diff --git a/include/cubescript/cubescript/util.hh b/include/cubescript/cubescript/util.hh
index ec2c042..a66b343 100644
--- a/include/cubescript/cubescript/util.hh
+++ b/include/cubescript/cubescript/util.hh
@@ -86,17 +86,11 @@ struct LIBCUBESCRIPT_EXPORT alias_local {
     /** @brief Local handlers are not move assignable */
     alias_local &operator=(alias_local &&v) = delete;
 
-    /** @brief Get the contained alias
-     *
-     * @return the alias or `nullptr` if none set
-     */
-    alias *get_alias() noexcept { return p_alias; }
+    /** @brief Get the contained alias */
+    alias &get_alias() noexcept { return *p_alias; }
 
-    /** @brief Get the contained alias
-     *
-     * @return the alias or `nullptr` if none set
-     */
-    alias const *get_alias() const noexcept { return p_alias; }
+    /** @brief Get the contained alias */
+    alias const &get_alias() const noexcept { return *p_alias; }
 
     /** @brief Set the contained alias's value
      *
diff --git a/include/cubescript/cubescript/value.hh b/include/cubescript/cubescript/value.hh
index f393278..316e78b 100644
--- a/include/cubescript/cubescript/value.hh
+++ b/include/cubescript/cubescript/value.hh
@@ -339,7 +339,7 @@ struct LIBCUBESCRIPT_EXPORT any_value {
      * performed, so after main thread destruction this may become
      * dangling (and unsafe to use).
      */
-    void set_ident(ident *val);
+    void set_ident(ident &val);
 
     /** @brief Get the value as a string reference.
      *
diff --git a/src/cs_ident.cc b/src/cs_ident.cc
index bb9493b..d4de5c4 100644
--- a/src/cs_ident.cc
+++ b/src/cs_ident.cc
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ void var_changed(thread_state &ts, ident *id) {
     }
     auto *cimp = static_cast<command_impl *>(cid);
     any_value val{};
-    val.set_ident(id);
+    val.set_ident(*id);
     cimp->call(ts, span_type<any_value>{&val, 1}, val);
 }
 
diff --git a/src/cs_val.cc b/src/cs_val.cc
index 7433cce..b94081b 100644
--- a/src/cs_val.cc
+++ b/src/cs_val.cc
@@ -165,10 +165,10 @@ void any_value::set_code(bcode_ref const &val) {
     csv_get<bcode *>(&p_stor) = p;
 }
 
-void any_value::set_ident(ident *val) {
+void any_value::set_ident(ident &val) {
     csv_cleanup(p_type, &p_stor);
     p_type = value_type::IDENT;
-    csv_get<ident *>(&p_stor) = val;
+    csv_get<ident *>(&p_stor) = &val;
 }
 
 void any_value::force_none() {
@@ -270,7 +270,7 @@ ident &any_value::force_ident(state &cs) {
     auto &id = state_p{cs}.ts().istate->new_ident(
         cs, get_string(cs), IDENT_FLAG_UNKNOWN
     );
-    set_ident(&id);
+    set_ident(id);
     return id;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/cs_vm.cc b/src/cs_vm.cc
index 9eb68d5..f383196 100644
--- a/src/cs_vm.cc
+++ b/src/cs_vm.cc
@@ -154,7 +154,7 @@ void exec_command(
                     if (rep) {
                         break;
                     }
-                    args[i].set_ident(ts.istate->id_dummy);
+                    args[i].set_ident(*ts.istate->id_dummy);
                     fakeargs++;
                 } else {
                     args[i].force_ident(*ts.pstate);
@@ -162,7 +162,7 @@ void exec_command(
                 break;
             case '$':
                 i += 1;
-                args[i].set_ident(self);
+                args[i].set_ident(*self);
                 break;
             case 'N':
                 i += 1;
@@ -734,7 +734,7 @@ std::uint32_t *vm_exec(
                     ts.get_astack(a).push(ts.idstack.emplace_back());
                     ts.callstack->usedargs[a->get_index()] = true;
                 }
-                args.emplace_back().set_ident(a);
+                args.emplace_back().set_ident(*a);
                 continue;
             }
             case BC_INST_IDENT_U: {
@@ -750,7 +750,7 @@ std::uint32_t *vm_exec(
                     ts.get_astack(a).push(ts.idstack.emplace_back());
                     ts.callstack->usedargs[id->get_index()] = true;
                 }
-                arg.set_ident(id);
+                arg.set_ident(*id);
                 continue;
             }
 
diff --git a/src/lib_base.cc b/src/lib_base.cc
index 9668b6e..b308952 100644
--- a/src/lib_base.cc
+++ b/src/lib_base.cc
@@ -157,7 +157,7 @@ LIBCUBESCRIPT_EXPORT void std_init_base(state &gcs) {
 
     new_cmd_quiet(gcs, "pushif", "rte", [](auto &cs, auto args, auto &res) {
         alias_local st{cs, args[0]};
-        if (st.get_alias()->is_arg()) {
+        if (st.get_alias().is_arg()) {
             throw error{cs, "cannot push an argument"};
         }
         if (args[1].get_bool()) {
@@ -317,7 +317,7 @@ end:
 
     new_cmd_quiet(gcs, "push", "rte", [](auto &cs, auto args, auto &res) {
         alias_local st{cs, args[0]};
-        if (st.get_alias()->is_arg()) {
+        if (st.get_alias().is_arg()) {
             throw error{cs, "cannot push an argument"};
         }
         st.set(args[1]);