diff --git a/core/generator.cpp b/core/generator.cpp
index 8ed6d36f0..e45e399be 100644
--- a/core/generator.cpp
+++ b/core/generator.cpp
@@ -493,7 +493,7 @@ void PixmapRequest::setNormalizedRect( const NormalizedRect &rect )
     d->mNormalizedRect = rect;
 }
 
-const NormalizedRect PixmapRequest::normalizedRect() const
+const NormalizedRect& PixmapRequest::normalizedRect() const
 {
     return d->mNormalizedRect;
 }
diff --git a/core/generator.h b/core/generator.h
index 0601732b4..420bd41ac 100644
--- a/core/generator.h
+++ b/core/generator.h
@@ -608,7 +608,7 @@ class OKULAR_EXPORT PixmapRequest
          *
          * @since 0.16 (KDE 4.10)
          */
-        const NormalizedRect normalizedRect() const;
+        const NormalizedRect& normalizedRect() const;
 
     private:
         Q_DISABLE_COPY( PixmapRequest )