diff --git a/src/colvarbias.cpp b/src/colvarbias.cpp
index 451d82aac..169fc073b 100644
--- a/src/colvarbias.cpp
+++ b/src/colvarbias.cpp
@@ -540,7 +540,7 @@ void raise_error_rewind(IST &is, SPT start_pos, std::string const &bias_type,
 }
 
 
-template <typename IST> IST & colvarbias::read_state_from_stream(IST &is)
+template <typename IST> IST & colvarbias::read_state_template_(IST &is)
 {
   auto const start_pos = is.tellg();
 
@@ -603,13 +603,13 @@ template <typename IST> IST & colvarbias::read_state_from_stream(IST &is)
 
 std::istream &colvarbias::read_state(std::istream &is)
 {
-  return read_state_from_stream<std::istream>(is);
+  return read_state_template_<std::istream>(is);
 }
 
 
 cvm::memory_stream &colvarbias::read_state(cvm::memory_stream &is)
 {
-  return read_state_from_stream<cvm::memory_stream>(is);
+  return read_state_template_<cvm::memory_stream>(is);
 }
 
 
@@ -699,7 +699,8 @@ cvm::memory_stream &colvarbias::write_state_data_key(cvm::memory_stream &os, std
 }
 
 
-template <typename IST> IST &colvarbias::read_state_data_key_template(IST &is, std::string const &key)
+template <typename IST>
+IST &colvarbias::read_state_data_key_template_(IST &is, std::string const &key)
 {
   auto const start_pos = is.tellg();
   std::string key_in;
@@ -718,13 +719,13 @@ template <typename IST> IST &colvarbias::read_state_data_key_template(IST &is, s
 
 std::istream & colvarbias::read_state_data_key(std::istream &is, std::string const &key)
 {
-  return read_state_data_key_template<std::istream>(is, key);
+  return read_state_data_key_template_<std::istream>(is, key);
 }
 
 
 cvm::memory_stream & colvarbias::read_state_data_key(cvm::memory_stream &is, std::string const &key)
 {
-  return read_state_data_key_template<cvm::memory_stream>(is, key);
+  return read_state_data_key_template_<cvm::memory_stream>(is, key);
 }
 
 
diff --git a/src/colvarbias.h b/src/colvarbias.h
index 1217a2b2b..9a51f9d51 100644
--- a/src/colvarbias.h
+++ b/src/colvarbias.h
@@ -181,7 +181,7 @@ class colvarbias
   /// Read a keyword header for a data sequence from a stream
   /// \param[in,out] Input stream
   /// \param[in] Keyword labeling the header block; an error will be raised if not matching
-  template <typename IST> IST &read_state_data_key_template(IST &is, std::string const &key);
+  template <typename IST> IST &read_state_data_key_template_(IST &is, std::string const &key);
 
 public:
 
@@ -198,7 +198,7 @@ class colvarbias
 private:
 
   /// Generic stream reading function (formatted and not)
-  template <typename IST> IST & read_state_from_stream(IST &is);
+  template <typename IST> IST & read_state_template_(IST &is);
 
 public:
 
diff --git a/src/colvarbias_abf.cpp b/src/colvarbias_abf.cpp
index d8927e29a..acca85efa 100644
--- a/src/colvarbias_abf.cpp
+++ b/src/colvarbias_abf.cpp
@@ -742,7 +742,7 @@ int colvarbias_abf::read_gradients_samples()
 }
 
 
-template <typename OST> OST & colvarbias_abf::write_to_stream(OST &os)
+template <typename OST> OST & colvarbias_abf::write_state_data_template_(OST &os)
 {
   auto flags = os.flags();
 
@@ -770,17 +770,17 @@ template <typename OST> OST & colvarbias_abf::write_to_stream(OST &os)
 
 std::ostream & colvarbias_abf::write_state_data(std::ostream& os)
 {
-  return write_to_stream<std::ostream>(os);
+  return write_state_data_template_<std::ostream>(os);
 }
 
 
 cvm::memory_stream & colvarbias_abf::write_state_data(cvm::memory_stream& os)
 {
-  return write_to_stream<cvm::memory_stream>(os);
+  return write_state_data_template_<cvm::memory_stream>(os);
 }
 
 
-template <typename IST> IST &colvarbias_abf::read_from_stream(IST &is)
+template <typename IST> IST &colvarbias_abf::read_state_data_template_(IST &is)
 {
   if ( input_prefix.size() > 0 ) {
     cvm::error("ERROR: cannot provide both inputPrefix and a colvars state file.\n", COLVARS_INPUT_ERROR);
@@ -827,13 +827,13 @@ template <typename IST> IST &colvarbias_abf::read_from_stream(IST &is)
 
 std::istream & colvarbias_abf::read_state_data(std::istream& is)
 {
-  return read_from_stream<std::istream>(is);
+  return read_state_data_template_<std::istream>(is);
 }
 
 
 cvm::memory_stream & colvarbias_abf::read_state_data(cvm::memory_stream& is)
 {
-  return read_from_stream<cvm::memory_stream>(is);
+  return read_state_data_template_<cvm::memory_stream>(is);
 }
 
 
diff --git a/src/colvarbias_abf.h b/src/colvarbias_abf.h
index e9887562d..635e0fbfd 100644
--- a/src/colvarbias_abf.h
+++ b/src/colvarbias_abf.h
@@ -162,10 +162,10 @@ class colvarbias_abf : public colvarbias {
 private:
 
   /// Generic stream writing function (formatted and not)
-  template <typename OST> OST &write_to_stream(OST &os);
+  template <typename OST> OST &write_state_data_template_(OST &os);
 
