diff --git a/include/boost/numeric/ublas/matrix_expression.hpp b/include/boost/numeric/ublas/matrix_expression.hpp
index 2f19c544..dfe6dc73 100644
--- a/include/boost/numeric/ublas/matrix_expression.hpp
+++ b/include/boost/numeric/ublas/matrix_expression.hpp
@@ -275,6 +275,11 @@ namespace boost { namespace numeric { namespace ublas {
 #endif
 
         // Assignment
+        BOOST_UBLAS_INLINE
+        matrix_reference &operator = (const matrix_reference &m) {
+            expression ().operator = (m);
+            return *this;
+        }
         template<class AE>
         BOOST_UBLAS_INLINE
         matrix_reference &operator = (const matrix_expression<AE> &ae) {
@@ -324,6 +329,20 @@ namespace boost { namespace numeric { namespace ublas {
             return *this;
         }
 
+         // Swapping
+        BOOST_UBLAS_INLINE
+        void swap (matrix_reference &v) {
+            if (this != &v) {
+                expression ().swap (v.expression ());
+            }
+        }
+#ifndef BOOST_UBLAS_NO_MEMBER_FRIENDS
+        BOOST_UBLAS_INLINE
+        friend void swap (matrix_reference &m1, matrix_reference &m2) {
+            m1.swap (m2);
+        }
+#endif
+
         // Closure comparison
         BOOST_UBLAS_INLINE
         bool same_closure (const matrix_reference &mr) const {
diff --git a/include/boost/numeric/ublas/vector_expression.hpp b/include/boost/numeric/ublas/vector_expression.hpp
index 4b455283..74928340 100644
--- a/include/boost/numeric/ublas/vector_expression.hpp
+++ b/include/boost/numeric/ublas/vector_expression.hpp
@@ -289,6 +289,11 @@ namespace boost { namespace numeric { namespace ublas {
 #endif
 
         // Assignment
+        BOOST_UBLAS_INLINE
+        vector_reference &operator = (const vector_reference &v) {
+            expression ().operator = (v);
+            return *this;
+        }
         template<class AE>
         BOOST_UBLAS_INLINE
         vector_reference &operator = (const vector_expression<AE> &ae) {
@@ -338,6 +343,20 @@ namespace boost { namespace numeric { namespace ublas {
             return *this;
         }
 
+        // Swapping
+        BOOST_UBLAS_INLINE
+        void swap (vector_reference &v) {
+            if (this != &v) {
+                expression ().swap (v.expression ());
+            }
+        }
+#ifndef BOOST_UBLAS_NO_MEMBER_FRIENDS
+        BOOST_UBLAS_INLINE
+        friend void swap (vector_reference &v1, vector_reference &v2) {
+            v1.swap (v2);
+        }
+#endif
+
         // Closure comparison
         BOOST_UBLAS_INLINE
         bool same_closure (const vector_reference &vr) const {