diff --git a/opm/parser/eclipse/EclipseState/Schedule/Schedule.cpp b/opm/parser/eclipse/EclipseState/Schedule/Schedule.cpp
index c68be31c6..51887b6ef 100644
--- a/opm/parser/eclipse/EclipseState/Schedule/Schedule.cpp
+++ b/opm/parser/eclipse/EclipseState/Schedule/Schedule.cpp
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ namespace Opm {
         m_rootGroupTree( this->m_timeMap, GroupTree{} ),
         m_oilvaporizationproperties( this->m_timeMap, OilVaporizationProperties{} ),
         m_events( this->m_timeMap ),
-        m_modifierDeck( this->m_timeMap, nullptr ),
+        m_modifierDeck( this->m_timeMap, Deck{} ),
         m_tuning( this->m_timeMap ),
         m_messageLimits( this->m_timeMap ),
         m_phases(phases)
@@ -237,18 +237,8 @@ namespace Opm {
             else if (geoModifiers.find( keyword.name() ) != geoModifiers.end()) {
                 bool supported = geoModifiers.at( keyword.name() );
                 if (supported) {
-                    /*
-                      If the deck stored at currentStep is a null pointer (i.e. evaluates
-                      to false) we must first create a new deck and install that under
-                      index currentstep; then we fetch the deck (newly created - or old)
-                      from the container and add the keyword.
-                    */
-                    if (!m_modifierDeck.iget(currentStep))
-                        m_modifierDeck.iset( currentStep , std::make_shared<Deck>( ));
-
-                    m_modifierDeck.iget( currentStep )->addKeyword( keyword );
+                    this->m_modifierDeck[ currentStep ].addKeyword( keyword );
                     m_events.addEvent( ScheduleEvents::GEO_MODIFIER , currentStep);
-
                 } else {
                     std::string msg = "OPM does not support grid property modifier " + keyword.name() + " in the Schedule section. Error at report: " + std::to_string( currentStep );
                     parseContext.handleError( ParseContext::UNSUPPORTED_SCHEDULE_GEO_MODIFIER , m_messages, msg );
@@ -1577,7 +1567,7 @@ namespace Opm {
       return this->m_tuning;
     }
 
-    std::shared_ptr<const Deck> Schedule::getModifierDeck(size_t timeStep) const {
+    const Deck& Schedule::getModifierDeck(size_t timeStep) const {
         return m_modifierDeck.iget( timeStep );
     }
 
diff --git a/opm/parser/eclipse/EclipseState/Schedule/Schedule.hpp b/opm/parser/eclipse/EclipseState/Schedule/Schedule.hpp
index e27e6e387..a9b5ddc32 100644
--- a/opm/parser/eclipse/EclipseState/Schedule/Schedule.hpp
+++ b/opm/parser/eclipse/EclipseState/Schedule/Schedule.hpp
@@ -87,7 +87,7 @@ namespace Opm
 
         const Events& getEvents() const;
         bool hasOilVaporizationProperties();
-        std::shared_ptr<const Deck> getModifierDeck(size_t timeStep) const;
+        const Deck& getModifierDeck(size_t timeStep) const;
         const MessageContainer& getMessageContainer() const;
         MessageContainer& getMessageContainer();
 
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@ namespace Opm
         DynamicState< GroupTree > m_rootGroupTree;
         DynamicState< OilVaporizationProperties > m_oilvaporizationproperties;
         Events m_events;
-        DynamicVector<std::shared_ptr<Deck> > m_modifierDeck;
+        DynamicVector< Deck > m_modifierDeck;
         Tuning m_tuning;
         MessageLimits m_messageLimits;
         Phases m_phases;
diff --git a/opm/parser/eclipse/EclipseState/Schedule/tests/GeomodifierTests.cpp b/opm/parser/eclipse/EclipseState/Schedule/tests/GeomodifierTests.cpp
index 743d64b9c..0648d136c 100644
--- a/opm/parser/eclipse/EclipseState/Schedule/tests/GeomodifierTests.cpp
+++ b/opm/parser/eclipse/EclipseState/Schedule/tests/GeomodifierTests.cpp
@@ -84,21 +84,21 @@ BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE( CheckUnsoppertedInSCHEDULE ) {
         BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL( false , events.hasEvent( ScheduleEvents::GEO_MODIFIER , 3 ));
 
 
-        BOOST_CHECK( !schedule.getModifierDeck(1) );
-        BOOST_CHECK( !schedule.getModifierDeck(3) );
+        BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL( 0U, schedule.getModifierDeck(1).size() );
+        BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL( 0U, schedule.getModifierDeck(3).size() );
 
-        std::shared_ptr<const Deck> multflt_deck = schedule.getModifierDeck(2);
-        BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL( 2U , multflt_deck->size());
-        BOOST_CHECK( multflt_deck->hasKeyword<ParserKeywords::MULTFLT>() );
+        const Deck& multflt_deck = schedule.getModifierDeck(2);
+        BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL( 2U , multflt_deck.size());
+        BOOST_CHECK( multflt_deck.hasKeyword<ParserKeywords::MULTFLT>() );
 
-        const auto& multflt1 = multflt_deck->getKeyword(0);
+        const auto& multflt1 = multflt_deck.getKeyword(0);
         BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL( 1U , multflt1.size( ) );
 
         const auto& record0 = multflt1.getRecord( 0 );
         BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL( 100.0  , record0.getItem<ParserKeywords::MULTFLT::factor>().get< double >(0));
         BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL( "F1" , record0.getItem<ParserKeywords::MULTFLT::fault>().get< std::string >(0));
 
-        const auto& multflt2 = multflt_deck->getKeyword(1);
+        const auto& multflt2 = multflt_deck.getKeyword(1);
         BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL( 1U , multflt2.size( ) );
 
         const auto& record1 = multflt2.getRecord( 0 );
diff --git a/opm/parser/eclipse/IntegrationTests/TransMultIntegrationTests.cpp b/opm/parser/eclipse/IntegrationTests/TransMultIntegrationTests.cpp
index 60600b1db..8c3653198 100644
--- a/opm/parser/eclipse/IntegrationTests/TransMultIntegrationTests.cpp
+++ b/opm/parser/eclipse/IntegrationTests/TransMultIntegrationTests.cpp
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE(MULTFLT_IN_SCHEDULE) {
     BOOST_CHECK( events.hasEvent( ScheduleEvents::GEO_MODIFIER , 3 ) );
     {
         const auto& mini_deck = schedule.getModifierDeck(3);
-        state.applyModifierDeck( *mini_deck );
+        state.applyModifierDeck( mini_deck );
     }
     BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL( 2.00 , trans.getMultiplier( 2,2,0,FaceDir::XPlus ));
     BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL( 0.10 , trans.getMultiplier( 3,2,0,FaceDir::XPlus ));