diff --git a/PWGJE/Core/JetFindingUtilities.h b/PWGJE/Core/JetFindingUtilities.h
index 6fb2716965c..d99c84ecbbf 100644
--- a/PWGJE/Core/JetFindingUtilities.h
+++ b/PWGJE/Core/JetFindingUtilities.h
@@ -20,7 +20,6 @@
 #include <array>
 #include <vector>
 #include <string>
-#include <optional>
 #include <cmath>
 #include <memory>
 #include <TRandom3.h>
@@ -99,15 +98,14 @@ constexpr bool isEMCALClusterTable()
  */
 
 template <typename T, typename U>
-void analyseTracks(std::vector<fastjet::PseudoJet>& inputParticles, T const& tracks, int trackSelection, double trackingEfficinecy, std::optional<U> const& candidate = std::nullopt)
+void analyseTracks(std::vector<fastjet::PseudoJet>& inputParticles, T const& tracks, int trackSelection, double trackingEfficinecy, const U* candidate = nullptr)
 {
   for (auto& track : tracks) {
     if (!jetderiveddatautilities::selectTrack(track, trackSelection)) {
       continue;
     }
-    if (candidate != std::nullopt) {
-      auto cand = candidate.value();
-      if (jetcandidateutilities::isDaughterTrack(track, cand, tracks)) {
+    if (candidate != nullptr) {
+      if (jetcandidateutilities::isDaughterTrack(track, *candidate, tracks)) {
         continue;
       }
     }
@@ -337,7 +335,7 @@ void findJets(JetFinder& jetFinder, std::vector<fastjet::PseudoJet>& inputPartic
  * @param candidate optional hf candidiate
  */
 template <bool checkIsDaughter, typename T, typename U>
-void analyseParticles(std::vector<fastjet::PseudoJet>& inputParticles, std::string particleSelection, int jetTypeParticleLevel, T const& particles, o2::framework::Service<o2::framework::O2DatabasePDG> pdgDatabase, std::optional<U> const& candidate = std::nullopt)
+void analyseParticles(std::vector<fastjet::PseudoJet>& inputParticles, std::string particleSelection, int jetTypeParticleLevel, T const& particles, o2::framework::Service<o2::framework::O2DatabasePDG> pdgDatabase, const U* candidate = nullptr)
 {
   for (auto& particle : particles) {
     if (particleSelection == "PhysicalPrimary" && !particle.isPhysicalPrimary()) { // CHECK : Does this exclude the HF hadron?
@@ -361,13 +359,12 @@ void analyseParticles(std::vector<fastjet::PseudoJet>& inputParticles, std::stri
       continue;
     }
     if constexpr (jetcandidateutilities::isMcCandidate<U>() && !jetv0utilities::isV0McCandidate<U>()) {
-      if (candidate != std::nullopt) {
-        auto cand = candidate.value();
-        if (cand.mcParticleId() == particle.globalIndex()) {
+      if (candidate != nullptr) {
+        if ((*candidate).mcParticleId() == particle.globalIndex()) {
           continue;
         }
         if constexpr (checkIsDaughter) {
-          auto hfParticle = cand.template mcParticle_as<T>();
+          auto hfParticle = (*candidate).template mcParticle_as<T>();
           if (jetcandidateutilities::isDaughterParticle(hfParticle, particle.globalIndex())) {
             continue;
           }
@@ -375,9 +372,8 @@ void analyseParticles(std::vector<fastjet::PseudoJet>& inputParticles, std::stri
       }
     }
     if constexpr (jetv0utilities::isV0McTable<U>()) { // note that for V0s the candidate table is given to this function, not a single candidate
-      if (candidate != std::nullopt) {
-        auto cands = candidate.value();
-        for (auto const& cand : cands) {
+      if (candidate != nullptr) {
+        for (auto const& cand : (*candidate)) {
           if (cand.mcParticleId() == particle.globalIndex()) {
             continue;
           }
diff --git a/PWGJE/JetFinders/jetFinderHF.cxx b/PWGJE/JetFinders/jetFinderHF.cxx
index 0b8fc666607..9b435cf93a0 100644
--- a/PWGJE/JetFinders/jetFinderHF.cxx
+++ b/PWGJE/JetFinders/jetFinderHF.cxx
@@ -194,7 +194,7 @@ struct JetFinderHFTask {
     if constexpr (isEvtWiseSub) {
       jetfindingutilities::analyseTracks<U, typename U::iterator>(inputParticles, tracks, trackSelection, trackingEfficiency);
     } else {
-      jetfindingutilities::analyseTracks(inputParticles, tracks, trackSelection, trackingEfficiency, std::optional{candidate});
+      jetfindingutilities::analyseTracks(inputParticles, tracks, trackSelection, trackingEfficiency, &candidate);
     }
     jetfindingutilities::findJets(jetFinder, inputParticles, minJetPt, maxJetPt, jetRadius, jetAreaFractionMin, collision, jetsTableInput, constituentsTableInput, registry.get<THn>(HIST("hJet")), fillTHnSparse, true);
   }
@@ -212,9 +212,9 @@ struct JetFinderHFTask {
       return;
     }
     if constexpr (checkIsDaughter) {
-      jetfindingutilities::analyseParticles<true>(inputParticles, particleSelection, jetTypeParticleLevel, particles, pdgDatabase, std::optional{candidate});
+      jetfindingutilities::analyseParticles<true>(inputParticles, particleSelection, jetTypeParticleLevel, particles, pdgDatabase, &candidate);
     } else {
-      jetfindingutilities::analyseParticles<false>(inputParticles, particleSelection, jetTypeParticleLevel, particles, pdgDatabase, std::optional{candidate});
+      jetfindingutilities::analyseParticles<false>(inputParticles, particleSelection, jetTypeParticleLevel, particles, pdgDatabase, &candidate);
     }
     jetfindingutilities::findJets(jetFinder, inputParticles, minJetPt, maxJetPt, jetRadius, jetAreaFractionMin, collision, jetsTable, constituentsTable, registry.get<THn>(HIST("hJetMCP")), fillTHnSparse, true);
   }
diff --git a/PWGJE/JetFinders/jetFinderV0.cxx b/PWGJE/JetFinders/jetFinderV0.cxx
index 60c1f63bef4..cdb827783ac 100644
--- a/PWGJE/JetFinders/jetFinderV0.cxx
+++ b/PWGJE/JetFinders/jetFinderV0.cxx
@@ -182,7 +182,7 @@ struct JetFinderV0Task {
     if (!jetfindingutilities::analyseV0s(inputParticles, candidates, candPtMin, candPtMax, candYMin, candYMax, candIndex)) {
       return;
     }
-    jetfindingutilities::analyseParticles<true>(inputParticles, particleSelection, jetTypeParticleLevel, particles, pdgDatabase, std::optional{candidates});
+    jetfindingutilities::analyseParticles<true>(inputParticles, particleSelection, jetTypeParticleLevel, particles, pdgDatabase, &candidates);
     jetfindingutilities::findJets(jetFinder, inputParticles, minJetPt, maxJetPt, jetRadius, jetAreaFractionMin, collision, jetsTable, constituentsTable, registry.get<THn>(HIST("hJetMCP")), fillTHnSparse, true);
   }
 