   /// Generic stream readingx function (formatted and not)
-  template <typename IST> IST &read_from_stream(IST &is);
+  template <typename IST> IST &read_state_data_template_(IST &is);
 
 public:
 
diff --git a/src/colvargrid_def.h b/src/colvargrid_def.h
index c109ef1bf..92861f43b 100644
--- a/src/colvargrid_def.h
+++ b/src/colvargrid_def.h
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@
 #include "colvars_memstream.h"
 
 
-template <class T, class IST> IST &read_restart_template(colvar_grid<T> &g, IST &is)
+template <class T, class IST> IST &read_restart_template_(colvar_grid<T> &g, IST &is)
 {
   auto const start_pos = is.tellg();
   std::string conf;
@@ -43,13 +43,13 @@ template <class T, class IST> IST &read_restart_template(colvar_grid<T> &g, IST
 
 template <class T> std::istream &colvar_grid<T>::read_restart(std::istream &is)
 {
-  return read_restart_template<T, std::istream>(*this, is);
+  return read_restart_template_<T, std::istream>(*this, is);
 }
 
 
 template <class T> cvm::memory_stream &colvar_grid<T>::read_restart(cvm::memory_stream &is)
 {
-  return read_restart_template<T, cvm::memory_stream>(*this, is);
+  return read_restart_template_<T, cvm::memory_stream>(*this, is);
 }
 
 
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ template <class T> cvm::memory_stream &colvar_grid<T>::write_restart(cvm::memory
 }
 
 
-template <class T, class IST> IST &read_raw_template(colvar_grid<T> &g, IST &is)
+template <class T, class IST> IST &read_raw_template_(colvar_grid<T> &g, IST &is)
 {
   auto const start_pos = is.tellg();
 
@@ -99,13 +99,13 @@ template <class T, class IST> IST &read_raw_template(colvar_grid<T> &g, IST &is)
 
 template <class T> std::istream &colvar_grid<T>::read_raw(std::istream &is)
 {
-  return read_raw_template<T, std::istream>(*this, is);
+  return read_raw_template_<T, std::istream>(*this, is);
 }
 
 
 template <class T> cvm::memory_stream &colvar_grid<T>::read_raw(cvm::memory_stream &is)
 {
-  return read_raw_template<T, cvm::memory_stream>(*this, is);
+  return read_raw_template_<T, cvm::memory_stream>(*this, is);
 }
 
 
diff --git a/src/colvarvalue.cpp b/src/colvarvalue.cpp
index 8d0f63212..64436db98 100644
--- a/src/colvarvalue.cpp
+++ b/src/colvarvalue.cpp
@@ -723,7 +723,7 @@ int colvarvalue::from_simple_string(std::string const &s)
 }
 
 
-template <typename OST> void colvarvalue::write_to_stream(OST &os) const
+template <typename OST> void colvarvalue::write_to_stream_template_(OST &os) const
 {
   switch (type()) {
   case colvarvalue::type_scalar:
@@ -751,14 +751,14 @@ template <typename OST> void colvarvalue::write_to_stream(OST &os) const
 
 std::ostream & operator << (std::ostream &os, colvarvalue const &x)
 {
-  x.write_to_stream<std::ostream>(os);
+  x.write_to_stream_template_<std::ostream>(os);
   return os;
 }
 
 
 cvm::memory_stream & operator << (cvm::memory_stream &os, colvarvalue const &x)
 {
-  x.write_to_stream<cvm::memory_stream>(os);
+  x.write_to_stream_template_<cvm::memory_stream>(os);
   return os;
 }
 
@@ -773,7 +773,7 @@ std::ostream & operator << (std::ostream &os, std::vector<colvarvalue> const &v)
 }
 
 
-template <typename IST> void colvarvalue::read_from_stream(IST &is)
+template <typename IST> void colvarvalue::read_from_stream_template_(IST &is)
 {
   if (type() == colvarvalue::type_notset) {
     cvm::error("Trying to read from a stream a colvarvalue, "
@@ -811,14 +811,14 @@ template <typename IST> void colvarvalue::read_from_stream(IST &is)
 
 std::istream & operator >> (std::istream &is, colvarvalue &x)
 {
-  x.read_from_stream<std::istream>(is);
+  x.read_from_stream_template_<std::istream>(is);
   return is;
 }
 
 
 cvm::memory_stream & operator >> (cvm::memory_stream &is, colvarvalue &x)
 {
-  x.read_from_stream<cvm::memory_stream>(is);
+  x.read_from_stream_template_<cvm::memory_stream>(is);
   return is;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/colvarvalue.h b/src/colvarvalue.h
index b2edaa5a5..5670906cd 100644
--- a/src/colvarvalue.h
+++ b/src/colvarvalue.h
@@ -298,9 +298,12 @@ class colvarvalue {
   /// Undefined operation
   void undef_op() const;
 
+private:
 
   /// Generic stream writing function (formatted and not)
-  template <typename OST> void write_to_stream(OST &os) const;
+  template <typename OST> void write_to_stream_template_(OST &os) const;
+
+public:
 
   /// Formatted output operator
   friend std::ostream & operator << (std::ostream &os, colvarvalue const &x);
@@ -308,8 +311,12 @@ class colvarvalue {
   /// Unformatted output operator
   friend cvm::memory_stream & operator << (cvm::memory_stream &os, colvarvalue const &x);
 
+private:
+
   /// Generic stream reading function (formatted and not)
-  template <typename IST> void read_from_stream(IST &is);
+  template <typename IST> void read_from_stream_template_(IST &is);
+
+public:
 
   /// Formatted input operator
   friend std::istream & operator >> (std::istream &is, colvarvalue &x);