diff --git a/src/core/connections.jl b/src/core/connections.jl
index 4a5071bf7..35b1e725e 100644
--- a/src/core/connections.jl
+++ b/src/core/connections.jl
@@ -37,19 +37,6 @@ function disconnect_param!(obj::AbstractCompositeComponentDef, comp_name::Symbol
     disconnect_param!(obj, comp, param_name)
 end
 
-"""
-    disconnect_param!(obj::AbstractCompositeComponentDef, comp_path::ComponentPath, param_name::Symbol)
-
-Remove any parameter connections for a given parameter `param_name` in the component identified by
-`comp_path` which must be under the composite `obj`.
-"""
-function disconnect_param!(obj::AbstractCompositeComponentDef, comp_path::ComponentPath, param_name::Symbol)
-    if (comp_def = find_comp(obj, comp_path)) === nothing
-        return
-    end
-    disconnect_param!(obj, comp_def, param_name)
-end
-
 # Default string, string unit check function
 verify_units(unit1::AbstractString, unit2::AbstractString) = (unit1 == unit2)
 
@@ -129,7 +116,7 @@ function connect_param!(obj::AbstractCompositeComponentDef, comp_def::AbstractCo
 end
 
 """
-    connect_param!(obj::AbstractCompositeComponentDef,
+    _connect_param!(obj::AbstractCompositeComponentDef,
         dst_comp_path::ComponentPath, dst_par_name::Symbol,
         src_comp_path::ComponentPath, src_var_name::Symbol,
         backup::Union{Nothing, Array}=nothing;
@@ -142,18 +129,18 @@ check match units between the two.  The `offset` argument indicates the offset b
 the destination and the source ie. the value would be `1` if the destination component
 parameter should only be calculated for the second timestep and beyond.
 """
-function connect_param!(obj::AbstractCompositeComponentDef,
+function _connect_param!(obj::AbstractCompositeComponentDef,
                         dst_comp_path::ComponentPath, dst_par_name::Symbol,
                         src_comp_path::ComponentPath, src_var_name::Symbol,
                         backup::Union{Nothing, Array}=nothing;
                         ignoreunits::Bool=false, offset::Int=0)
 
-    # remove any existing connections for this dst parameter
-    disconnect_param!(obj, dst_comp_path, dst_par_name)  # calls dirty!()
-
     dst_comp_def = compdef(obj, dst_comp_path)
     src_comp_def = compdef(obj, src_comp_path)
 
+    # remove any existing connections for this dst parameter
+    disconnect_param!(obj, dst_comp_def, dst_par_name)  # calls dirty!()
+
     # @info "dst_comp_def: $dst_comp_def"
     # @info "src_comp_def: $src_comp_def"
 
@@ -242,7 +229,7 @@ function connect_param!(obj::AbstractCompositeComponentDef,
                         dst_comp_name::Symbol, dst_par_name::Symbol,
                         src_comp_name::Symbol, src_var_name::Symbol,
                         backup::Union{Nothing, Array}=nothing; ignoreunits::Bool=false, offset::Int=0)
-    connect_param!(obj, ComponentPath(obj, dst_comp_name), dst_par_name,
+    _connect_param!(obj, ComponentPath(obj, dst_comp_name), dst_par_name,
                         ComponentPath(obj, src_comp_name), src_var_name,
                         backup; ignoreunits=ignoreunits, offset=offset)
 end
diff --git a/src/core/defs.jl b/src/core/defs.jl
index ae2ac58e4..3476c9ee0 100644
--- a/src/core/defs.jl
+++ b/src/core/defs.jl
@@ -456,19 +456,6 @@ function set_param!(md::ModelDef, comp_name::Symbol, value_dict::Dict{Symbol, An
     end
 end
 
-"""
-    set_param!(md::ModelDef, comp_path::ComponentPath, param_name::Symbol,
-               value_dict::Dict{Symbol, Any}; dims=nothing)
-
-Call `set_param!()` with `param_name` and a value dict in which `value_dict[param_name]` references
-the value of parameter `param_name`.
-"""
-function set_param!(md::ModelDef, comp_name::Symbol, value_dict::Dict{Symbol, Any},
-                    param_name::Symbol; dims=nothing)
-    value = value_dict[param_name]
-    set_param!(md, comp_name, param_name, value, dims=dims)
-end
-
 function set_param!(md::ModelDef, comp_name::Symbol, param_name::Symbol, value; dims=nothing)
     set_param!(md, comp_name, param_name, param_name, value, dims=dims)
 end
diff --git a/src/core/model.jl b/src/core/model.jl
index 5c705f74c..bf8356d1c 100644
--- a/src/core/model.jl
+++ b/src/core/model.jl
@@ -35,38 +35,34 @@ is_built(mm::MarginalModel) = (is_built(mm.base) && is_built(mm.modified))
 @delegate add_connector_comps!(m::Model) => md
 
 """
-    connect_param!(m::Model, dst_comp_path::ComponentPath, dst_par_name::Symbol, src_comp_path::ComponentPath,
-        src_var_name::Symbol, backup::Union{Nothing, Array}=nothing; ignoreunits::Bool=false, offset::Int=0)
+    connect_param!(m::Model, dst_comp_name::Symbol, dst_par_name::Symbol, src_comp_name::Symbol, src_var_name::Symbol, 
+    backup::Union{Nothing, Array}=nothing; ignoreunits::Bool=false, offset::Int=0)
 
