diff --git a/common/include/physfsx.h b/common/include/physfsx.h
index a82504ef1..1f96e3a29 100644
--- a/common/include/physfsx.h
+++ b/common/include/physfsx.h
@@ -402,13 +402,13 @@ define_read_helper(fix, PHYSFSX_readFix, PHYSFS_readSLE32);
 define_read_helper(fixang, PHYSFSX_readFixAng, PHYSFS_readSLE16);
 #define PHYSFSX_readFixAng(F)	((PHYSFSX_readFixAng)(__func__, __LINE__, (F)))
 
-static inline void PHYSFSX_readVector(const char *func, const unsigned line, vms_vector *v, PHYSFS_file *file)
+static inline void PHYSFSX_readVector(const char *func, const unsigned line, PHYSFS_file *file, vms_vector &v)
 {
-	v->x = (PHYSFSX_readFix)(func, line, file);
-	v->y = (PHYSFSX_readFix)(func, line, file);
-	v->z = (PHYSFSX_readFix)(func, line, file);
+	v.x = (PHYSFSX_readFix)(func, line, file);
+	v.y = (PHYSFSX_readFix)(func, line, file);
+	v.z = (PHYSFSX_readFix)(func, line, file);
 }
-#define PHYSFSX_readVector(V,F)	((PHYSFSX_readVector(__func__, __LINE__, (V), (F))))
+#define PHYSFSX_readVector(F,V)	PHYSFSX_readVector(__func__, __LINE__, (F), (V))
 
 static inline void PHYSFSX_readAngleVec(const char *func, const unsigned line, vms_angvec *v, PHYSFS_file *file)
 {
@@ -420,9 +420,9 @@ static inline void PHYSFSX_readAngleVec(const char *func, const unsigned line, v
 
 static inline void PHYSFSX_readMatrix(const char *func, const unsigned line, vms_matrix *m,PHYSFS_file *file)
 {
-	(PHYSFSX_readVector)(func, line, &m->rvec,file);
-	(PHYSFSX_readVector)(func, line, &m->uvec,file);
-	(PHYSFSX_readVector)(func, line, &m->fvec,file);
+	(PHYSFSX_readVector)(func, line, file, m->rvec);
+	(PHYSFSX_readVector)(func, line, file, m->uvec);
+	(PHYSFSX_readVector)(func, line, file, m->fvec);
 }
 
 #define PHYSFSX_readMatrix(M,F)	((PHYSFSX_readMatrix)(__func__, __LINE__, (M), (F)))
diff --git a/d1x-rebirth/main/custom.cpp b/d1x-rebirth/main/custom.cpp
index a18c7eedc..2794c13b6 100644
--- a/d1x-rebirth/main/custom.cpp
+++ b/d1x-rebirth/main/custom.cpp
@@ -366,7 +366,7 @@ static int read_d2_robot_info(PHYSFS_file *fp, robot_info *ri)
 	ri->model_num = PHYSFSX_readInt(fp);
 
 	for (j = 0; j < MAX_GUNS; j++)
-		PHYSFSX_readVector(&ri->gun_points[j], fp);
+		PHYSFSX_readVector(fp, ri->gun_points[j]);
 	for (j = 0; j < MAX_GUNS; j++)
 		ri->gun_submodels[j] = PHYSFSX_readByte(fp);
 	ri->exp1_vclip_num = PHYSFSX_readShort(fp);
diff --git a/similar/main/bm.cpp b/similar/main/bm.cpp
index fdec04772..8a603e21c 100644
--- a/similar/main/bm.cpp
+++ b/similar/main/bm.cpp
@@ -225,9 +225,9 @@ void properties_read_cmp(PHYSFS_file * fp)
 	Reactors[0].n_guns = PHYSFSX_readInt(fp);
 
 	for (i = 0; i < MAX_CONTROLCEN_GUNS; i++)
-		PHYSFSX_readVector(&Reactors[0].gun_points[i], fp);
+		PHYSFSX_readVector(fp, Reactors[0].gun_points[i]);
 	for (i = 0; i < MAX_CONTROLCEN_GUNS; i++)
-		PHYSFSX_readVector(&Reactors[0].gun_dirs[i], fp);
+		PHYSFSX_readVector(fp, Reactors[0].gun_dirs[i]);
 
 	exit_modelnum = PHYSFSX_readInt(fp);	
 	destroyed_exit_modelnum = PHYSFSX_readInt(fp);
diff --git a/similar/main/cntrlcen.cpp b/similar/main/cntrlcen.cpp
index fd460d28e..d7fab92e9 100644
--- a/similar/main/cntrlcen.cpp
+++ b/similar/main/cntrlcen.cpp
@@ -537,9 +537,9 @@ int reactor_read_n(reactor *r, int n, PHYSFS_file *fp)
 		r[i].model_num = PHYSFSX_readInt(fp);
 		r[i].n_guns = PHYSFSX_readInt(fp);
 		for (j = 0; j < MAX_CONTROLCEN_GUNS; j++)
-			PHYSFSX_readVector(&(r[i].gun_points[j]), fp);
+			PHYSFSX_readVector(fp, r[i].gun_points[j]);
 		for (j = 0; j < MAX_CONTROLCEN_GUNS; j++)
-			PHYSFSX_readVector(&(r[i].gun_dirs[j]), fp);
+			PHYSFSX_readVector(fp, r[i].gun_dirs[j]);
 	}
 	return i;
 }
diff --git a/similar/main/gamemine.cpp b/similar/main/gamemine.cpp
index 066322314..6f0e6f02d 100644
--- a/similar/main/gamemine.cpp
+++ b/similar/main/gamemine.cpp
@@ -904,7 +904,7 @@ int load_mine_data_compiled(PHYSFS_file *LoadFile)
 	Assert( Num_segments <= MAX_SEGMENTS );
 
