diff --git a/libs/openFrameworks/types/ofParameter.cpp b/libs/openFrameworks/types/ofParameter.cpp
index b9d72a17420..a5ce77d25dd 100644
--- a/libs/openFrameworks/types/ofParameter.cpp
+++ b/libs/openFrameworks/types/ofParameter.cpp
@@ -43,6 +43,10 @@ vector<string> ofAbstractParameter::getGroupHierarchyNames() const{
 	return hierarchy;
 }
 
+bool ofAbstractParameter::isReferenceTo(const ofAbstractParameter &other) const{
+	return getInternalObject() == other.getInternalObject();
+}
+
 ostream& operator<<(ostream& os, const ofAbstractParameter& p){
 	os << p.toString();
 	return os;
diff --git a/libs/openFrameworks/types/ofParameter.h b/libs/openFrameworks/types/ofParameter.h
index c2ec05aecb0..6c67d399265 100644
--- a/libs/openFrameworks/types/ofParameter.h
+++ b/libs/openFrameworks/types/ofParameter.h
@@ -52,10 +52,13 @@ class ofAbstractParameter{
 	virtual bool isReadOnly() const = 0;
 	virtual shared_ptr<ofAbstractParameter> newReference() const = 0;
 
+	virtual bool isReferenceTo(const ofAbstractParameter& other) const;
+
 protected:
 	virtual const ofParameterGroup getFirstParent() const = 0;
 	virtual void setSerializable(bool serializable)=0;
 	virtual string escape(const string& str) const;
+	virtual const void* getInternalObject() const = 0;
 };
 
 
@@ -88,19 +91,6 @@ class ofParameterGroup: public ofAbstractParameter {
 	void remove(std::size_t index);
 	void remove(const std::string& name);
 
-	template<typename ParameterType>
-	void remove(ofParameter<ParameterType>& param){
-		std::for_each(obj->parameters.begin(), obj->parameters.end(), [&](shared_ptr<ofAbstractParameter>& p){
-			if(p->type() == param.type()){
-				auto other = static_pointer_cast<ofParameter<ParameterType>>(p);
-				if(param.isReferenceTo(*other)){
-					remove(param.getName());
-				}
-			}
-		});
-	}
-
-
 	void clear();
 
 	const ofParameter<bool> & getBool(const string& name) const;
@@ -226,6 +216,9 @@ class ofParameterGroup: public ofAbstractParameter {
 	vector<shared_ptr<ofAbstractParameter> >::const_reverse_iterator rbegin() const;
 	vector<shared_ptr<ofAbstractParameter> >::const_reverse_iterator rend() const;
 
+protected:
+	const void* getInternalObject() const;
+
 private:
 	class Value{
 	public:
@@ -501,8 +494,6 @@ class ofParameter: public ofAbstractParameter{
 	void setSerializable(bool serializable);
 	shared_ptr<ofAbstractParameter> newReference() const;
 
-	bool isReferenceTo(const ofParameter<ParameterType>& other);
-
 	void setParent(ofParameterGroup & _parent);
 
 	const ofParameterGroup getFirstParent() const{
@@ -518,6 +509,9 @@ class ofParameter: public ofAbstractParameter{
 
 	size_t getNumListeners() const;
 
+protected:
+	const void* getInternalObject() const;
+
 private:
 	class Value{
 	public:
@@ -903,11 +897,6 @@ shared_ptr<ofAbstractParameter> ofParameter<ParameterType>::newReference() const
 	return std::make_shared<ofParameter<ParameterType>>(*this);
 }
 
-template<typename ParameterType>
-bool ofParameter<ParameterType>::isReferenceTo(const ofParameter<ParameterType> &other){
-	return obj == other.obj;
-}
-
 template<typename ParameterType>
 void ofParameter<ParameterType>::setParent(ofParameterGroup & parent){
 	obj->parents.emplace_back(parent.obj);
@@ -918,6 +907,11 @@ size_t ofParameter<ParameterType>::getNumListeners() const{
 	return obj->changedE.size();
 }
 
+template<typename ParameterType>
+const void* ofParameter<ParameterType>::getInternalObject() const{
+	return obj.get();
+}
+
 template<>
 class ofParameter<void>: public ofAbstractParameter{
 public:
@@ -965,6 +959,12 @@ class ofParameter<void>: public ofAbstractParameter{
 		}
 	}
 	size_t getNumListeners() const;
+
+protected:
+	const void* getInternalObject() const{
+		return obj.get();
+	}
+
 private:
 	class Value{
 	public:
@@ -1084,6 +1084,10 @@ class ofReadOnlyParameter: public ofAbstractParameter{
 		return parameter.getFirstParent();
 	}
 
+	const void* getInternalObject() const{
+		return parameter.getInternalObject();
+	}
+
 
 	ofParameter<ParameterType> parameter;
 	
diff --git a/libs/openFrameworks/types/ofParameterGroup.cpp b/libs/openFrameworks/types/ofParameterGroup.cpp
index 86c534e24fa..5975710387b 100644
--- a/libs/openFrameworks/types/ofParameterGroup.cpp
+++ b/libs/openFrameworks/types/ofParameterGroup.cpp
@@ -20,8 +20,7 @@ void ofParameterGroup::add(ofAbstractParameter & parameter){
 
 void ofParameterGroup::remove(ofAbstractParameter &param){
 	std::for_each(obj->parameters.begin(), obj->parameters.end(), [&](shared_ptr<ofAbstractParameter>& p){
-		//TODO: this is unsafe because it does not actually compare the two parameters
-		if(p->type() == param.type() && p->getName() == param.getName()){
+		if(p->isReferenceTo(param)){
 			remove(param.getName());
 		}
 	});
@@ -431,6 +430,10 @@ bool ofParameterGroup::isReadOnly() const{
 	return false;
 }
 
+const void* ofParameterGroup::getInternalObject() const{
+	return obj.get();
+}
+
 shared_ptr<ofAbstractParameter> ofParameterGroup::newReference() const{
 	return std::make_shared<ofParameterGroup>(*this);
 }
@@ -475,3 +478,4 @@ vector<shared_ptr<ofAbstractParameter> >::const_reverse_iterator ofParameterGrou
 	return obj->parameters.rend();
 }
 
+