-Bind the parameter `dst_par_name` of one component `dst_comp_path` of model `md`
-to a variable `src_var_name` in another component `src_comp_path` of the same model
+Bind the parameter `dst_par_name` of one component `dst_comp_name` of model `m`
+to a variable `src_var_name` in another component `src_comp_name` of the same model
 using `backup` to provide default values and the `ignoreunits` flag to indicate the need
 to check match units between the two.  The `offset` argument indicates the offset
 between the destination and the source ie. the value would be `1` if the destination
 component parameter should only be calculated for the second timestep and beyond.
 """
-@delegate connect_param!(m::Model,
-                         dst_comp_path::ComponentPath, dst_par_name::Symbol,
-                         src_comp_path::ComponentPath, src_var_name::Symbol,
-                         backup::Union{Nothing, Array}=nothing;
-                         ignoreunits::Bool=false, offset::Int=0) => md
-
 @delegate connect_param!(m::Model,
                          dst_comp_name::Symbol, dst_par_name::Symbol,
                          src_comp_name::Symbol, src_var_name::Symbol,
                          backup::Union{Nothing, Array}=nothing;
                          ignoreunits::Bool=false, offset::Int=0) => md
 
-@delegate connect_param!(m::Model, comp_name::Symbol, param_name::Symbol, ext_param_name::Symbol) => md
-
-@delegate connect_param!(m::Model, dst::AbstractString, src::AbstractString, backup::Union{Nothing, Array}=nothing;
-                         ignoreunits::Bool=false, offset::Int=0) => md
+"""
+    connect_param!(m::Model, comp_name::Symbol, param_name::Symbol, ext_param_name::Symbol)
 
+Bind the parameter `param_name` in the component `comp_name` of model `m` to the external parameter 
+`ext_param_name` already present in the model's list of external parameters.
+"""
+@delegate connect_param!(m::Model, comp_name::Symbol, param_name::Symbol, ext_param_name::Symbol) => md
 
 """
     connect_param!(m::Model, dst::Pair{Symbol, Symbol}, src::Pair{Symbol, Symbol}, backup::Array; ignoreunits::Bool=false)
 
-Bind the parameter `dst[2]` of one component `dst[1]` of model `md`
+Bind the parameter `dst[2]` of one component `dst[1]` of model `m`
 to a variable `src[2]` in another component `src[1]` of the same model
 using `backup` to provide default values and the `ignoreunits` flag to indicate the need
 to check match units between the two.  The `offset` argument indicates the offset
@@ -80,7 +76,12 @@ function connect_param!(m::Model, dst::Pair{Symbol, Symbol}, src::Pair{Symbol, S
     connect_param!(m.md, dst[1], dst[2], src[1], src[2], backup; ignoreunits=ignoreunits, offset=offset)
 end
 
-@delegate disconnect_param!(m::Model, comp_path::ComponentPath, param_name::Symbol) => md
+"""
+    disconnect_param!(m::Model, comp_name::Symbol, param_name::Symbol)
+
+Remove any parameter connections for a given parameter `param_name` in a given component
+`comp_def` in model `m`.
+"""
 @delegate disconnect_param!(m::Model, comp_name::Symbol, param_name::Symbol) => md
 
 # TBD: these may not be needed as delegators
diff --git a/src/core/references.jl b/src/core/references.jl
index 69264b353..04627554b 100644
--- a/src/core/references.jl
+++ b/src/core/references.jl
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ end
 Connect two components as `connect_param!(dst, dst_name, src, src_name)`.
 """
 function connect_param!(dst::ComponentReference, dst_name::Symbol, src::ComponentReference, src_name::Symbol)
-    connect_param!(parent(dst), pathof(dst), dst_name, pathof(src), src_name)
+    _connect_param!(parent(dst), pathof(dst), dst_name, pathof(src), src_name)
 end
 
 """
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ end
 Connect two components with the same name as `connect_param!(dst, src, name)`.
 """
 function connect_param!(dst::ComponentReference, src::ComponentReference, name::Symbol)
-    connect_param!(parent(dst), pathof(dst), name, pathof(src), name)
+    _connect_param!(parent(dst), pathof(dst), name, pathof(src), name)
 end
 
 """
@@ -81,5 +81,5 @@ Connect two components as `comp_ref[var_name] = var_ref`.
 function Base.setindex!(comp_ref::ComponentReference, var_ref::VariableReference, vname::Symbol)
     _same_composite(comp_ref, var_ref) || error("Can't connect variables defined in different composite trees")
 
-    connect_param!(parent(comp_ref), pathof(comp_ref), vname, pathof(var_ref), var_name(var_ref))
+    _connect_param!(parent(comp_ref), pathof(comp_ref), vname, pathof(var_ref), var_name(var_ref))
 end
diff --git a/test/test_references.jl b/test/test_references.jl
index 7b13b0595..4df0c2c90 100644
--- a/test/test_references.jl
+++ b/test/test_references.jl
@@ -38,4 +38,18 @@ run(m)
 @test m[:B, :p1] == 5
 @test m[:B, :p2] == collect(1:10)
 
+# Test `connect_param!` methods for ComponentReferences
+
+connect_param!(refB, :p2, refA, :v1)
+run(m)
+@test m[:B, :p2] == collect(1:10)
+
+@defcomp C begin
+    v1 = Parameter(index = [time])
+end
+refC = add_comp!(m, C)
+connect_param!(refC, refA, :v1)
+run(m)
+@test m[:C, :v1] == collect(1:10)
+
 end
\ No newline at end of file