diff --git a/sampling/include/ebpps_sample.hpp b/sampling/include/ebpps_sample.hpp
index 97c8b569..7ddb2828 100644
--- a/sampling/include/ebpps_sample.hpp
+++ b/sampling/include/ebpps_sample.hpp
@@ -37,14 +37,14 @@ class ebpps_sample {
   public:
     explicit ebpps_sample(uint32_t k, const A& allocator = A());
 
-    // constructor used to create a sample to merge one item
-    template<typename TT>
-    ebpps_sample(TT&& item, double theta, const A& allocator = A());
-
     // for deserialization
     class items_deleter;
     ebpps_sample(std::vector<T, A>&& data, optional<T>&& partial_item, double c, const A& allocator = A());
 
+    // used instead of having a single-item constructor for update/merge calls
+    template<typename TT>
+    void replace_content(TT&& item, double theta);
+
     void reset();
     void downsample(double theta);
 
diff --git a/sampling/include/ebpps_sample_impl.hpp b/sampling/include/ebpps_sample_impl.hpp
index f379841b..88a86ae0 100644
--- a/sampling/include/ebpps_sample_impl.hpp
+++ b/sampling/include/ebpps_sample_impl.hpp
@@ -41,22 +41,6 @@ ebpps_sample<T,A>::ebpps_sample(uint32_t reserved_size, const A& allocator) :
     data_.reserve(reserved_size);
   }
 
-template<typename T, typename A>
-template<typename TT>
-ebpps_sample<T,A>::ebpps_sample(TT&& item, double theta, const A& allocator) :
-  allocator_(allocator),
-  c_(theta),
-  partial_item_(),
-  data_(allocator)
-  {
-    if (theta == 1.0) {
-      data_.reserve(1);
-      data_.emplace_back(std::forward<TT>(item));
-    } else {
-      partial_item_.emplace(std::forward<TT>(item));
-    }
-  }
-
 template<typename T, typename A>
 ebpps_sample<T,A>::ebpps_sample(std::vector<T, A>&& data, optional<T>&& partial_item, double c, const A& allocator) :
   allocator_(allocator),
@@ -65,6 +49,19 @@ ebpps_sample<T,A>::ebpps_sample(std::vector<T, A>&& data, optional<T>&& partial_
   data_(data, allocator)
   {}
 
+template<typename T, typename A>
+template<typename TT>
+void ebpps_sample<T,A>::replace_content(TT&& item, double theta) {
+  c_ = theta;
+  data_.clear();
+  partial_item_.reset();
+  if (theta == 1.0) {
+    data_.emplace_back(std::forward<TT>(item));
+  } else {
+    partial_item_.emplace(std::forward<TT>(item));
+  }
+}
+
 template<typename T, typename A>
 auto ebpps_sample<T,A>::get_sample() const -> result_type {
   double unused;
diff --git a/sampling/include/ebpps_sketch.hpp b/sampling/include/ebpps_sketch.hpp
index 51bcc4f1..038b5a30 100644
--- a/sampling/include/ebpps_sketch.hpp
+++ b/sampling/include/ebpps_sketch.hpp
@@ -256,6 +256,8 @@ class ebpps_sketch {
 
     ebpps_sample<T,A> sample_;      // Object holding the current state of the sample
 
+    ebpps_sample<T,A> tmp_;         // Temporary sample of size 1 used in updates
+
     // handles merge after ensuring other.cumulative_wt_ <= this->cumulative_wt_
     // so we can send items in individually
     template<typename O>
diff --git a/sampling/include/ebpps_sketch_impl.hpp b/sampling/include/ebpps_sketch_impl.hpp
index e4dc0198..299b7f5c 100644
--- a/sampling/include/ebpps_sketch_impl.hpp
+++ b/sampling/include/ebpps_sketch_impl.hpp
@@ -40,7 +40,8 @@ ebpps_sketch<T, A>::ebpps_sketch(uint32_t k, const A& allocator) :
   cumulative_wt_(0.0),
   wt_max_(0.0),
   rho_(1.0),
-  sample_(check_k(k), allocator)
+  sample_(check_k(k), allocator),
+  tmp_(1, allocator)
   {}
 
 template<typename T, typename A>
@@ -53,7 +54,8 @@ ebpps_sketch<T,A>::ebpps_sketch(uint32_t k, uint64_t n, double cumulative_wt,
   cumulative_wt_(cumulative_wt),
   wt_max_(wt_max),
   rho_(rho),
-  sample_(sample)
+  sample_(sample),
+  tmp_(1, allocator)
   {}
 
 template<typename T, typename A>
@@ -148,9 +150,8 @@ void ebpps_sketch<T, A>::internal_update(FwdItem&& item, double weight) {
   if (cumulative_wt_ > 0.0)
     sample_.downsample(new_rho / rho_);
   
