diff --git a/src/OpenFOAM/fields/GeometricFields/GeometricField/GeometricField.C b/src/OpenFOAM/fields/GeometricFields/GeometricField/GeometricField.C
index 1925bbbe12..453e9b4785 100644
--- a/src/OpenFOAM/fields/GeometricFields/GeometricField/GeometricField.C
+++ b/src/OpenFOAM/fields/GeometricFields/GeometricField/GeometricField.C
@@ -991,6 +991,17 @@ Foam::GeometricField<Type, PatchField, GeoMesh>::boundaryFieldRef()
 }
 
 
+template<class Type, template<class> class PatchField, class GeoMesh>
+typename
+Foam::GeometricField<Type, PatchField, GeoMesh>::Boundary&
+Foam::GeometricField<Type, PatchField, GeoMesh>::
+boundaryFieldRefNoStoreOldTimes()
+{
+    this->setUpToDate();
+    return boundaryField_;
+}
+
+
 template<class Type, template<class> class PatchField, class GeoMesh>
 void Foam::GeometricField<Type, PatchField, GeoMesh>::storePrevIter() const
 {
diff --git a/src/OpenFOAM/fields/GeometricFields/GeometricField/GeometricField.H b/src/OpenFOAM/fields/GeometricFields/GeometricField/GeometricField.H
index 23934ea75f..6f458d805d 100644
--- a/src/OpenFOAM/fields/GeometricFields/GeometricField/GeometricField.H
+++ b/src/OpenFOAM/fields/GeometricFields/GeometricField/GeometricField.H
@@ -404,6 +404,10 @@ public:
         //  old-time fields; avoid in loops.
         Boundary& boundaryFieldRef();
 
+        //- Return a reference to the boundary field without storing old times
+        //  Note: this increments the event counter; avoid in loops.
+        Boundary& boundaryFieldRefNoStoreOldTimes();
+
         //- Return const-reference to the boundary field
         inline const Boundary& boundaryField() const;
 
diff --git a/src/finiteVolume/fvMesh/fvMeshStitchers/fvMeshStitcher/fvMeshStitcher.C b/src/finiteVolume/fvMesh/fvMeshStitchers/fvMeshStitcher/fvMeshStitcher.C
index 426fc6f141..5c17fac148 100644
--- a/src/finiteVolume/fvMesh/fvMeshStitchers/fvMeshStitcher/fvMeshStitcher.C
+++ b/src/finiteVolume/fvMesh/fvMeshStitchers/fvMeshStitcher/fvMeshStitcher.C
@@ -1977,7 +1977,7 @@ void Foam::fvMeshStitcher::postUnconformVolFields()
             const label origPatchi = origPatchIndices[i];
 
             typename volVectorField::Patch& origUp =
-                boundaryFieldRefNoUpdate(U)[origPatchi];
+                U.boundaryFieldRefNoStoreOldTimes()[origPatchi];
 
             if
             (
@@ -1985,7 +1985,7 @@ void Foam::fvMeshStitcher::postUnconformVolFields()
              || isA<movingWallSlipVelocityFvPatchVectorField>(origUp)
             )
             {
-                boundaryFieldRefNoUpdate(U).set
+                U.boundaryFieldRefNoStoreOldTimes().set
                 (
                     errorPatchi,
                     new movingWallSlipVelocityFvPatchVectorField
@@ -2020,7 +2020,7 @@ void Foam::fvMeshStitcher::postUnconformVolFields()
         {
             if (isA<nonConformalFvPatch>(mesh_.boundary()[patchi]))
             {
-                boundaryFieldRefNoUpdate(Uf)[patchi] ==
+                Uf.boundaryFieldRefNoStoreOldTimes()[patchi] ==
                     UfInterpolated.boundaryField()[patchi];
             }
         }
diff --git a/src/finiteVolume/fvMesh/fvMeshStitchers/fvMeshStitcher/fvMeshStitcher.H b/src/finiteVolume/fvMesh/fvMeshStitchers/fvMeshStitcher/fvMeshStitcher.H
index 5e89958ca4..51b891f299 100644
--- a/src/finiteVolume/fvMesh/fvMeshStitchers/fvMeshStitcher/fvMeshStitcher.H
+++ b/src/finiteVolume/fvMesh/fvMeshStitchers/fvMeshStitcher/fvMeshStitcher.H
@@ -369,15 +369,6 @@ protected:
 
     // Protected Member Functions
 
-        //- Access the boundary field reference of a field, without updating
-        //  the time index, storing old time fields, etc...
-        template<class GeoField>
-        static typename GeoField::Boundary& boundaryFieldRefNoUpdate
-        (
-            GeoField& fld
-        );
-
-
         // Checking
 
