diff --git a/applications/test/dimField/Make/files b/applications/test/dimField/Make/files
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..8289e2ec00
--- /dev/null
+++ b/applications/test/dimField/Make/files
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+Test-dimField.C
+
+EXE = $(FOAM_USER_APPBIN)/Test-dimField
diff --git a/applications/test/dimField/Make/options b/applications/test/dimField/Make/options
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..d27c95d033
--- /dev/null
+++ b/applications/test/dimField/Make/options
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+EXE_INC = \
+    -I$(LIB_SRC)/finiteVolume/lnInclude \
+    -I$(LIB_SRC)/meshTools/lnInclude
+
+EXE_LIBS = \
+    -lfiniteVolume \
+    -lmeshTools
diff --git a/applications/test/dimField/Test-dimField.C b/applications/test/dimField/Test-dimField.C
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..bc0c261782
--- /dev/null
+++ b/applications/test/dimField/Test-dimField.C
@@ -0,0 +1,110 @@
+/*---------------------------------------------------------------------------*\
+  =========                 |
+  \\      /  F ield         | OpenFOAM: The Open Source CFD Toolbox
+   \\    /   O peration     |
+    \\  /    A nd           | www.openfoam.com
+     \\/     M anipulation  |
+-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+    Copyright (C) 2020 OpenCFD Ltd.
+-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+License
+    This file is part of OpenFOAM.
+
+    OpenFOAM is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify it
+    under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+    the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
+    (at your option) any later version.
+
+    OpenFOAM is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT
+    ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or
+    FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU General Public License
+    for more details.
+
+    You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+    along with OpenFOAM.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+
+Application
+    Test-dimField
+
+Description
+    Simple tests for DimensionedField
+
+\*---------------------------------------------------------------------------*/
+
+#include "fvCFD.H"
+#include "GeometricFields.H"
+
+// #undef TEST_UINT8_FIELD
+
+#ifdef TEST_UINT8_FIELD
+namespace Foam
+{
+    // Something like an internal state field. Probably only dimensionless
+    typedef DimensionedField<uint8_t, volMesh> dimUint8Field;
+
+    defineTemplate2TypeNameAndDebug(dimUint8Field, 0);
+
+} // End namespace Foam
+#endif
+
+
+// * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * //
+
+int main(int argc, char *argv[])
+{
+    #include "setRootCase.H"
+    #include "createTime.H"
+    #include "createMesh.H"
+
+    {
+        Info<< "Tensor field\n" << endl;
+        DimensionedField<tensor, volMesh> tensorfld
+        (
+            IOobject
+            (
+                "tensor",
+                runTime.timeName(),
+                mesh,
+                IOobject::NO_READ,
+                IOobject::NO_WRITE
+            ),
+            mesh,
+            dimensioned<tensor>(dimless, tensor(1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9))
+        );
+
+        Info().beginBlock("transformed")
+            << tensorfld.T() << nl;
+        Info().endBlock();
+    }
+
+    #ifdef TEST_UINT8_FIELD
+    {
+        Info<< "uint8 field\n" << endl;
+        DimensionedField<uint8_t, volMesh> statefld
+        (
+            IOobject
+            (
+                "state",
+                runTime.timeName(),
+                mesh,
+                IOobject::NO_READ,
+                IOobject::NO_WRITE
+            ),
+            mesh,
+            dimensioned<uint8_t>(dimless, uint8_t{100})
+        );
+
+        Info().beginBlock("stateField")
+            << statefld << nl;
+        Info().endBlock();
+    }
+    #endif
+
+
+    Info<< "\nEnd\n" << nl;
+
+    return 0;
+}
+
+
+// ************************************************************************* //
diff --git a/applications/test/volField/Test-volField.C b/applications/test/volField/Test-volField.C
index 0e58235704..95307ceed4 100644
--- a/applications/test/volField/Test-volField.C
+++ b/applications/test/volField/Test-volField.C
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
      \\/     M anipulation  |
 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     Copyright (C) 2011-2016 OpenFOAM Foundation
-    Copyright (C) 2019 OpenCFD Ltd.
+    Copyright (C) 2019-2020 OpenCFD Ltd.
 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 License
     This file is part of OpenFOAM.
@@ -33,6 +33,20 @@ Application
 #include "GeometricFields.H"
 #include "transformGeometricField.H"
 
+// #undef TEST_UINT8_FIELD
+
+#ifdef TEST_UINT8_FIELD
+namespace Foam
+{
+    // Something like a state field. Probably only dimensionless
+    // - still needs some basic boundary conditions!!
+    typedef GeometricField<uint8_t, fvPatchField, volMesh> volUint8Field;
+
+    defineTemplate2TypeNameAndDebug(volUint8Field, 0);
+
+} // End namespace Foam
+#endif
+
 
 template<class GeoField>
 void setDims(UPtrList<GeoField>& list, const dimensionSet& ds)
@@ -159,7 +173,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 
     #include "createPhi.H"
 
-    GeometricField<symmTensor, fvPatchField, volMesh> st
+    volSymmTensorField st
     (
         IOobject
         (
@@ -170,11 +184,11 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
             IOobject::NO_WRITE
         ),
         mesh,
-        dimensioned<symmTensor>("st", dimless, symmTensor::one),
+        dimensioned<symmTensor>(dimless, symmTensor::one),
         zeroGradientFvPatchSymmTensorField::typeName
     );
 
-    GeometricField<tensor, fvPatchField, volMesh> tensf
+    volTensorField tensf
     (
         IOobject
         (
@@ -185,7 +199,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
             IOobject::NO_WRITE
         ),
         mesh,
-        dimensioned<tensor>("tf", dimless, tensor(1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9)),
+        dimensioned<tensor>(dimless, tensor(1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9)),
         zeroGradientFvPatchScalarField::typeName
     );
 
@@ -276,6 +290,31 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
     }
 
 
+    // Note: this is definitely not working, but added to help diagnose
+    // what is missing if we wish to proceed with this idea
+    #ifdef TEST_UINT8_FIELD
+    {
+        Info<< "uint8 field\n" << endl;
+        GeometricField<uint8_t, fvPatchField, volMesh> statefld
+        (
+            IOobject
+            (
+                "state",
+                runTime.timeName(),
+                mesh,
+                IOobject::NO_READ,
+                IOobject::NO_WRITE
+            ),
+            mesh,
+            dimensioned<uint8_t>(dimless, uint8_t{100})
+        );
+
+        Info().beginBlock("stateField")
+            << statefld << nl;
+        Info().endBlock();
+    }
+    #endif
+
     Info<< "\nEnd\n" << nl;
 
     return 0;
diff --git a/src/OpenFOAM/fields/DimensionedFields/DimensionedField/DimensionedField.C b/src/OpenFOAM/fields/DimensionedFields/DimensionedField/DimensionedField.C
index 17b50d374b..e7e9f06f83 100644
--- a/src/OpenFOAM/fields/DimensionedFields/DimensionedField/DimensionedField.C
+++ b/src/OpenFOAM/fields/DimensionedFields/DimensionedField/DimensionedField.C
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
      \\/     M anipulation  |
 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     Copyright (C) 2011-2016 OpenFOAM Foundation
-    Copyright (C) 2015-2019 OpenCFD Ltd.
+    Copyright (C) 2015-2020 OpenCFD Ltd.
 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 License
     This file is part of OpenFOAM.
@@ -437,7 +437,7 @@ Foam::DimensionedField<Type, GeoMesh>::T() const
         dimensions_
     );
 
-    Foam::T(tresult(), *this);
+    Foam::T(tresult.ref(), *this);
 
     return tresult;
 }