diff --git a/src/hash.h b/src/hash.h
index db4e130ae..88926ab31 100644
--- a/src/hash.h
+++ b/src/hash.h
@@ -138,9 +138,8 @@ public:
 
     CHashWriter(int nTypeIn, int nVersionIn) : nType(nTypeIn), nVersion(nVersionIn) {}
 
-    CHashWriter& write(const char *pch, size_t size) {
+    void write(const char *pch, size_t size) {
         ctx.Write((const unsigned char*)pch, size);
-        return (*this);
     }
 
     // invalidates the object
diff --git a/src/script/bitcoinconsensus.cpp b/src/script/bitcoinconsensus.cpp
index 1d0ca0c5a..4e2358d9a 100644
--- a/src/script/bitcoinconsensus.cpp
+++ b/src/script/bitcoinconsensus.cpp
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ public:
     m_remaining(txToLen)
     {}
 
-    TxInputStream& read(char* pch, size_t nSize)
+    void read(char* pch, size_t nSize)
     {
         if (nSize > m_remaining)
             throw std::ios_base::failure(std::string(__func__) + ": end of data");
@@ -37,7 +37,6 @@ public:
         memcpy(pch, m_data, nSize);
         m_remaining -= nSize;
         m_data += nSize;
-        return *this;
     }
 
     template<typename T>
diff --git a/src/serialize.h b/src/serialize.h
index 82870c45b..f8e82edf8 100644
--- a/src/serialize.h
+++ b/src/serialize.h
@@ -943,10 +943,9 @@ public:
 
     CSizeComputer(int nTypeIn, int nVersionIn) : nSize(0), nType(nTypeIn), nVersion(nVersionIn) {}
 
-    CSizeComputer& write(const char *psz, size_t nSize)
+    void write(const char *psz, size_t nSize)
     {
         this->nSize += nSize;
-        return *this;
     }
 
     template<typename T>
diff --git a/src/streams.h b/src/streams.h
index c66a99651..582443ab4 100644
--- a/src/streams.h
+++ b/src/streams.h
@@ -255,7 +255,7 @@ public:
     void SetVersion(int n)       { nVersion = n; }
     int GetVersion()             { return nVersion; }
 
-    CDataStream& read(char* pch, size_t nSize)
+    void read(char* pch, size_t nSize)
     {
         // Read from the beginning of the buffer
         unsigned int nReadPosNext = nReadPos + nSize;
@@ -268,14 +268,13 @@ public:
             memcpy(pch, &vch[nReadPos], nSize);
             nReadPos = 0;
             vch.clear();
-            return (*this);
+            return;
         }
         memcpy(pch, &vch[nReadPos], nSize);
         nReadPos = nReadPosNext;
-        return (*this);
     }
 
-    CDataStream& ignore(int nSize)
+    void ignore(int nSize)
     {
         // Ignore from the beginning of the buffer
         if (nSize < 0) {
@@ -288,17 +287,15 @@ public:
                 throw std::ios_base::failure("CDataStream::ignore(): end of data");
             nReadPos = 0;
             vch.clear();
-            return (*this);
+            return;
         }
         nReadPos = nReadPosNext;
-        return (*this);
     }
 
-    CDataStream& write(const char* pch, size_t nSize)
+    void write(const char* pch, size_t nSize)
     {
         // Write to the end of the buffer
         vch.insert(vch.end(), pch, pch + nSize);
-        return (*this);
     }
 
     template<typename Stream>
@@ -433,16 +430,15 @@ public:
     void SetVersion(int n)       { nVersion = n; }
     int GetVersion()             { return nVersion; }
 
-    CAutoFile& read(char* pch, size_t nSize)
+    void read(char* pch, size_t nSize)
     {
         if (!file)
             throw std::ios_base::failure("CAutoFile::read: file handle is NULL");
         if (fread(pch, 1, nSize, file) != nSize)
             throw std::ios_base::failure(feof(file) ? "CAutoFile::read: end of file" : "CAutoFile::read: fread failed");
-        return (*this);
     }
 
-    CAutoFile& ignore(size_t nSize)
+    void ignore(size_t nSize)
     {
         if (!file)
             throw std::ios_base::failure("CAutoFile::ignore: file handle is NULL");
@@ -453,16 +449,14 @@ public:
                 throw std::ios_base::failure(feof(file) ? "CAutoFile::ignore: end of file" : "CAutoFile::read: fread failed");
             nSize -= nNow;
         }
-        return (*this);
     }
 
-    CAutoFile& write(const char* pch, size_t nSize)
+    void write(const char* pch, size_t nSize)
     {
         if (!file)
             throw std::ios_base::failure("CAutoFile::write: file handle is NULL");
         if (fwrite(pch, 1, nSize, file) != nSize)
             throw std::ios_base::failure("CAutoFile::write: write failed");
-        return (*this);
     }
 
     template<typename T>
@@ -563,7 +557,7 @@ public:
     }
 
     // read a number of bytes
-    CBufferedFile& read(char *pch, size_t nSize) {
+    void read(char *pch, size_t nSize) {
         if (nSize + nReadPos > nReadLimit)
             throw std::ios_base::failure("Read attempted past buffer limit");
         if (nSize + nRewind > vchBuf.size())
@@ -582,7 +576,6 @@ public:
             pch += nNow;
             nSize -= nNow;
         }
-        return (*this);
     }
 
     // return the current reading position