-  ebpps_sample<T,A> tmp(conditional_forward<FwdItem>(item), new_rho * weight, allocator_);
-
-  sample_.merge(tmp);
+  tmp_.replace_content(conditional_forward<FwdItem>(item), new_rho * weight);
+  sample_.merge(tmp_);
 
   cumulative_wt_ = new_cum_wt;
   wt_max_ = new_wt_max;
@@ -240,9 +241,8 @@ void ebpps_sketch<T, A>::internal_merge(O&& sk) {
     if (cumulative_wt_ > 0.0)
       sample_.downsample(new_rho / rho_);
   
-    ebpps_sample<T,A> tmp(conditional_forward<O>(items[i]), new_rho * avg_wt, allocator_);
-
-    sample_.merge(tmp);
+    tmp_.replace_content(conditional_forward<O>(items[i]), new_rho * avg_wt);
+    sample_.merge(tmp_);
 
     cumulative_wt_ = new_cum_wt;
     rho_ = new_rho;
@@ -259,9 +259,8 @@ void ebpps_sketch<T, A>::internal_merge(O&& sk) {
     if (cumulative_wt_ > 0.0)
       sample_.downsample(new_rho / rho_);
   
-    ebpps_sample<T,A> tmp(conditional_forward<O>(other_sample.get_partial_item()), new_rho * other_c_frac * avg_wt, allocator_);
-
-    sample_.merge(tmp);
+    tmp_.replace_content(conditional_forward<O>(other_sample.get_partial_item()), new_rho * other_c_frac * avg_wt);
+    sample_.merge(tmp_);
 
     cumulative_wt_ = new_cum_wt;
     rho_ = new_rho;
diff --git a/sampling/test/ebpps_sample_test.cpp b/sampling/test/ebpps_sample_test.cpp
index c83cded6..e39cba7d 100644
--- a/sampling/test/ebpps_sample_test.cpp
+++ b/sampling/test/ebpps_sample_test.cpp
@@ -42,14 +42,15 @@ TEST_CASE("ebpps sample: basic initialization", "[ebpps_sketch]") {
 
 TEST_CASE("ebpps sample: pre-initialized", "[ebpps_sketch]") {
   double theta = 1.0;
-  ebpps_sample<int> sample = ebpps_sample<int>(-1, theta);
+  ebpps_sample<int> sample(1);
+  sample.replace_content(-1, theta);
   REQUIRE(sample.get_c() == theta);
   REQUIRE(sample.get_num_retained_items() == 1);
   REQUIRE(sample.get_sample().size() == 1);
   REQUIRE(sample.has_partial_item() == false);
   
   theta = 1e-300;
-  sample = ebpps_sample<int>(-1, theta);
+  sample.replace_content(-1, theta);
   REQUIRE(sample.get_c() == theta);
   REQUIRE(sample.get_num_retained_items() == 1);
   REQUIRE(sample.get_sample().size() == 0); // assuming the random number is > 1e-300
@@ -57,7 +58,8 @@ TEST_CASE("ebpps sample: pre-initialized", "[ebpps_sketch]") {
 }
 
 TEST_CASE("ebpps sample: downsampling", "[ebpps_sketch]") {
-  ebpps_sample<char> sample = ebpps_sample<char>('a', 1.0);
+  ebpps_sample<char> sample(1);
+  sample.replace_content('a', 1.0);
 
   sample.downsample(2.0); // no-op
   REQUIRE(sample.get_c() == 1.0);
@@ -121,8 +123,9 @@ TEST_CASE("ebpps sample: merge unit samples", "[ebpps_sketch]") {
   uint32_t k = 8;
   ebpps_sample<int> sample = ebpps_sample<int>(k);
   
+  ebpps_sample<int> s(1);
   for (uint32_t i = 1; i <= k; ++i) {
-    ebpps_sample<int> s = ebpps_sample<int>(i, 1.0);
+    s.replace_content(i, 1.0);
     sample.merge(s);
     REQUIRE(sample.get_c() == static_cast<double>(i));
     REQUIRE(sample.get_num_retained_items() == i);