diff --git a/src/libaktualizr/uptane/imagesrepository.cc b/src/libaktualizr/uptane/imagesrepository.cc
index 5e308229c7..2b743c74e4 100644
--- a/src/libaktualizr/uptane/imagesrepository.cc
+++ b/src/libaktualizr/uptane/imagesrepository.cc
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ bool ImagesRepository::verifySnapshot(const std::string& snapshot_raw) {
   return true;
 }
 
-bool ImagesRepository::verifyTargets(const std::string& targets_raw, const Uptane::Role role) {
+bool ImagesRepository::verifyTargets(const std::string& targets_raw, const Uptane::Role& role) {
   try {
     const Json::Value targets_json = Utils::parseJSON(targets_raw);
     const std::string canonical = Utils::jsonToCanonicalStr(targets_json);
diff --git a/src/libaktualizr/uptane/imagesrepository.h b/src/libaktualizr/uptane/imagesrepository.h
index 46a7c8ff03..c23975687d 100644
--- a/src/libaktualizr/uptane/imagesrepository.h
+++ b/src/libaktualizr/uptane/imagesrepository.h
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ class ImagesRepository : public RepositoryCommon {
 
   void resetMeta();
 
-  bool verifyTargets(const std::string& targets_raw, Uptane::Role role);
+  bool verifyTargets(const std::string& targets_raw, const Uptane::Role& role);
   bool targetsExpired(const std::string& role_name) { return targets[role_name].isExpired(TimeStamp::Now()); }
   int64_t targetsSize() { return snapshot.targets_size(); }
   std::set<std::string> delegations(const std::string& role_name) { return targets[role_name].delegated_role_names_; }
diff --git a/src/libaktualizr/uptane/metawithkeys.cc b/src/libaktualizr/uptane/metawithkeys.cc
index 1b6c975ac7..f292407d8e 100644
--- a/src/libaktualizr/uptane/metawithkeys.cc
+++ b/src/libaktualizr/uptane/metawithkeys.cc
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 using Uptane::MetaWithKeys;
 
 MetaWithKeys::MetaWithKeys(const Json::Value &json) : BaseMeta(json) {}
-MetaWithKeys::MetaWithKeys(RepositoryType repo, const Role role, const Json::Value &json,
+MetaWithKeys::MetaWithKeys(RepositoryType repo, const Role &role, const Json::Value &json,
                            const std::shared_ptr<MetaWithKeys> &signer)
     : BaseMeta(repo, role, json, signer) {}
 
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ void Uptane::MetaWithKeys::ParseRole(const RepositoryType repo, const Json::Valu
   }
 }
 
-void Uptane::MetaWithKeys::UnpackSignedObject(const RepositoryType repo, const Role role,
+void Uptane::MetaWithKeys::UnpackSignedObject(const RepositoryType repo, const Role &role,
                                               const Json::Value &signed_object) {
   const std::string repository = repo;
 
diff --git a/src/libaktualizr/uptane/root.cc b/src/libaktualizr/uptane/root.cc
index 99b71a0eea..d1ca94b59e 100644
--- a/src/libaktualizr/uptane/root.cc
+++ b/src/libaktualizr/uptane/root.cc
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ Root::Root(const RepositoryType repo, const Json::Value &json) : MetaWithKeys(js
   }
 }
 
-void Uptane::Root::UnpackSignedObject(const RepositoryType repo, const Role role, const Json::Value &signed_object) {
+void Uptane::Root::UnpackSignedObject(const RepositoryType repo, const Role &role, const Json::Value &signed_object) {
   const std::string repository = repo;
 
   if (policy_ == Policy::kAcceptAll) {
diff --git a/src/libaktualizr/uptane/tuf.cc b/src/libaktualizr/uptane/tuf.cc
index a2b1bead31..4691fc7be0 100644
--- a/src/libaktualizr/uptane/tuf.cc
+++ b/src/libaktualizr/uptane/tuf.cc
@@ -250,7 +250,7 @@ void Uptane::BaseMeta::init(const Json::Value &json) {
 }
 Uptane::BaseMeta::BaseMeta(const Json::Value &json) { init(json); }
 
