diff --git a/internal/ceres/program.h b/internal/ceres/program.h
index 7f2fc9d..6b9190d 100644
--- a/internal/ceres/program.h
+++ b/internal/ceres/program.h
@@ -131,7 +131,11 @@
 
   // Removes constant parameter blocks and residual blocks with no
   // varying parameter blocks while preserving order.
-  // TODO(sameeragarwal): Update message here.
+  //
+  // WARNING: It is the caller's responsibility to track ownership of
+  // the parameter and residual blocks removed from the
+  // program. Generally speaking this method should only be called on
+  // a copy of an existing program.
   bool RemoveFixedBlocks(vector<double*>* removed_parameter_blocks,
                          double* fixed_cost,
                          string* message);
diff --git a/internal/ceres/program_test.cc b/internal/ceres/program_test.cc
index 79adfa6..f273872 100644
--- a/internal/ceres/program_test.cc
+++ b/internal/ceres/program_test.cc
@@ -88,15 +88,15 @@
   problem.AddResidualBlock(new BinaryCostFunction(), NULL, &x, &y);
   problem.AddResidualBlock(new TernaryCostFunction(), NULL, &x, &y, &z);
 
-  Program* program = problem.mutable_program();
+  Program program(problem.program());
   vector<double*> removed_parameter_blocks;
   double fixed_cost = 0.0;
   string message;
-  EXPECT_TRUE(program->RemoveFixedBlocks(&removed_parameter_blocks,
-                                         &fixed_cost,
-                                         &message));
-  EXPECT_EQ(program->NumParameterBlocks(), 3);
-  EXPECT_EQ(program->NumResidualBlocks(), 3);
+  EXPECT_TRUE(program.RemoveFixedBlocks(&removed_parameter_blocks,
+                                        &fixed_cost,
+                                        &message));
+  EXPECT_EQ(program.NumParameterBlocks(), 3);
+  EXPECT_EQ(program.NumResidualBlocks(), 3);
   EXPECT_EQ(removed_parameter_blocks.size(), 0);
   EXPECT_EQ(fixed_cost, 0.0);
 }
@@ -109,15 +109,15 @@
   problem.AddResidualBlock(new UnaryCostFunction(), NULL, &x);
   problem.SetParameterBlockConstant(&x);
 
-  Program* program = problem.mutable_program();
+  Program program(problem.program());
   vector<double*> removed_parameter_blocks;
   double fixed_cost = 0.0;
   string message;
-  EXPECT_TRUE(program->RemoveFixedBlocks(&removed_parameter_blocks,
-                                         &fixed_cost,
-                                         &message));
-  EXPECT_EQ(program->NumParameterBlocks(), 0);
-  EXPECT_EQ(program->NumResidualBlocks(), 0);
+  EXPECT_TRUE(program.RemoveFixedBlocks(&removed_parameter_blocks,
+                                        &fixed_cost,
+                                        &message));
+  EXPECT_EQ(program.NumParameterBlocks(), 0);
+  EXPECT_EQ(program.NumResidualBlocks(), 0);
   EXPECT_EQ(removed_parameter_blocks.size(), 1);
   EXPECT_EQ(removed_parameter_blocks[0], &x);
   EXPECT_EQ(fixed_cost, 9.0);
@@ -134,15 +134,15 @@
   problem.AddParameterBlock(&y, 1);
   problem.AddParameterBlock(&z, 1);
 