             //- Determine which patches are coupled; i.e., for which
diff --git a/src/finiteVolume/fvMesh/fvMeshStitchers/fvMeshStitcher/fvMeshStitcherTemplates.C b/src/finiteVolume/fvMesh/fvMeshStitchers/fvMeshStitcher/fvMeshStitcherTemplates.C
index c1a920de05..72de01fe91 100644
--- a/src/finiteVolume/fvMesh/fvMeshStitchers/fvMeshStitcher/fvMeshStitcherTemplates.C
+++ b/src/finiteVolume/fvMesh/fvMeshStitchers/fvMeshStitcher/fvMeshStitcherTemplates.C
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ void Foam::fvMeshStitcher::resizePatchFields()
         forAll(mesh_.boundary(), patchi)
         {
             typename GeoField<Type>::Patch& pf =
-                boundaryFieldRefNoUpdate(fields[i])[patchi];
+                fields[i].boundaryFieldRefNoStoreOldTimes()[patchi];
 
             if (isA<nonConformalFvPatch>(pf.patch()))
             {
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ void Foam::fvMeshStitcher::preConformSurfaceFields()
         {
             conformedFvsPatchField<Type>::conform
             (
-                boundaryFieldRefNoUpdate(field.oldTime(ti))
+                field.oldTimeRef(ti).boundaryFieldRefNoStoreOldTimes()
             );
         }
     }
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ void Foam::fvMeshStitcher::preConformVolFields()
         {
             conformedFvPatchField<Type>::conform
             (
-                boundaryFieldRefNoUpdate(field.oldTime(ti))
+                field.oldTimeRef(ti).boundaryFieldRefNoStoreOldTimes()
             );
         }
     }
@@ -120,7 +120,7 @@ void Foam::fvMeshStitcher::postUnconformSurfaceFields()
         {
             conformedFvsPatchField<Type>::unconform
             (
-                boundaryFieldRefNoUpdate(field.oldTime(ti))
+                field.oldTimeRef(ti).boundaryFieldRefNoStoreOldTimes()
             );
         }
     }
@@ -140,7 +140,7 @@ void Foam::fvMeshStitcher::postUnconformVolFields()
         {
             conformedFvPatchField<Type>::unconform
             (
-                boundaryFieldRefNoUpdate(field.oldTime(ti))
+                field.oldTimeRef(ti).boundaryFieldRefNoStoreOldTimes()
             );
         }
     }
@@ -170,7 +170,7 @@ void Foam::fvMeshStitcher::postUnconformEvaluateVolFields()
         forAll(mesh_.boundary(), patchi)
         {
             typename VolField<Type>::Patch& pf =
-                boundaryFieldRefNoUpdate(fields[i])[patchi];
+                fields[i].boundaryFieldRefNoStoreOldTimes()[patchi];
 
             if (evaluate(pf))
             {
@@ -190,7 +190,7 @@ void Foam::fvMeshStitcher::postUnconformEvaluateVolFields()
         forAll(mesh_.boundary(), patchi)
         {
             typename VolField<Type>::Patch& pf =
-                boundaryFieldRefNoUpdate(fields[i])[patchi];
+                fields[i].boundaryFieldRefNoStoreOldTimes()[patchi];
 
             if (evaluate(pf))
             {
@@ -201,16 +201,4 @@ void Foam::fvMeshStitcher::postUnconformEvaluateVolFields()
 }
 
 
-// * * * * * * * * * * * * Protected Member Functions  * * * * * * * * * * * //
-
-template<class GeoField>
-typename GeoField::Boundary& Foam::fvMeshStitcher::boundaryFieldRefNoUpdate
-(
-    GeoField& fld
-)
-{
-    return const_cast<typename GeoField::Boundary&>(fld.boundaryField());
-}
-
-
 // ************************************************************************* //
diff --git a/src/fvMeshStitchers/moving/fvMeshStitchersMoving.C b/src/fvMeshStitchers/moving/fvMeshStitchersMoving.C
index 2453ff85ef..c0d26846d9 100644
--- a/src/fvMeshStitchers/moving/fvMeshStitchersMoving.C
+++ b/src/fvMeshStitchers/moving/fvMeshStitchersMoving.C
@@ -1030,7 +1030,7 @@ void Foam::fvMeshStitchers::moving::unconformCorrectMeshPhi
     for (label i = 0; i <= phi.nOldTimes(false); ++ i)
     {
         surfaceScalarField::Boundary& phi0Bf =
-            boundaryFieldRefNoUpdate(phi.oldTime(i));
+            phi.oldTimeRef(i).boundaryFieldRefNoStoreOldTimes();
 
         forAll(polyFacesBf, ncPatchi)
         {