diff --git a/src/eval.c b/src/eval.c
index 55186cd..9a0e79e 100644
--- a/src/eval.c
+++ b/src/eval.c
@@ -531,23 +531,11 @@ match_pattern_from_var_or_member(
 next:
     switch (var_or_member->type) {
     case APFL_EXPR_ASSIGNABLE_VAR_OR_MEMBER_VAR:
-        if ((pattern->value.varname = apfl_string_copy_into_new_refcounted(
-            ctx->allocator,
-            apfl_string_view_from(var_or_member->var)
-        )) == NULL) {
-            result = MATCH_FATAL_ERROR;
-            goto fail;
-        }
+        pattern->value.varname = apfl_refcounted_string_incref(var_or_member->var);
         return MATCH_OK;
     case APFL_EXPR_ASSIGNABLE_VAR_OR_MEMBER_DOT:
         str_value.type = VALUE_STRING;
-        if ((str_value.string = apfl_string_copy_into_new_refcounted(
-            ctx->allocator,
-            apfl_string_view_from(var_or_member->dot.rhs)
-        )) == NULL) {
-            result = MATCH_FATAL_ERROR;
-            goto fail;
-        }
+        str_value.string = apfl_refcounted_string_incref(var_or_member->dot.rhs);
 
         if (!apfl_resizable_append(
             ctx->allocator,