diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index c7ce48620..41469fa63 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -4,6 +4,8 @@
 *-Ex.R
 # R data files from past sessions
 .Rdata
+# R environ
+.Renviron
 # RStudio files
 .Rproj.user/
 .Rproj.user
@@ -20,4 +22,4 @@ standalone/build/*
 /plpmodels/*
 /python_models/*
 /mycache/*
-/inst/shiny/DiagnosticsExplorer/rsconnect/*
\ No newline at end of file
+/inst/shiny/DiagnosticsExplorer/rsconnect/*
diff --git a/R/DataSplitting.R b/R/DataSplitting.R
index 29e7a1ea3..195e2680c 100644
--- a/R/DataSplitting.R
+++ b/R/DataSplitting.R
@@ -197,10 +197,6 @@ splitData <- function(plpData = plpData,
       populationSize = nrow(trainData$labels)
       )
     
-    # add pop size to covariateData as used in tidyCovariates
-    attr(trainData$covariateData, "metaData") <- list(populationSize = nrow(trainData$labels))
-    class(trainData$covariateData) <- "CovariateData"
-    
     testId <- splitId[splitId$index<0,]
     testData <- list()
     class(testData) <- 'plpData'
@@ -216,7 +212,6 @@ splitData <- function(plpData = plpData,
         data.frame(rowId = testId$rowId), 
         sizeN = 10000000)
     }
-    class(testData$covariateData) <- "CovariateData"
     
     result <- list(
       Train =  trainData,