diff --git a/include/cantera/kinetics/ReactionRateFactory.h b/include/cantera/kinetics/ReactionRateFactory.h
index 8064fea3f5c..315eed888d6 100644
--- a/include/cantera/kinetics/ReactionRateFactory.h
+++ b/include/cantera/kinetics/ReactionRateFactory.h
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ class Units;
  * @ingroup reactionGroup
  */
 class ReactionRateFactory
-    : public Factory<ReactionRateBase, const AnyMap&, const Units&>
+    : public Factory<ReactionRateBase, const AnyMap&, const UnitsVector&>
 {
 public:
     /**
@@ -73,10 +73,11 @@ shared_ptr<ReactionRateBase> newReactionRate(const std::string& type);
 //! Create a new Rate object using the specified parameters
 /*!
  * @param rate_node AnyMap node describing reaction rate.
- * @param rate_units Unit system of the reaction rate
+ * @param rate_units Vector describing unit system of the reaction rate; each element
+ *          specifies Unit and exponent applied to the unit.
  */
 shared_ptr<ReactionRateBase> newReactionRate(
-    const AnyMap& rate_node, const Units& rate_units);
+    const AnyMap& rate_node, const UnitsVector& rate_units);
 
 //! Create a new Rate object using the specified parameters
 /*!
@@ -84,14 +85,5 @@ shared_ptr<ReactionRateBase> newReactionRate(
  */
 shared_ptr<ReactionRateBase> newReactionRate(const AnyMap& rate_node);
 
-//! Create a new Rate object using the specified parameters
-/*!
- * @param rate_node AnyMap node describing reaction rate.
- * @param rate_units Vector describing unit system of the reaction rate; each element
- *          specifies Unit and exponent applied to the unit.
- */
-shared_ptr<ReactionRateBase> newReactionRate(
-    const AnyMap& rate_node, const std::vector<std::pair<Units, double>>& rate_units);
-
 }
 #endif
diff --git a/src/kinetics/ReactionRateFactory.cpp b/src/kinetics/ReactionRateFactory.cpp
index fc2d8588ba8..43ae12c82a1 100644
--- a/src/kinetics/ReactionRateFactory.cpp
+++ b/src/kinetics/ReactionRateFactory.cpp
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ std::mutex ReactionRateFactory::rate_mutex;
 ReactionRateFactory::ReactionRateFactory()
 {
     // ArrheniusRate evaluator
-    reg("Arrhenius", [](const AnyMap& node, const Units& rate_units) {
+    reg("Arrhenius", [](const AnyMap& node, const UnitsVector& rate_units) {
         return new ArrheniusRate(node, rate_units);
     });
     addAlias("Arrhenius", "");
@@ -28,54 +28,55 @@ ReactionRateFactory::ReactionRateFactory()
     addAlias("Arrhenius", "three-body");
 
     // BlowersMaselRate evaluator
-    reg("Blowers-Masel", [](const AnyMap& node, const Units& rate_units) {
+    reg("Blowers-Masel", [](const AnyMap& node, const UnitsVector& rate_units) {
         return new BlowersMaselRate(node, rate_units);
     });
 
     // Lindemann falloff evaluator
-    reg("Lindemann", [](const AnyMap& node, const Units& rate_units) {
+    reg("Lindemann", [](const AnyMap& node, const UnitsVector& rate_units) {
         return new FalloffRate<Lindemann>(node, rate_units);
     });
 
     // Troe falloff evaluator
-    reg("Troe", [](const AnyMap& node, const Units& rate_units) {
+    reg("Troe", [](const AnyMap& node, const UnitsVector& rate_units) {
         return new FalloffRate<Troe>(node, rate_units);
     });
 
     // SRI falloff evaluator
-    reg("SRI", [](const AnyMap& node, const Units& rate_units) {
+    reg("SRI", [](const AnyMap& node, const UnitsVector& rate_units) {
         return new FalloffRate<SRI>(node, rate_units);
     });
 
     // Tsang falloff evaluator
-    reg("Tsang", [](const AnyMap& node, const Units& rate_units) {
+    reg("Tsang", [](const AnyMap& node, const UnitsVector& rate_units) {
         return new FalloffRate<Tsang>(node, rate_units);
     });
 
     // PlogRate evaluator
-    reg("pressure-dependent-Arrhenius", [](const AnyMap& node, const Units& rate_units) {
+    reg("pressure-dependent-Arrhenius", [](const AnyMap& node, const UnitsVector& rate_units) {
         return new PlogRate(node, rate_units);
     });
 
     // ChebyshevRate evaluator
-    reg("Chebyshev", [](const AnyMap& node, const Units& rate_units) {
+    reg("Chebyshev", [](const AnyMap& node, const UnitsVector& rate_units) {
         return new ChebyshevRate3(node, rate_units);
     });
 
     // CustomFunc1Rate evaluator
-    reg("custom-rate-function", [](const AnyMap& node, const Units& rate_units) {
+    reg("custom-rate-function", [](const AnyMap& node, const UnitsVector& rate_units) {
         return new CustomFunc1Rate(node, rate_units);
     });
 }
 
 shared_ptr<ReactionRateBase> newReactionRate(const std::string& type)
 {
+    UnitsVector rate_units;
     return shared_ptr<ReactionRateBase> (
-        ReactionRateFactory::factory()->create(type, AnyMap(), Units(0.0)));
+        ReactionRateFactory::factory()->create(type, AnyMap(), rate_units));
 }
 
 shared_ptr<ReactionRateBase> newReactionRate(
-    const AnyMap& rate_node, const Units& rate_units)
+    const AnyMap& rate_node, const UnitsVector& rate_units)
 {
     std::string type = ""; // default is to create Arrhenius from empty
     if (rate_node.hasKey("type")) {
@@ -113,13 +114,8 @@ shared_ptr<ReactionRateBase> newReactionRate(const AnyMap& rate_node)
             "when creating\na standalone 'ReactionRate' object.");
     }
     AnyMap node(rate_node);
-    return newReactionRate(node, Units(0.));
-}
-
-shared_ptr<ReactionRateBase> newReactionRate(
-    const AnyMap& rate_node, const std::vector<std::pair<Units, double>>& rate_units)
-{
-    return newReactionRate(rate_node, Units::product(rate_units));
+    UnitsVector rate_units;
+    return newReactionRate(node, rate_units);
 }
 
 }