diff --git a/gtsam/linear/VectorValues.cpp b/gtsam/linear/VectorValues.cpp
index eb92228e5..0a25617e4 100644
--- a/gtsam/linear/VectorValues.cpp
+++ b/gtsam/linear/VectorValues.cpp
@@ -96,16 +96,6 @@ namespace gtsam {
     return result.first;
   }
 
-  /* ************************************************************************* */
-  std::pair<VectorValues::iterator, bool> VectorValues::emplace(Key j, const Vector& value) {
-#ifdef TBB_GREATER_EQUAL_2020
-    std::pair<iterator, bool> result = values_.emplace(j, value);
-#else
-    std::pair<iterator, bool> result = values_.insert(std::make_pair(j, value));
-#endif
-    return result;
-  }
-
   /* ************************************************************************* */
   void VectorValues::update(const VectorValues& values)
   {
diff --git a/gtsam/linear/VectorValues.h b/gtsam/linear/VectorValues.h
index e11e98cce..5db4462e1 100644
--- a/gtsam/linear/VectorValues.h
+++ b/gtsam/linear/VectorValues.h
@@ -179,7 +179,13 @@ namespace gtsam {
      *  j is already used.
      * @param value The vector to be inserted.
      * @param j The index with which the value will be associated. */
-    std::pair<VectorValues::iterator, bool> emplace(Key j, const Vector& value);
+    std::pair<VectorValues::iterator, bool> emplace(Key j, const Vector& value) {
+#if ! defined(GTSAM_USE_TBB) || defined (TBB_GREATER_EQUAL_2020)
+      return values_.emplace(j, value);
+#else
+      return values_.insert(std::make_pair(j, value));
+#endif
+    }
 
     /** Insert a vector \c value with key \c j.  Throws an invalid_argument exception if the key \c
      *  j is already used.
@@ -197,7 +203,7 @@ namespace gtsam {
      *  and an iterator to the existing value is returned, along with 'false'.  If the value did not
      *  exist, it is inserted and an iterator pointing to the new element, along with 'true', is
      *  returned. */
-    std::pair<iterator, bool> tryInsert(Key j, const Vector& value) {
+    inline std::pair<iterator, bool> tryInsert(Key j, const Vector& value) {
 #ifdef TBB_GREATER_EQUAL_2020
       return values_.emplace(j, value);
 #else
diff --git a/gtsam/linear/linearAlgorithms-inst.h b/gtsam/linear/linearAlgorithms-inst.h
index 57d26f5dc..e339347f1 100644
--- a/gtsam/linear/linearAlgorithms-inst.h
+++ b/gtsam/linear/linearAlgorithms-inst.h
@@ -103,7 +103,7 @@ namespace gtsam
                   throw std::invalid_argument(
                       "Requested to emplace variable '" + DefaultKeyFormatter(*frontal)
                       + "' already in this VectorValues.");
-              
+
               VectorValues::const_iterator r = result.first;
               myData.cliqueResults.emplace(r->first, r);
               vectorPosition += c.getDim(frontal);