 	range_for (auto &i, partial_range(Vertices, Num_vertices))
-		PHYSFSX_readVector( &(i), LoadFile);
+		PHYSFSX_readVector(LoadFile, i);
 
 	for (segnum_t segnum=0; segnum < Num_segments; segnum++ )	{
 
diff --git a/similar/main/gamesave.cpp b/similar/main/gamesave.cpp
index 3435d611a..c660b47fa 100644
--- a/similar/main/gamesave.cpp
+++ b/similar/main/gamesave.cpp
@@ -385,13 +385,13 @@ static void read_object(object *obj,PHYSFS_file *f,int version)
 	obj->segnum         = PHYSFSX_readShort(f);
 	obj->attached_obj   = object_none;
 
-	PHYSFSX_readVector(&obj->pos,f);
+	PHYSFSX_readVector(f, obj->pos);
 	PHYSFSX_readMatrix(&obj->orient,f);
 
 	obj->size           = PHYSFSX_readFix(f);
 	obj->shields        = PHYSFSX_readFix(f);
 
-	PHYSFSX_readVector(&obj->last_pos,f);
+	PHYSFSX_readVector(f, obj->last_pos);
 
 	obj->contains_type  = PHYSFSX_readByte(f);
 	obj->contains_id    = PHYSFSX_readByte(f);
@@ -401,15 +401,15 @@ static void read_object(object *obj,PHYSFS_file *f,int version)
 
 		case MT_PHYSICS:
 
-			PHYSFSX_readVector(&obj->mtype.phys_info.velocity,f);
-			PHYSFSX_readVector(&obj->mtype.phys_info.thrust,f);
+			PHYSFSX_readVector(f, obj->mtype.phys_info.velocity);
+			PHYSFSX_readVector(f, obj->mtype.phys_info.thrust);
 
 			obj->mtype.phys_info.mass		= PHYSFSX_readFix(f);
 			obj->mtype.phys_info.drag		= PHYSFSX_readFix(f);
 			PHYSFSX_readFix(f);	/* brakes */
 
-			PHYSFSX_readVector(&obj->mtype.phys_info.rotvel,f);
-			PHYSFSX_readVector(&obj->mtype.phys_info.rotthrust,f);
+			PHYSFSX_readVector(f, obj->mtype.phys_info.rotvel);
+			PHYSFSX_readVector(f, obj->mtype.phys_info.rotthrust);
 
 			obj->mtype.phys_info.turnroll	= PHYSFSX_readFixAng(f);
 			obj->mtype.phys_info.flags		= PHYSFSX_readShort(f);
@@ -418,7 +418,7 @@ static void read_object(object *obj,PHYSFS_file *f,int version)
 
 		case MT_SPINNING:
 
-			PHYSFSX_readVector(&obj->mtype.spin_rate,f);
+			PHYSFSX_readVector(f, obj->mtype.spin_rate);
 			break;
 
 		case MT_NONE:
diff --git a/similar/main/player.cpp b/similar/main/player.cpp
index 567ce59f5..2511938df 100644
--- a/similar/main/player.cpp
+++ b/similar/main/player.cpp
@@ -70,5 +70,5 @@ void player_ship_read(player_ship *ps, PHYSFS_file *fp)
 	ps->wiggle = PHYSFSX_readFix(fp);
 	ps->max_rotthrust = PHYSFSX_readFix(fp);
 	for (int i = 0; i < N_PLAYER_GUNS; i++)
-		PHYSFSX_readVector(&(ps->gun_points[i]), fp);
+		PHYSFSX_readVector(fp, ps->gun_points[i]);
 }
diff --git a/similar/main/robot.cpp b/similar/main/robot.cpp
index e21de2b9d..73da91bb3 100644
--- a/similar/main/robot.cpp
+++ b/similar/main/robot.cpp
@@ -248,7 +248,7 @@ int robot_info_read_n(robot_info *ri, int n, PHYSFS_file *fp)
 		ri[i].n_guns = PHYSFSX_readInt(fp);
 #endif
 		for (j = 0; j < MAX_GUNS; j++)
-			PHYSFSX_readVector(&(ri[i].gun_points[j]), fp);
+			PHYSFSX_readVector(fp, ri[i].gun_points[j]);
 		for (j = 0; j < sizeof(ri[i].gun_submodels) / sizeof(ri[i].gun_submodels[0]); j++)
 			ri[i].gun_submodels[j] = PHYSFSX_readByte(fp);