diff --git a/include/caffe/util/math_functions.hpp b/include/caffe/util/math_functions.hpp
index 97a057103db..2df0fc983f9 100644
--- a/include/caffe/util/math_functions.hpp
+++ b/include/caffe/util/math_functions.hpp
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ void caffe_gpu_axpby(const int N, const Dtype alpha, const Dtype* X,
 template <typename Dtype>
 void caffe_copy(const int N, const Dtype *X, Dtype *Y);
 
-void caffe_memcpy(const size_t N, const void *X, void *Y);
+void caffe_gpu_memcpy(const size_t N, const void *X, void *Y);
 
 template <typename Dtype>
 void caffe_set(const int N, const Dtype alpha, Dtype *X);
diff --git a/src/caffe/syncedmem.cpp b/src/caffe/syncedmem.cpp
index 9fe55280de9..77dfe7a4636 100644
--- a/src/caffe/syncedmem.cpp
+++ b/src/caffe/syncedmem.cpp
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ inline void SyncedMemory::to_cpu() {
       CaffeMallocHost(&cpu_ptr_, size_);
       own_cpu_data_ = true;
     }
-    caffe_memcpy(size_, gpu_ptr_, cpu_ptr_);
+    caffe_gpu_memcpy(size_, gpu_ptr_, cpu_ptr_);
     head_ = SYNCED;
     break;
   case HEAD_AT_CPU:
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ inline void SyncedMemory::to_gpu() {
     if (gpu_ptr_ == NULL) {
       CUDA_CHECK(cudaMalloc(&gpu_ptr_, size_));
     }
-    caffe_memcpy(size_, cpu_ptr_, gpu_ptr_);
+    caffe_gpu_memcpy(size_, cpu_ptr_, gpu_ptr_);
     head_ = SYNCED;
     break;
   case HEAD_AT_GPU:
diff --git a/src/caffe/test/test_math_functions.cpp b/src/caffe/test/test_math_functions.cpp
index 941d8b9479a..ddb9f060972 100644
--- a/src/caffe/test/test_math_functions.cpp
+++ b/src/caffe/test/test_math_functions.cpp
@@ -209,6 +209,7 @@ TYPED_TEST(MathFunctionsTest, TestCopyCPU) {
   const int n = this->blob_bottom_->count();
   const TypeParam* bottom_data = this->blob_bottom_->cpu_data();
   TypeParam* top_data = this->blob_top_->mutable_cpu_data();
+  Caffe::set_mode(Caffe::CPU);
   caffe_copy(n, bottom_data, top_data);
   for (int i = 0; i < n; ++i) {
     EXPECT_EQ(bottom_data[i], top_data[i]);
@@ -219,6 +220,7 @@ TYPED_TEST(MathFunctionsTest, TestCopyGPU) {
   const int n = this->blob_bottom_->count();
   const TypeParam* bottom_data = this->blob_bottom_->gpu_data();
   TypeParam* top_data = this->blob_top_->mutable_gpu_data();
+  Caffe::set_mode(Caffe::GPU);
   caffe_copy(n, bottom_data, top_data);
   bottom_data = this->blob_bottom_->cpu_data();
   top_data = this->blob_top_->mutable_cpu_data();
diff --git a/src/caffe/test/test_syncedmem.cpp b/src/caffe/test/test_syncedmem.cpp
index 3aaeafc353e..3a757088e89 100644
--- a/src/caffe/test/test_syncedmem.cpp
+++ b/src/caffe/test/test_syncedmem.cpp
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ TEST_F(SyncedMemoryTest, TestGPURead) {
   EXPECT_EQ(mem.head(), SyncedMemory::SYNCED);
   // check if values are the same
   char* recovered_value = new char[10];
-  caffe_memcpy(10, gpu_data, recovered_value);
+  caffe_gpu_memcpy(10, gpu_data, recovered_value);
   for (int i = 0; i < mem.size(); ++i) {
     EXPECT_EQ((reinterpret_cast<char*>(recovered_value))[i], 1);
   }
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ TEST_F(SyncedMemoryTest, TestGPURead) {
   gpu_data = mem.gpu_data();
   EXPECT_EQ(mem.head(), SyncedMemory::SYNCED);
   // check if values are the same
-  caffe_memcpy(10, gpu_data, recovered_value);
+  caffe_gpu_memcpy(10, gpu_data, recovered_value);
   for (int i = 0; i < mem.size(); ++i) {
     EXPECT_EQ((reinterpret_cast<char*>(recovered_value))[i], 2);
   }
diff --git a/src/caffe/util/math_functions.cpp b/src/caffe/util/math_functions.cpp
index 918bb3c361c..b989ca2ab69 100644
--- a/src/caffe/util/math_functions.cpp
+++ b/src/caffe/util/math_functions.cpp
@@ -152,7 +152,11 @@ void caffe_add_scalar(const int N, const double alpha, double* Y) {
 template <typename Dtype>
 void caffe_copy(const int N, const Dtype* X, Dtype* Y) {
   if (X != Y) {
-    CUDA_CHECK(cudaMemcpy(Y, X, sizeof(Dtype) * N, cudaMemcpyDefault));
+    if (Caffe::mode() == Caffe::GPU) {
+      CUDA_CHECK(cudaMemcpy(Y, X, sizeof(Dtype) * N, cudaMemcpyDefault));
+    } else {
+      memcpy(Y, X, sizeof(Dtype) * N);
+    }
   }
 }
 
@@ -162,7 +166,7 @@ template void caffe_copy<unsigned int>(const int N, const unsigned int* X,
 template void caffe_copy<float>(const int N, const float* X, float* Y);
 template void caffe_copy<double>(const int N, const double* X, double* Y);
 
-void caffe_memcpy(const size_t N, const void* X, void* Y) {
+void caffe_gpu_memcpy(const size_t N, const void* X, void* Y) {
   if (X != Y) {
     CUDA_CHECK(cudaMemcpy(Y, X, N, cudaMemcpyDefault));
   }