diff --git a/samples/blackmisc/sampleschangeobject.cpp b/samples/blackmisc/sampleschangeobject.cpp
index acfc874cd..b4c418e7b 100644
--- a/samples/blackmisc/sampleschangeobject.cpp
+++ b/samples/blackmisc/sampleschangeobject.cpp
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ namespace BlackMiscTest
         // now Jane's time is over
         CPropertyIndexVariantMap anotherController;
         anotherController.addValue(CAtcStation::IndexController, CVariant::fromValue(CUser("445566", "Fuzzy")));
-        atcList.applyIf(newController, anotherController);
+        atcList.applyIf(BlackMisc::Predicates::Equals(newController), anotherController);
 
         qDebug() << "-- after update via value map";
         qDebug() << atcList.toQString();
diff --git a/src/blackmisc/containerbase.h b/src/blackmisc/containerbase.h
index 9691b33b5..2abb189cf 100644
--- a/src/blackmisc/containerbase.h
+++ b/src/blackmisc/containerbase.h
@@ -13,7 +13,6 @@
 #define BLACKMISC_CONTAINERBASE_H
 
 #include "range.h"
-#include "propertyindexvariantmap.h"
 #include "blackmiscfreefunctions.h"
 #include "predicates.h"
 #include "json.h"
diff --git a/src/blackmisc/propertyindexvariantmap.h b/src/blackmisc/propertyindexvariantmap.h
index 410f8b173..6a2e35a27 100644
--- a/src/blackmisc/propertyindexvariantmap.h
+++ b/src/blackmisc/propertyindexvariantmap.h
@@ -14,20 +14,13 @@
 
 #include "variant.h"
 #include "valueobject.h"
-#include "propertyindex.h"
+#include "propertyindexlist.h"
 #include "blackmiscexport.h"
-
-// a) "propertyindex.h" needed for QMap below, despite forward declaration
-// b) "propertyindexlist.h" here causes circular dependencies
-
 #include <QVariantMap>
 #include <QDBusArgument>
 
 namespace BlackMisc
 {
-    // forward declaration
-    class CPropertyIndex;
-    class CPropertyIndexList;
 
     /*!
      * Specialized value object compliant map for variants,
diff --git a/src/blackmisc/range.h b/src/blackmisc/range.h
index 3389a6565..929f33ed9 100644
--- a/src/blackmisc/range.h
+++ b/src/blackmisc/range.h
@@ -13,10 +13,10 @@
 #define BLACKMISC_RANGE_H
 
 #include "blackmiscexport.h"
-#include "propertyindexvariantmap.h"
 #include "iterator.h"
 #include "predicates.h"
 #include <QtGlobal>
+#include <QDebug>
 #include <algorithm>
 #include <type_traits>
 #include <iterator>
@@ -71,12 +71,6 @@ namespace BlackMisc
         inline auto findBy(K0 k0, V0 v0, KeysValues... keysValues) const
             -> CRange<Iterators::ConditionalIterator<CIt, decltype(BlackMisc::Predicates::MemberEqual(k0, v0, keysValues...))>>;
 
-        /*!
-         * \brief Return a copy containing only those elements matching a given value map.
-         */
-        inline auto findBy(CPropertyIndexVariantMap valueMap) const
-            -> CRange<Iterators::ConditionalIterator<CIt, decltype(BlackMisc::Predicates::Equals(std::move(valueMap)))>>;
-
         /*!
          * \brief Return true if there is an element for which a given predicate returns true.
          */
@@ -268,13 +262,6 @@ namespace BlackMisc
         return findBy(BlackMisc::Predicates::MemberEqual(k0, v0, keysValues...));
     }
 
-    template <class Derived, class CIt>
-    auto CRangeBase<Derived, CIt>::findBy(CPropertyIndexVariantMap valueMap) const
-        -> CRange<Iterators::ConditionalIterator<CIt, decltype(BlackMisc::Predicates::Equals(std::move(valueMap)))>>
-    {
-        return findBy(BlackMisc::Predicates::Equals(std::move(valueMap)));
-    }
-
 }
 
 #endif // guard
diff --git a/src/blackmisc/sequence.h b/src/blackmisc/sequence.h
index 280e7ad2d..5c10d4c6b 100644
--- a/src/blackmisc/sequence.h
+++ b/src/blackmisc/sequence.h
@@ -352,8 +352,8 @@ namespace BlackMisc
          * \brief Modify by applying a value map to each element for which a given predicate returns true.
          * \return The number of elements modified.
          */
-        template <class Predicate>
-        int applyIf(Predicate p, const CPropertyIndexVariantMap &newValues, bool skipEqualValues = false)
+        template <class Predicate, class VariantMap>
+        int applyIf(Predicate p, const VariantMap &newValues, bool skipEqualValues = false)
         {
             int count = 0;
             for (auto &value : *this)
@@ -371,21 +371,12 @@ namespace BlackMisc
          * \param skipEqualValues Equal values will not be updated
          * \return The number of elements modified.
          */
-        template <class K1, class V1>
-        int applyIf(K1 key1, V1 value1, const CPropertyIndexVariantMap &newValues, bool skipEqualValues = false)
+        template <class K1, class V1, class VariantMap>
+        int applyIf(K1 key1, V1 value1, const VariantMap &newValues, bool skipEqualValues = false)
         {
             return applyIf(BlackMisc::Predicates::MemberEqual(key1, value1), newValues, skipEqualValues);
         }
 
-        /*!
-         * \brief Modify by applying a value map to each element matching a given value map.
-         * \return The number of elements modified.
-         */
-        int applyIf(const CPropertyIndexVariantMap &pattern, const CPropertyIndexVariantMap &newValues, bool skipEqualValues = false)
-        {
-            return applyIf([ & ](const T & value) { return value == pattern; }, newValues, skipEqualValues);
-        }
-
         /*!
          * \brief Remove all elements equal to the given object, if it is contained.
          * \pre The sequence must be initialized.