-  Program* program = problem.mutable_program();
+  Program program(problem.program());
   vector<double*> removed_parameter_blocks;
   double fixed_cost = 0.0;
   string message;
-  EXPECT_TRUE(program->RemoveFixedBlocks(&removed_parameter_blocks,
-                                         &fixed_cost,
-                                         &message));
-  EXPECT_EQ(program->NumParameterBlocks(), 0);
-  EXPECT_EQ(program->NumResidualBlocks(), 0);
+  EXPECT_TRUE(program.RemoveFixedBlocks(&removed_parameter_blocks,
+                                        &fixed_cost,
+                                        &message));
+  EXPECT_EQ(program.NumParameterBlocks(), 0);
+  EXPECT_EQ(program.NumResidualBlocks(), 0);
   EXPECT_EQ(removed_parameter_blocks.size(), 3);
   EXPECT_EQ(fixed_cost, 0.0);
 }
@@ -161,15 +161,15 @@
   problem.AddResidualBlock(new BinaryCostFunction(), NULL, &x, &y);
   problem.SetParameterBlockConstant(&x);
 
-  Program* program = problem.mutable_program();
+  Program program(problem.program());
   vector<double*> removed_parameter_blocks;
   double fixed_cost = 0.0;
   string message;
-  EXPECT_TRUE(program->RemoveFixedBlocks(&removed_parameter_blocks,
-                                         &fixed_cost,
-                                         &message));
-  EXPECT_EQ(program->NumParameterBlocks(), 1);
-  EXPECT_EQ(program->NumResidualBlocks(), 1);
+  EXPECT_TRUE(program.RemoveFixedBlocks(&removed_parameter_blocks,
+                                        &fixed_cost,
+                                        &message));
+  EXPECT_EQ(program.NumParameterBlocks(), 1);
+  EXPECT_EQ(program.NumResidualBlocks(), 1);
 }
 
 TEST(Program, RemoveFixedBlocksNumEliminateBlocks) {
@@ -186,15 +186,15 @@
   problem.AddResidualBlock(new BinaryCostFunction(), NULL, &x, &y);
   problem.SetParameterBlockConstant(&x);
 
-  Program* program = problem.mutable_program();
+  Program program(problem.program());
   vector<double*> removed_parameter_blocks;
   double fixed_cost = 0.0;
   string message;
-  EXPECT_TRUE(program->RemoveFixedBlocks(&removed_parameter_blocks,
-                                         &fixed_cost,
-                                         &message));
-  EXPECT_EQ(program->NumParameterBlocks(), 2);
-  EXPECT_EQ(program->NumResidualBlocks(), 2);
+  EXPECT_TRUE(program.RemoveFixedBlocks(&removed_parameter_blocks,
+                                        &fixed_cost,
+                                        &message));
+  EXPECT_EQ(program.NumParameterBlocks(), 2);
+  EXPECT_EQ(program.NumResidualBlocks(), 2);
 }
 
 TEST(Program, RemoveFixedBlocksFixedCost) {
@@ -211,10 +211,10 @@
   problem.AddResidualBlock(new BinaryCostFunction(), NULL, &x, &y);
   problem.SetParameterBlockConstant(&x);
 
-  Program* program = problem.mutable_program();
+  Program program(problem.program());
 
   double expected_fixed_cost;
-  ResidualBlock *expected_removed_block = program->residual_blocks()[0];
+  ResidualBlock *expected_removed_block = program.residual_blocks()[0];
   scoped_array<double> scratch(
       new double[expected_removed_block->NumScratchDoublesForEvaluate()]);
   expected_removed_block->Evaluate(true,
@@ -226,12 +226,12 @@
   vector<double*> removed_parameter_blocks;
   double fixed_cost = 0.0;
   string message;
-  EXPECT_TRUE(program->RemoveFixedBlocks(&removed_parameter_blocks,
-                                         &fixed_cost,
-                                         &message));
+  EXPECT_TRUE(program.RemoveFixedBlocks(&removed_parameter_blocks,
+                                        &fixed_cost,
+                                        &message));
 
-  EXPECT_EQ(program->NumParameterBlocks(), 2);
-  EXPECT_EQ(program->NumResidualBlocks(), 2);
+  EXPECT_EQ(program.NumParameterBlocks(), 2);
+  EXPECT_EQ(program.NumResidualBlocks(), 2);
   EXPECT_DOUBLE_EQ(fixed_cost, expected_fixed_cost);
 }