diff --git a/pandatool/src/mayaegg/mayaBlendDesc.cxx b/pandatool/src/mayaegg/mayaBlendDesc.cxx
index 765e83a8c5..6563280b76 100644
--- a/pandatool/src/mayaegg/mayaBlendDesc.cxx
+++ b/pandatool/src/mayaegg/mayaBlendDesc.cxx
@@ -23,8 +23,8 @@ TypeHandle MayaBlendDesc::_type_handle;
 //  Description: 
 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 MayaBlendDesc::
-MayaBlendDesc(MFnBlendShapeDeformer deformer, int weight_index) :
-  _deformer(deformer),
+MayaBlendDesc(MFnBlendShapeDeformer &deformer, int weight_index) :
+  _deformer(deformer.object()),
   _weight_index(weight_index)
 {
   ostringstream strm;
diff --git a/pandatool/src/mayaegg/mayaBlendDesc.h b/pandatool/src/mayaegg/mayaBlendDesc.h
index d2586d0eb6..6e7b43dd5a 100644
--- a/pandatool/src/mayaegg/mayaBlendDesc.h
+++ b/pandatool/src/mayaegg/mayaBlendDesc.h
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ class EggSAnimData;
 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 class MayaBlendDesc : public ReferenceCount, public Namable {
 public:
-  MayaBlendDesc(MFnBlendShapeDeformer deformer, int weight_index);
+  MayaBlendDesc(MFnBlendShapeDeformer &deformer, int weight_index);
   ~MayaBlendDesc();
 
   void set_slider(PN_stdfloat value);
diff --git a/pandatool/src/mayaegg/mayaEggLoader.cxx b/pandatool/src/mayaegg/mayaEggLoader.cxx
index 2417658345..c8df00139f 100755
--- a/pandatool/src/mayaegg/mayaEggLoader.cxx
+++ b/pandatool/src/mayaegg/mayaEggLoader.cxx
@@ -370,7 +370,7 @@ MayaEggGroup *MayaEggLoader::MakeGroup(EggGroup *group, EggGroup *context)
     MMatrix mat(matData);
 
     MTransformationMatrix matrix = MTransformationMatrix(mat);
-    MFnTransform tFn = MFnTransform(result->_group, &status);
+    MFnTransform tFn(result->_group, &status);
     if (status != MStatus::kSuccess) {
       status.perror("MFnTransformNode:create failed!");
     } else {
diff --git a/pandatool/src/mayaegg/mayaToEggConverter.cxx b/pandatool/src/mayaegg/mayaToEggConverter.cxx
index 98fd4c4ee9..fc3b5a0f67 100644
--- a/pandatool/src/mayaegg/mayaToEggConverter.cxx
+++ b/pandatool/src/mayaegg/mayaToEggConverter.cxx
@@ -2360,7 +2360,7 @@ get_vertex_weights(const MDagPath &dag_path, const MFnMesh &mesh,
           status.perror("Can't find connected Joint");
         } else {
           MObject jointObj = matrix_pa[0].node();
-          MFnIkJoint jointFn = MFnIkJoint(jointObj, &status);
+          MFnIkJoint jointFn(jointObj, &status);
           if (!status) {
             status.perror("Can't find connected JointDag");
           } else {