necessarily a member of the context, it could be a
   // member's descendant instead. Fetch the corresponding device from the cache.
-  std::shared_ptr<detail::platform_impl> PltImpl = CtxImpl->getPlatformImpl();
+  const std::shared_ptr<detail::platform_impl> &PltImpl =
+      CtxImpl->getPlatformImpl();
   std::shared_ptr<detail::device_impl> DevImpl =
       PltImpl->getDeviceImpl(DeviceId);
   if (DevImpl)