diff --git a/gtsam/nonlinear/LinearContainerFactor.cpp b/gtsam/nonlinear/LinearContainerFactor.cpp
index 238fc9d41..8cae3d3d3 100644
--- a/gtsam/nonlinear/LinearContainerFactor.cpp
+++ b/gtsam/nonlinear/LinearContainerFactor.cpp
@@ -104,8 +104,10 @@ size_t LinearContainerFactor::dim() const {
 
 /* ************************************************************************* */
 GaussianFactor::shared_ptr LinearContainerFactor::linearize(const Values& c) const {
+  // Clone factor and update as necessary
+  GaussianFactor::shared_ptr linFactor = factor_->clone();
   if (!hasLinearizationPoint())
-    return factor_;
+    return linFactor;
 
   // Extract subset of values
   Values subsetC;
@@ -115,8 +117,7 @@ GaussianFactor::shared_ptr LinearContainerFactor::linearize(const Values& c) con
   // Determine delta between linearization points using new ordering
   VectorValues delta = linearizationPoint_->localCoordinates(subsetC);
 
-  // clone and reorder linear factor to final ordering
-  GaussianFactor::shared_ptr linFactor = factor_->clone();
+  // Apply changes due to relinearization
   if (isJacobian()) {
     JacobianFactor::shared_ptr jacFactor = boost::dynamic_pointer_cast<JacobianFactor>(linFactor);
     jacFactor->getb() = -jacFactor->unweighted_error(delta);
diff --git a/gtsam/nonlinear/LinearContainerFactor.h b/gtsam/nonlinear/LinearContainerFactor.h
index 379821cfe..d1420d029 100644
--- a/gtsam/nonlinear/LinearContainerFactor.h
+++ b/gtsam/nonlinear/LinearContainerFactor.h
@@ -79,9 +79,8 @@ public:
 
   /**
    * Linearize to a GaussianFactor, with method depending on the presence of a linearizationPoint
-   *  - With no linearization point, returns a reordered, but numerically identical,
-   *  version of the existing stored linear factor
-   *  - With a linearization point provided, returns a reordered and relinearized version of
+   *  - With no linearization point, returns a cloned version of the stored linear factor.
+   *  - With a linearization point provided, returns a relinearized version of
    *  the linearized factor.
    *
    * The relinearization approach used computes a linear delta between the original linearization
@@ -97,13 +96,12 @@ public:
   GaussianFactor::shared_ptr linearize(const Values& c) const;
 
   /**
-   * Creates an anti-factor directly and performs rekeying due to ordering
+   * Creates an anti-factor directly
    */
   GaussianFactor::shared_ptr negateToGaussian() const;
 
   /**
-   * Creates the equivalent anti-factor as another LinearContainerFactor,
-   * so it remains independent of ordering.
+   * Creates the equivalent anti-factor as another LinearContainerFactor.
    */
   NonlinearFactor::shared_ptr negateToNonlinear() const;