diff --git a/src/gmt_api.c b/src/gmt_api.c
index 99a2a739253..8b317b3e391 100644
--- a/src/gmt_api.c
+++ b/src/gmt_api.c
@@ -1332,7 +1332,7 @@ GMT_LOCAL double gmtapi_get_record_value (struct GMT_CTRL *GMT, double *record,
 	double val;
 	unsigned int col_pos;
 	col_pos = gmtapi_pick_in_col_number (GMT, (unsigned int)col);
-	val = (col_pos >= n_colums) ? GMT->session.d_NaN : record[col_pos];	/* If we request a column beyond length of array, return NaN */
+	val = (col_pos >= n_colums) ? GMT->session.d_NaN : gmt_M_convert_col (GMT->current.io.col[GMT_IN][col_pos], record[col_pos]);	/* If we request a column beyond length of array, return NaN */
 	if (GMT->common.d.active[GMT_IN] && gmt_M_is_dnan (val)) val = GMT->common.d.nan_proxy[GMT_IN];	/* Write this value instead of NaNs */
 	if (gmt_M_is_type (GMT, GMT_IN, col_pos, GMT_IS_LON)) gmt_lon_range_adjust (GMT->current.io.geo.range, &val);	/* Set longitude range */
 	return (val);
@@ -3488,6 +3488,14 @@ GMT_LOCAL void gmtapi_switch_cols (struct GMT_CTRL *GMT, struct GMT_DATASET *D,
 	}
 }
 
+GMT_LOCAL bool gmtapi_vector_data_must_be_duplicated (struct GMTAPI_CTRL *API, struct GMT_VECTOR *V) {
+    /* Check if referenced vector data arrays must be scaled/offset and hence must be duplicated instead */
+    for (unsigned int col = 0; col < V->n_columns; col++) {
+        if (API->GMT->common.i.select && API->GMT->current.io.col[GMT_IN][col].convert) return (true); /* Cannot pass as read-only if it must be converted */
+    }
+    return false;    /* Seems OK */
+}
+
 /*! . */
 GMT_LOCAL struct GMT_DATASET * gmtapi_import_dataset (struct GMTAPI_CTRL *API, int object_ID, unsigned int mode) {
 	/* Does the actual work of loading in the entire virtual data set (possibly via many sources)
@@ -3562,6 +3570,12 @@ GMT_LOCAL struct GMT_DATASET * gmtapi_import_dataset (struct GMTAPI_CTRL *API, i
 		via = false;
 		geometry = (GMT->common.a.output) ? GMT->common.a.geometry : S_obj->geometry;	/* When reading GMT and writing OGR/GMT we must make sure we set this first */
 		method = gmtapi_set_method (S_obj);	/* Get the actual method to use */
+        /* At the time an external vector was created via GMT_Open_VirtualFile there is not yet any knowledge if this data
+         * will be passed to a module with options -i that could require scaling, offseting, or taking the log of the data.
+         * If that is the case then we cannot pass via reference but must switch method to duplicate. */
+        if (method == (GMT_IS_REFERENCE|GMT_VIA_VECTOR) && gmtapi_vector_data_must_be_duplicated (API, S_obj->resource))
+            method = GMT_IS_DUPLICATE|GMT_VIA_VECTOR;   /* We need to adjust at least one vector due to -i+s+o+l so must duplicate input rather than reference */
+
 		switch (method) {	/* File, array, stream, reference, etc ? */
 	 		case GMT_IS_FILE:	/* Import all the segments, then count total number of records */
 #ifdef SET_IO_MODE
@@ -8639,7 +8653,7 @@ GMT_LOCAL bool gmtapi_matrix_data_conforms_to_dataset (struct GMT_MATRIX *M) {
 	return (M->type == GMT_DOUBLE);			/* Having double means we can use as is */
 }
 