diff --git a/PWGJE/TableProducer/eventwiseConstituentSubtractor.cxx b/PWGJE/TableProducer/eventwiseConstituentSubtractor.cxx
index cf545ba8295..476fa4157d7 100644
--- a/PWGJE/TableProducer/eventwiseConstituentSubtractor.cxx
+++ b/PWGJE/TableProducer/eventwiseConstituentSubtractor.cxx
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ struct eventWiseConstituentSubtractorTask {
     for (auto& candidate : candidates) {
       inputParticles.clear();
       tracksSubtracted.clear();
-      jetfindingutilities::analyseTracks(inputParticles, tracks, trackSelection, trackingEfficiency, std::optional{candidate});
+      jetfindingutilities::analyseTracks(inputParticles, tracks, trackSelection, trackingEfficiency, &candidate);
 
       tracksSubtracted = eventWiseConstituentSubtractor.JetBkgSubUtils::doEventConstSub(inputParticles, candidate.rho(), candidate.rhoM());
       for (auto const& trackSubtracted : tracksSubtracted) {
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ struct eventWiseConstituentSubtractorTask {
     for (auto& candidate : candidates) {
       inputParticles.clear();
       tracksSubtracted.clear();
-      jetfindingutilities::analyseParticles<true>(inputParticles, particleSelection, 1, particles, pdgDatabase, std::optional{candidate}); // currently only works for charged analyses
+      jetfindingutilities::analyseParticles<true>(inputParticles, particleSelection, 1, particles, pdgDatabase, &candidate); // currently only works for charged analyses
 
       tracksSubtracted = eventWiseConstituentSubtractor.JetBkgSubUtils::doEventConstSub(inputParticles, candidate.rho(), candidate.rhoM());
       for (auto const& trackSubtracted : tracksSubtracted) {
diff --git a/PWGJE/TableProducer/rhoEstimator.cxx b/PWGJE/TableProducer/rhoEstimator.cxx
index b050abe1e83..a64a2d90e5d 100644
--- a/PWGJE/TableProducer/rhoEstimator.cxx
+++ b/PWGJE/TableProducer/rhoEstimator.cxx
@@ -218,7 +218,7 @@ struct RhoEstimatorTask {
         continue;
       }
       inputParticles.clear();
-      jetfindingutilities::analyseTracks(inputParticles, tracks, trackSelection, config.trackingEfficiency, std::optional{candidate});
+      jetfindingutilities::analyseTracks(inputParticles, tracks, trackSelection, config.trackingEfficiency, &candidate);
 
       auto [rho, rhoM] = bkgSub.estimateRhoAreaMedian(inputParticles, config.doSparse);
       rhoD0Table(rho, rhoM);
@@ -230,7 +230,7 @@ struct RhoEstimatorTask {
   {
     for (auto& candidate : candidates) {
       inputParticles.clear();
-      jetfindingutilities::analyseParticles<true>(inputParticles, particleSelection, 1, particles, pdgDatabase, std::optional{candidate});
+      jetfindingutilities::analyseParticles<true>(inputParticles, particleSelection, 1, particles, pdgDatabase, &candidate);
 
