diff --git a/gtsam/inference/BayesTreeCliqueBase.h b/gtsam/inference/BayesTreeCliqueBase.h
index edde8dedc..7038ac228 100644
--- a/gtsam/inference/BayesTreeCliqueBase.h
+++ b/gtsam/inference/BayesTreeCliqueBase.h
@@ -217,10 +217,14 @@ namespace gtsam {
     void deleteCachedShorcuts();
 
     /** return cached shortcut of the clique */
-    const boost::optional<BayesNet<ConditionalType> > cachedShortcut() const {
+    const boost::optional<BayesNet<ConditionalType> >& cachedShortcut() const {
       return cachedShortcut_;
     }
 
+    const boost::optional<FactorGraph<FactorType> >& cachedSeparatorMarginal() const {
+    	return cachedSeparatorMarginal_;
+    }
+
     friend class BayesTree<ConditionalType, DerivedType> ;
 
   protected: