diff --git a/public/java/test/org/broadinstitute/sting/gatk/walkers/bqsr/ReadCovariatesUnitTest.java b/public/java/test/org/broadinstitute/sting/gatk/walkers/bqsr/ReadCovariatesUnitTest.java
index 61231ea5e..8de416e29 100644
--- a/public/java/test/org/broadinstitute/sting/gatk/walkers/bqsr/ReadCovariatesUnitTest.java
+++ b/public/java/test/org/broadinstitute/sting/gatk/walkers/bqsr/ReadCovariatesUnitTest.java
@@ -6,9 +6,6 @@ import org.broadinstitute.sting.utils.sam.ReadUtils;
 import org.testng.Assert;
 import org.testng.annotations.Test;
 
-import java.util.ArrayList;
-import java.util.List;
-
 /**
  * @author carneiro
  * @since 4/21/12
@@ -38,11 +35,11 @@ public class ReadCovariatesUnitTest {
         coCov.initialize(RAC);
         cyCov.initialize(RAC);
 
-        List<Covariate> requestedCovariates = new ArrayList<Covariate>(4);
-        requestedCovariates.add(rgCov);
-        requestedCovariates.add(qsCov);
-        requestedCovariates.add(coCov);
-        requestedCovariates.add(cyCov);
+        Covariate[] requestedCovariates = new Covariate[4];
+        requestedCovariates[0] = rgCov;
+        requestedCovariates[1] = qsCov;
+        requestedCovariates[2] = coCov;
+        requestedCovariates[3] = cyCov;
 
         ReadCovariates rc = RecalDataManager.computeCovariates(read, requestedCovariates);
 
diff --git a/public/java/test/org/broadinstitute/sting/gatk/walkers/bqsr/RecalibrationReportUnitTest.java b/public/java/test/org/broadinstitute/sting/gatk/walkers/bqsr/RecalibrationReportUnitTest.java
index f4281d516..669c285cd 100644
--- a/public/java/test/org/broadinstitute/sting/gatk/walkers/bqsr/RecalibrationReportUnitTest.java
+++ b/public/java/test/org/broadinstitute/sting/gatk/walkers/bqsr/RecalibrationReportUnitTest.java
@@ -37,7 +37,6 @@ public class RecalibrationReportUnitTest {
         quantizationInfo.noQuantization();
         final List<Covariate> requiredCovariates = new LinkedList<Covariate>();
         final List<Covariate> optionalCovariates = new LinkedList<Covariate>();
-        final List<Covariate> requestedCovariates = new LinkedList<Covariate>();
 
         final ReadGroupCovariate rgCovariate = new ReadGroupCovariate();
         rgCovariate.initialize(RAC);
@@ -60,10 +59,12 @@ public class RecalibrationReportUnitTest {
         BQSRKeyManager cvKeyManager = new BQSRKeyManager(requiredCovariates, optionalCovariates);
         keysAndTablesMap.put(cvKeyManager, new HashMap<Long, RecalDatum>());
 
-        for (Covariate cov : requiredCovariates)
-            requestedCovariates.add(cov);
-        for (Covariate cov : optionalCovariates)
-            requestedCovariates.add(cov);
+        final Covariate[] requestedCovariates = new Covariate[requiredCovariates.size() + optionalCovariates.size()];
+        int covariateIndex = 0;
+        for (final Covariate cov : requiredCovariates)
+            requestedCovariates[covariateIndex++] = cov;
+        for (final Covariate cov : optionalCovariates)
+            requestedCovariates[covariateIndex++] = cov;
 
         final GATKSAMReadGroupRecord rg = new GATKSAMReadGroupRecord("id");
         rg.setPlatform("illumina");
diff --git a/public/java/test/org/broadinstitute/sting/utils/recalibration/BaseRecalibrationUnitTest.java b/public/java/test/org/broadinstitute/sting/utils/recalibration/BaseRecalibrationUnitTest.java
index c2aa9b0c7..ad535df59 100644
--- a/public/java/test/org/broadinstitute/sting/utils/recalibration/BaseRecalibrationUnitTest.java
+++ b/public/java/test/org/broadinstitute/sting/utils/recalibration/BaseRecalibrationUnitTest.java
@@ -48,7 +48,6 @@ public class BaseRecalibrationUnitTest {
         RecalibrationArgumentCollection RAC = new RecalibrationArgumentCollection();
         List<Covariate> requiredCovariates = new ArrayList<Covariate>();
         List<Covariate> optionalCovariates = new ArrayList<Covariate>();
-        ArrayList<Covariate> requestedCovariates = new ArrayList<Covariate>();
 
         dataManager = new org.broadinstitute.sting.gatk.walkers.recalibration.RecalDataManager(true, 4);
         keysAndTablesMap = new LinkedHashMap<BQSRKeyManager, Map<Long, RecalDatum>>();
@@ -74,10 +73,12 @@ public class BaseRecalibrationUnitTest {
         BQSRKeyManager cvKeyManager = new BQSRKeyManager(requiredCovariates, optionalCovariates);
         keysAndTablesMap.put(cvKeyManager, new HashMap<Long, RecalDatum>());
 
-        for (Covariate cov : requiredCovariates)
-            requestedCovariates.add(cov);
-        for (Covariate cov : optionalCovariates)
-            requestedCovariates.add(cov);
+        final Covariate[] requestedCovariates = new Covariate[requiredCovariates.size() + optionalCovariates.size()];
+        int covariateIndex = 0;
+        for (final Covariate cov : requiredCovariates)
+            requestedCovariates[covariateIndex++] = cov;
+        for (final Covariate cov : optionalCovariates)
+            requestedCovariates[covariateIndex++] = cov;
 
         readCovariates = RecalDataManager.computeCovariates(read, requestedCovariates);
 
@@ -112,7 +113,7 @@ public class BaseRecalibrationUnitTest {
         }
         QuantizationInfo quantizationInfo = new QuantizationInfo(quantizedQuals, qualCounts);
         quantizationInfo.noQuantization();
-        baseRecalibration = new BaseRecalibration(quantizationInfo, keysAndTablesMap, requestedCovariates.toArray());
+        baseRecalibration = new BaseRecalibration(quantizationInfo, keysAndTablesMap, requestedCovariates);
 
     }