-GMT_LOCAL bool gmtapi_vector_data_conforms_to_dataset (struct GMT_VECTOR *V, enum GMT_enum_type type) {
+GMT_LOCAL bool gmtapi_vector_data_conforms_to_dataset (struct GMTAPI_CTRL *API, struct GMT_VECTOR *V, enum GMT_enum_type type) {
 	/* Check if the vector data arrays matches the form of a GMT dataset (columns of doubles) */
 	if (type != GMT_DOUBLE) {	/* Only doubles can be passed or memcpy directly */
 		if (V->n_columns == 0) return (false);	/* Having nothing yet means we must duplicate */
@@ -8685,7 +8699,7 @@ GMT_LOCAL void gmtapi_maybe_change_method_to_duplicate (struct GMTAPI_CTRL *API,
 		S_obj->method = GMT_IS_DUPLICATE;	/* Must duplicate this resource */
 		GMT_Report (API, GMT_MSG_INFORMATION, "GMT_Open_VirtualFile: Switch method to GMT_IS_DUPLICATE as vectors are not compatible with a GMT grid\n");
 	}
-	else if (S_obj->actual_family == GMT_IS_VECTOR && S_obj->family == GMT_IS_DATASET && !gmtapi_vector_data_conforms_to_dataset (S_obj->resource, S_obj->type)) {
+	else if (S_obj->actual_family == GMT_IS_VECTOR && S_obj->family == GMT_IS_DATASET && !gmtapi_vector_data_conforms_to_dataset (API, S_obj->resource, S_obj->type)) {
 		S_obj->method = GMT_IS_DUPLICATE;	/* Must duplicate this resource */
 		GMT_Report (API, GMT_MSG_INFORMATION, "GMT_Open_VirtualFile: Switch method to GMT_IS_DUPLICATE as input vectors are not compatible with a GMT dataset\n");
 	}
@@ -9637,11 +9651,13 @@ struct GMT_RECORD *api_get_record_vector (struct GMTAPI_CTRL *API, unsigned int
         while (col < API->current_get_n_columns) {
             col_pos = gmtapi_pick_in_col_number (GMT, (unsigned int)col);
             API->current_get_V_val[col_pos] (&(V->data[col_pos]), S->rec, &(GMT->current.io.curr_rec[col]));
-            col++;           
+            GMT->current.io.curr_rec[col] = gmt_M_convert_col (GMT->current.io.col[GMT_IN][col_pos], GMT->current.io.curr_rec[col]);
+           col++;           
             while (GMT->common.i.select && col < GMT->common.i.n_cols && GMT->current.io.col[GMT_IN][col].col == GMT->current.io.col[GMT_IN][col-1].col) {
                 /* This input column is requested more than once */
                 col_pos = GMT->current.io.col[GMT_IN][col].order;    /* The data column that will receive this value */
-                 API->current_get_V_val[col_pos] (&(V->data[col_pos]), S->rec, &(GMT->current.io.curr_rec[col]));
+                API->current_get_V_val[col_pos] (&(V->data[col_pos]), S->rec, &(GMT->current.io.curr_rec[col]));
+                GMT->current.io.curr_rec[col] = gmt_M_convert_col (GMT->current.io.col[GMT_IN][col_pos], GMT->current.io.curr_rec[col]);
                 col++;
             }
         }
diff --git a/src/gmt_macros.h b/src/gmt_macros.h
index e98bca7aa4b..b3ca3e0d6eb 100644
--- a/src/gmt_macros.h
+++ b/src/gmt_macros.h
@@ -59,6 +59,9 @@
 #define gmt_nc_put_varm_grdfloat nc_put_varm_float
 #endif
 
+/*! Macro to apply columns log/scale/offset conversion on the fly */
+#define gmt_M_convert_col(S,x) ((S.convert) ? ((S.convert & 2) ? log10 (x) : x) * S.scale + S.offset : x)
+
 /* This macro is called via each modules "Return" macro so API and options are available */
 #define gmt_M_free_options(mode) {if (GMT_Destroy_Options (API, &options) != GMT_OK) return (GMT_MEMORY_ERROR);}