diff --git a/elfio/elfio_section.hpp b/elfio/elfio_section.hpp
index e36944d..38f5fd1 100644
--- a/elfio/elfio_section.hpp
+++ b/elfio/elfio_section.hpp
@@ -100,10 +100,13 @@ template <class T> class section_impl : public section
     std::string get_name() const override { return name; }
 
     //------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-    void set_name( std::string name_prm ) override { this->name = name_prm; }
+    void set_name( const std::string& name_prm ) override
+    {
+        this->name = name_prm;
+    }
 
     //------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-    void set_address( Elf64_Addr value ) override
+    void set_address( const Elf64_Addr& value ) override
     {
         header.sh_addr = decltype( header.sh_addr )( value );
         header.sh_addr = ( *convertor )( header.sh_addr );
@@ -190,7 +193,7 @@ template <class T> class section_impl : public section
     ELFIO_GET_SET_ACCESS( Elf64_Off, offset, header.sh_offset );
 
     //------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-    void set_index( Elf_Half value ) override { index = value; }
+    void set_index( const Elf_Half& value ) override { index = value; }
 
     //------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     bool load( std::istream& stream, std::streampos header_offset ) override
diff --git a/elfio/elfio_segment.hpp b/elfio/elfio_segment.hpp
index 8deea5a..c9d4a87 100644
--- a/elfio/elfio_segment.hpp
+++ b/elfio/elfio_segment.hpp
@@ -134,7 +134,7 @@ template <class T> class segment_impl : public segment
     //------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
     //------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-    void set_offset( Elf64_Off value ) override
+    void set_offset( const Elf64_Off& value ) override
     {
         ph.p_offset   = decltype( ph.p_offset )( value );
         ph.p_offset   = ( *convertor )( ph.p_offset );
@@ -151,7 +151,7 @@ template <class T> class segment_impl : public segment
     }
 
     //------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-    void set_index( Elf_Half value ) override { index = value; }
+    void set_index( const Elf_Half& value ) override { index = value; }
 
     //------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     bool load( std::istream& stream, std::streampos header_offset ) override
diff --git a/elfio/elfio_utils.hpp b/elfio/elfio_utils.hpp
index 980f888..1e99960 100644
--- a/elfio/elfio_utils.hpp
+++ b/elfio/elfio_utils.hpp
@@ -29,24 +29,24 @@ THE SOFTWARE.
 #define ELFIO_GET_ACCESS_DECL( TYPE, NAME ) virtual TYPE get_##NAME() const = 0
 
 #define ELFIO_SET_ACCESS_DECL( TYPE, NAME ) \
-    virtual void set_##NAME( TYPE value ) = 0
+    virtual void set_##NAME( const TYPE& value ) = 0
 
-#define ELFIO_GET_SET_ACCESS_DECL( TYPE, NAME ) \
-    virtual TYPE get_##NAME() const       = 0;  \
-    virtual void set_##NAME( TYPE value ) = 0
+#define ELFIO_GET_SET_ACCESS_DECL( TYPE, NAME )       \
+    virtual TYPE get_##NAME() const              = 0; \
+    virtual void set_##NAME( const TYPE& value ) = 0
 
 #define ELFIO_GET_ACCESS( TYPE, NAME, FIELD ) \
     TYPE get_##NAME() const override { return ( *convertor )( FIELD ); }
 
-#define ELFIO_SET_ACCESS( TYPE, NAME, FIELD ) \
-    void set_##NAME( TYPE value ) override    \
-    {                                         \
-        FIELD = decltype( FIELD )( value );   \
-        FIELD = ( *convertor )( FIELD );      \
+#define ELFIO_SET_ACCESS( TYPE, NAME, FIELD )     \
+    void set_##NAME( const TYPE& value ) override \
+    {                                             \
+        FIELD = decltype( FIELD )( value );       \
+        FIELD = ( *convertor )( FIELD );          \
     }
 #define ELFIO_GET_SET_ACCESS( TYPE, NAME, FIELD )                        \
     TYPE get_##NAME() const override { return ( *convertor )( FIELD ); } \
-    void set_##NAME( TYPE value ) override                               \
+    void set_##NAME( const TYPE& value ) override                        \
     {                                                                    \
         FIELD = decltype( FIELD )( value );                              \
         FIELD = ( *convertor )( FIELD );                                 \