diff --git a/opm/simulators/linalg/ParallelIstlInformation.cpp b/opm/simulators/linalg/ParallelIstlInformation.cpp
index 79ac900e09..910489be5f 100644
--- a/opm/simulators/linalg/ParallelIstlInformation.cpp
+++ b/opm/simulators/linalg/ParallelIstlInformation.cpp
@@ -130,8 +130,9 @@ computeLocalReduction(const std::tuple<Containers...>& containers,
         // in this regard in the future.
         //auto newVal = container.begin();
         auto mask   = ownerMask.begin();
-        auto& value = std::get<I>(values);
-        value = reduceOperator.getInitialValue();
+        using ValueType = std::tuple_element_t<I, std::tuple<ReturnValues...> >;
+        ValueType& value = std::get<I>(values);
+        value = reduceOperator.template getInitialValue<ValueType>();
 
         for (auto endVal = ownerMask.end(); mask != endVal; /*++newVal,*/ ++mask )
         {
diff --git a/opm/simulators/linalg/ParallelIstlInformation.hpp b/opm/simulators/linalg/ParallelIstlInformation.hpp
index 0c0ce15e0b..4037c10af6 100644
--- a/opm/simulators/linalg/ParallelIstlInformation.hpp
+++ b/opm/simulators/linalg/ParallelIstlInformation.hpp
@@ -156,11 +156,6 @@ private:
     template<typename BinaryOperator>
     struct MaskIDOperator
     {
-        // This is a real nice one: numeric limits needs a type without const
-        // or reference qualifier. Otherwise we get complete nonesense.
-        typedef typename std::remove_cv<
-            typename std::remove_reference<typename BinaryOperator::result_type>::type
-            >::type Result;
         /// \brief Apply the underlying binary operator according to the mask.
         ///
         /// The BinaryOperator will be called with t1, and mask*t2.
@@ -181,9 +176,10 @@ private:
         {
             return b_;
         }
-        Result getInitialValue()
+        template<class T>
+        T getInitialValue()
         {
-            return Result();
+            return T{};
         }
     private:
         BinaryOperator b_;
@@ -214,9 +210,10 @@ private:
         {
             return std::plus<T>();
         }
-        T getInitialValue()
+        template<class V, std::enable_if_t<std::is_convertible_v<T, V>, int> = 0>
+        V getInitialValue()
         {
-            return T();
+            return T{};
         }
     };
 
@@ -228,12 +225,6 @@ private:
     template<typename BinaryOperator>
     struct MaskToMinOperator
     {
-        // This is a real nice one: numeric limits has to a type without const
-        // or reference. Otherwise we get complete nonesense.
-        typedef typename std::remove_reference<
-            typename std::remove_const<typename BinaryOperator::result_type>::type
-            >::type Result;
-
         explicit MaskToMinOperator(BinaryOperator b)
         : b_(b)
         {}
@@ -257,22 +248,13 @@ private:
             }
             else
             {
-                return getInitialValue();
+                return getInitialValue<T>();
             }
         }
-        Result getInitialValue()
+        template<class T>
+        T getInitialValue()
         {
-            //g++-4.4 does not support std::numeric_limits<T>::lowest();
-            // we rely on IEE 754 for floating point values and use min()
-            // for integral types.
-            if( std::is_integral<Result>::value )
-            {
-                return std::numeric_limits<Result>::min();
-            }
-            else
-            {
-                return -std::numeric_limits<Result>::max();
-            }
+            return std::numeric_limits<T>::lowest();
         }
         /// \brief Get the underlying binary operator.
         ///
@@ -292,12 +274,6 @@ private:
     template<typename BinaryOperator>
     struct MaskToMaxOperator
     {
-        // This is a real nice one: numeric limits has to a type without const
-        // or reference. Otherwise we get complete nonesense.
-        typedef typename std::remove_cv<
-            typename std::remove_reference<typename BinaryOperator::result_type>::type
-            >::type Result;
-
         explicit MaskToMaxOperator(BinaryOperator b)
         : b_(b)
         {}
@@ -328,9 +304,10 @@ private:
         {
             return b_;
         }
-        Result getInitialValue()
+        template<class T>
+        T getInitialValue()
         {
-            return std::numeric_limits<Result>::max();
+            return std::numeric_limits<T>::max();
         }
     private:
         BinaryOperator b_;