-Uptane::BaseMeta::BaseMeta(RepositoryType repo, const Role role, const Json::Value &json,
+Uptane::BaseMeta::BaseMeta(RepositoryType repo, const Role &role, const Json::Value &json,
                            const std::shared_ptr<MetaWithKeys> &signer) {
   if (!json.isObject() || !json.isMember("signed")) {
     throw Uptane::InvalidMetadata("", "", "invalid metadata json");
@@ -303,7 +303,7 @@ void Uptane::Targets::init(const Json::Value &json) {
 
 Uptane::Targets::Targets(const Json::Value &json) : MetaWithKeys(json) { init(json); }
 
-Uptane::Targets::Targets(RepositoryType repo, const Role role, const Json::Value &json,
+Uptane::Targets::Targets(RepositoryType repo, const Role &role, const Json::Value &json,
                          const std::shared_ptr<MetaWithKeys> &signer)
     : MetaWithKeys(repo, role, json, signer), name_(role.ToString()) {
   init(json);
diff --git a/src/libaktualizr/uptane/tuf.h b/src/libaktualizr/uptane/tuf.h
index 0d13dd9679..b9bc41ba69 100644
--- a/src/libaktualizr/uptane/tuf.h
+++ b/src/libaktualizr/uptane/tuf.h
@@ -309,7 +309,7 @@ class BaseMeta {
  public:
   BaseMeta() = default;
   explicit BaseMeta(const Json::Value &json);
-  BaseMeta(RepositoryType repo, Role role, const Json::Value &json, const std::shared_ptr<MetaWithKeys> &signer);
+  BaseMeta(RepositoryType repo, const Role &role, const Json::Value &json, const std::shared_ptr<MetaWithKeys> &signer);
   int version() const { return version_; }
   TimeStamp expiry() const { return expiry_; }
   bool isExpired(const TimeStamp &now) const { return expiry_.IsExpiredAt(now); }
@@ -339,7 +339,8 @@ class MetaWithKeys : public BaseMeta {
    * @param json - The contents of the 'signed' portion
    */
   MetaWithKeys(const Json::Value &json);
-  MetaWithKeys(RepositoryType repo, Role role, const Json::Value &json, const std::shared_ptr<MetaWithKeys> &signer);
+  MetaWithKeys(RepositoryType repo, const Role &role, const Json::Value &json,
+               const std::shared_ptr<MetaWithKeys> &signer);
 
   virtual ~MetaWithKeys() = default;
 
@@ -361,7 +362,7 @@ class MetaWithKeys : public BaseMeta {
    * @param signed_object
    * @return
    */
-  virtual void UnpackSignedObject(RepositoryType repo, Role role, const Json::Value &signed_object);
+  virtual void UnpackSignedObject(RepositoryType repo, const Role &role, const Json::Value &signed_object);
 
   bool operator==(const MetaWithKeys &rhs) const {
     return version_ == rhs.version_ && expiry_ == rhs.expiry_ && keys_ == rhs.keys_ &&
@@ -407,7 +408,7 @@ class Root : public MetaWithKeys {
    * @param signed_object
    * @return
    */
-  void UnpackSignedObject(RepositoryType repo, Role role, const Json::Value &signed_object) override;
+  void UnpackSignedObject(RepositoryType repo, const Role &role, const Json::Value &signed_object) override;
 
   bool operator==(const Root &rhs) const {
     return version_ == rhs.version_ && expiry_ == rhs.expiry_ && keys_ == rhs.keys_ &&
@@ -423,7 +424,7 @@ class Root : public MetaWithKeys {
 class Targets : public MetaWithKeys {
  public:
   explicit Targets(const Json::Value &json);
-  Targets(RepositoryType repo, Role role, const Json::Value &json, const std::shared_ptr<MetaWithKeys> &signer);
+  Targets(RepositoryType repo, const Role &role, const Json::Value &json, const std::shared_ptr<MetaWithKeys> &signer);
   Targets() = default;
   ~Targets() override = default;