       auto [rho, rhoM] = bkgSub.estimateRhoAreaMedian(inputParticles, config.doSparse);
       rhoD0McTable(rho, rhoM);
@@ -246,7 +246,7 @@ struct RhoEstimatorTask {
         continue;
       }
       inputParticles.clear();
-      jetfindingutilities::analyseTracks(inputParticles, tracks, trackSelection, config.trackingEfficiency, std::optional{candidate});
+      jetfindingutilities::analyseTracks(inputParticles, tracks, trackSelection, config.trackingEfficiency, &candidate);
 
       auto [rho, rhoM] = bkgSub.estimateRhoAreaMedian(inputParticles, config.doSparse);
       rhoDplusTable(rho, rhoM);
@@ -258,7 +258,7 @@ struct RhoEstimatorTask {
   {
     for (auto& candidate : candidates) {
       inputParticles.clear();
-      jetfindingutilities::analyseParticles<true>(inputParticles, particleSelection, 1, particles, pdgDatabase, std::optional{candidate});
+      jetfindingutilities::analyseParticles<true>(inputParticles, particleSelection, 1, particles, pdgDatabase, &candidate);
 
       auto [rho, rhoM] = bkgSub.estimateRhoAreaMedian(inputParticles, config.doSparse);
       rhoDplusMcTable(rho, rhoM);
@@ -274,7 +274,7 @@ struct RhoEstimatorTask {
         continue;
       }
       inputParticles.clear();
-      jetfindingutilities::analyseTracks(inputParticles, tracks, trackSelection, config.trackingEfficiency, std::optional{candidate});
+      jetfindingutilities::analyseTracks(inputParticles, tracks, trackSelection, config.trackingEfficiency, &candidate);
 
       auto [rho, rhoM] = bkgSub.estimateRhoAreaMedian(inputParticles, config.doSparse);
       rhoLcTable(rho, rhoM);
@@ -286,7 +286,7 @@ struct RhoEstimatorTask {
   {
     for (auto& candidate : candidates) {
       inputParticles.clear();
-      jetfindingutilities::analyseParticles<true>(inputParticles, particleSelection, 1, particles, pdgDatabase, std::optional{candidate});
+      jetfindingutilities::analyseParticles<true>(inputParticles, particleSelection, 1, particles, pdgDatabase, &candidate);
 
       auto [rho, rhoM] = bkgSub.estimateRhoAreaMedian(inputParticles, config.doSparse);
       rhoLcMcTable(rho, rhoM);
@@ -302,7 +302,7 @@ struct RhoEstimatorTask {
         continue;
       }
       inputParticles.clear();
-      jetfindingutilities::analyseTracks(inputParticles, tracks, trackSelection, config.trackingEfficiency, std::optional{candidate});
+      jetfindingutilities::analyseTracks(inputParticles, tracks, trackSelection, config.trackingEfficiency, &candidate);
 
       auto [rho, rhoM] = bkgSub.estimateRhoAreaMedian(inputParticles, config.doSparse);
       rhoBplusTable(rho, rhoM);
@@ -314,7 +314,7 @@ struct RhoEstimatorTask {
     {
       for (auto& candidate : candidates) {
         inputParticles.clear();
-        jetfindingutilities::analyseParticles<true>(inputParticles, particleSelection, 1, particles, pdgDatabase, std::optional{candidate});
+        jetfindingutilities::analyseParticles<true>(inputParticles, particleSelection, 1, particles, pdgDatabase, &candidate);
 
         auto [rho, rhoM] = bkgSub.estimateRhoAreaMedian(inputParticles, config.doSparse);
         rhoBplusMcTable(rho, rhoM);
@@ -330,7 +330,7 @@ struct RhoEstimatorTask {
           continue;
         }
         inputParticles.clear();
-        jetfindingutilities::analyseTracks(inputParticles, tracks, trackSelection, config.trackingEfficiency, std::optional{candidate});
+        jetfindingutilities::analyseTracks(inputParticles, tracks, trackSelection, config.trackingEfficiency, &candidate);
 
         auto [rho, rhoM] = bkgSub.estimateRhoAreaMedian(inputParticles, config.doSparse);
         rhoDielectronTable(rho, rhoM);
@@ -342,7 +342,7 @@ struct RhoEstimatorTask {
   {
     for (auto& candidate : candidates) {
       inputParticles.clear();
-      jetfindingutilities::analyseParticles<true>(inputParticles, particleSelection, 1, particles, pdgDatabase, std::optional{candidate});
+      jetfindingutilities::analyseParticles<true>(inputParticles, particleSelection, 1, particles, pdgDatabase, &candidate);
 
       auto [rho, rhoM] = bkgSub.estimateRhoAreaMedian(inputParticles, config.doSparse);
       rhoDielectronMcTable(rho, rhoM);