diff --git a/include/sdsl/int_vector.hpp b/include/sdsl/int_vector.hpp
index 940caa136..682e49be7 100644
--- a/include/sdsl/int_vector.hpp
+++ b/include/sdsl/int_vector.hpp
@@ -870,14 +870,6 @@ class int_vector_iterator : public int_vector_iterator_base<t_int_vector>
             int_vector_iterator_base<t_int_vector>(v, idx),
             m_word((v != nullptr) ? v->m_data + (idx>>6) : nullptr) {}
 
-
-        int_vector_iterator(const int_vector_iterator<t_int_vector>& it) :
-            int_vector_iterator_base<t_int_vector>(it), m_word(it.m_word)
-        {
-            m_offset = it.m_offset;
-            m_len = it.m_len;
-        }
-
         reference operator*() const
         {
             return reference(m_word, m_offset, m_len);
@@ -947,16 +939,6 @@ class int_vector_iterator : public int_vector_iterator_base<t_int_vector>
             return *this;
         }
 
-        iterator& operator=(const int_vector_iterator<t_int_vector>& it)
-        {
-            if (this != &it) {
-                m_word   = it.m_word;
-                m_offset = it.m_offset;
-                m_len    = it.m_len;
-            }
-            return *this;
-        }
-
         iterator operator+(difference_type i) const
         {
             iterator it = *this;
@@ -1038,8 +1020,6 @@ class int_vector_const_iterator : public int_vector_iterator_base<t_int_vector>
         template<class X>
         friend typename int_vector_const_iterator<X>::difference_type
         operator-(const int_vector_const_iterator<X>& x, const int_vector_const_iterator<X>& y);
-        friend class int_vector_iterator<t_int_vector>;
-        friend class int_vector_iterator_base<t_int_vector>;
 
     private:
 
@@ -1054,27 +1034,20 @@ class int_vector_const_iterator : public int_vector_iterator_base<t_int_vector>
             int_vector_iterator_base<t_int_vector>(v, idx),
             m_word((v != nullptr) ? v->m_data + (idx>>6) : nullptr) {}
 
-        int_vector_const_iterator(const int_vector_const_iterator& it):
-            int_vector_iterator_base<t_int_vector>(it), m_word(it.m_word)
-        {
-            m_offset = it.m_offset;
-            m_len = it.m_len;
-        }
-
         int_vector_const_iterator(const int_vector_iterator<t_int_vector>& it):
-            m_word(it.m_word)
+            int_vector_iterator_base<t_int_vector>(it), m_word(it.m_word) {}
+
+        int_vector_const_iterator& operator=(const int_vector_iterator<t_int_vector>& it)
         {
+            m_word   = it.m_word;
             m_offset = it.m_offset;
-            m_len = it.m_len;
+            m_len    = it.m_len;
+            return *this;
         }
 
         const_reference operator*() const
         {
-            if (m_offset+m_len <= 64) {
-                return ((*m_word)>>m_offset)&bits::lo_set[m_len];
-            }
-            return ((*m_word)>>m_offset) |
-                   ((*(m_word+1) & bits::lo_set[(m_offset+m_len)&0x3F])<<(64-m_offset));
+            return bits::read_int(m_word, m_offset, m_len);
         }
 
         //! Prefix increment of the Iterator