diff --git a/src/binding/python/Iteration.cpp b/src/binding/python/Iteration.cpp
index 85eddd6037..cd5fecacb0 100644
--- a/src/binding/python/Iteration.cpp
+++ b/src/binding/python/Iteration.cpp
@@ -110,7 +110,7 @@ void init_Iteration(py::module &m)
     add_pickle(
         cl, [](openPMD::Series series, std::vector<std::string> const &group) {
             uint64_t const n_it = std::stoull(group.at(1));
-            auto &res = series.iterations[n_it];
+            auto res = series.iterations[n_it];
             return internal::makeOwning(res, std::move(series));
         });
 
diff --git a/src/binding/python/Mesh.cpp b/src/binding/python/Mesh.cpp
index 4c939068f4..9d53e15591 100644
--- a/src/binding/python/Mesh.cpp
+++ b/src/binding/python/Mesh.cpp
@@ -117,7 +117,7 @@ void init_Mesh(py::module &m)
     add_pickle(
         cl, [](openPMD::Series series, std::vector<std::string> const &group) {
             uint64_t const n_it = std::stoull(group.at(1));
-            auto &res = series.iterations[n_it].open().meshes[group.at(3)];
+            auto res = series.iterations[n_it].open().meshes[group.at(3)];
             return internal::makeOwning(res, std::move(series));
         });
 
diff --git a/src/binding/python/MeshRecordComponent.cpp b/src/binding/python/MeshRecordComponent.cpp
index f59f5b3fc1..52055973b4 100644
--- a/src/binding/python/MeshRecordComponent.cpp
+++ b/src/binding/python/MeshRecordComponent.cpp
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ void init_MeshRecordComponent(py::module &m)
     add_pickle(
         cl, [](openPMD::Series series, std::vector<std::string> const &group) {
             uint64_t const n_it = std::stoull(group.at(1));
-            auto &res =
+            auto res =
                 series.iterations[n_it]
                     .open()
                     .meshes[group.at(3)]
diff --git a/src/binding/python/ParticleSpecies.cpp b/src/binding/python/ParticleSpecies.cpp
index debc80776e..c224800b98 100644
--- a/src/binding/python/ParticleSpecies.cpp
+++ b/src/binding/python/ParticleSpecies.cpp
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ void init_ParticleSpecies(py::module &m)
     add_pickle(
         cl, [](openPMD::Series series, std::vector<std::string> const &group) {
             uint64_t const n_it = std::stoull(group.at(1));
-            ParticleSpecies &res =
+            ParticleSpecies res =
                 series.iterations[n_it].open().particles[group.at(3)];
             return internal::makeOwning(res, std::move(series));
         });
diff --git a/src/binding/python/Record.cpp b/src/binding/python/Record.cpp
index c56f4b6f0f..b4f732a83d 100644
--- a/src/binding/python/Record.cpp
+++ b/src/binding/python/Record.cpp
@@ -74,8 +74,8 @@ void init_Record(py::module &m)
     add_pickle(
         cl, [](openPMD::Series series, std::vector<std::string> const &group) {
             uint64_t const n_it = std::stoull(group.at(1));
-            auto &res = series.iterations[n_it].open().particles[group.at(3)]
-                                                                [group.at(4)];
+            auto res = series.iterations[n_it].open().particles[group.at(3)]
+                                                               [group.at(4)];
             return internal::makeOwning(res, std::move(series));
         });
 
diff --git a/src/binding/python/RecordComponent.cpp b/src/binding/python/RecordComponent.cpp
index 0cede898da..5645053f0e 100644
--- a/src/binding/python/RecordComponent.cpp
+++ b/src/binding/python/RecordComponent.cpp
@@ -1124,12 +1124,11 @@ void init_RecordComponent(py::module &m)
     add_pickle(
         cl, [](openPMD::Series series, std::vector<std::string> const &group) {
             uint64_t const n_it = std::stoull(group.at(1));
-            auto &res =
-                series.iterations[n_it]
-                    .open()
-                    .particles[group.at(3)][group.at(4)]
-                              [group.size() < 6 ? RecordComponent::SCALAR
-                                                : group.at(5)];
+            auto res = series.iterations[n_it]
+                           .open()
+                           .particles[group.at(3)][group.at(4)]
+                                     [group.size() < 6 ? RecordComponent::SCALAR
+                                                       : group.at(5)];
             return internal::makeOwning(res, std::move(series));
         });