diff --git a/src/util/meta.hpp b/src/util/meta.hpp
index 210cb43926fe412be9669176e55e598c673e056b..40f08d481f23199e8e06a47fc41acdd58fdab8c9 100644
--- a/src/util/meta.hpp
+++ b/src/util/meta.hpp
@@ -55,12 +55,6 @@ struct sequence_traits {
     using const_sentinel = decltype(cend(std::declval<Seq&>()));
 };
 
-template <typename X>
-std::size_t size(const X& x) { return x.size(); }
-
-template <typename X, std::size_t N>
-constexpr std::size_t size(X (&)[N]) { return N; }
-
 // Convenience short cuts
 
 template <typename T>
diff --git a/src/util/transform.hpp b/src/util/transform.hpp
index f7d9fed04c721f09611757c84c54e5f13cd15942..d6c930dbdc2cb653e94433ff0424fdc5612cbe3f 100644
--- a/src/util/transform.hpp
+++ b/src/util/transform.hpp
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ public:
     using reference = const value_type&;
 
     template <typename J, typename G>
-    transform_iterator(J&& c, G&& g): inner_{std::forward<J>(c)}, f_{std::forward<G>(g)} {}
+    transform_iterator(J&& c, G&& g): inner_(std::forward<J>(c)), f_(std::forward<G>(g)) {}
 
     transform_iterator(const transform_iterator&) = default;
     transform_iterator(transform_iterator&&) = default;
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_nop.cpp b/tests/unit/test_nop.cpp
index e3571ad827555e23040658f3f7275f3bcf53d9d0..0ee03db24fb4fccfba67dea587cc3ad83c2e3a30 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_nop.cpp
+++ b/tests/unit/test_nop.cpp
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 using namespace nest::mc::util;
 
 TEST(nop, void_fn) {
-    std::function<void ()> f{nop_function};
+    std::function<void ()> f(nop_function);
 
     EXPECT_TRUE(f);
     f(); // should do nothing
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ TEST(nop, void_fn) {
     EXPECT_FALSE(flag);
 
     // with some arguments
-    std::function<void (int, int)> g{nop_function};
+    std::function<void (int, int)> g(nop_function);
     EXPECT_TRUE(g);
     g(2, 3); // should do nothing
 
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ struct check_default {
 };
 
 TEST(nop, default_return_fn) {
-    std::function<check_default ()> f{nop_function};
+    std::function<check_default ()> f(nop_function);
 
     EXPECT_TRUE(f);
     auto result = f();
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ TEST(nop, default_return_fn) {
     result = f();
     EXPECT_EQ(result.value, 100);
 
-    std::function<check_default (double, double)> g{nop_function};
+    std::function<check_default (double, double)> g(nop_function);
 
     EXPECT_TRUE(g);
     result = g(1.4, 1.5);