diff --git a/goalc/build_level/jak2/Region.cpp b/goalc/build_level/jak2/Region.cpp
index ae2c884590..93301fec93 100644
--- a/goalc/build_level/jak2/Region.cpp
+++ b/goalc/build_level/jak2/Region.cpp
@@ -41,17 +41,17 @@ void Region::generate_pairs(DataObjectGenerator& gen, const std::vector<size_t>&
   size_t on_inside_byte = 0;
   size_t on_exit_byte = 0;
   if (on_enter.has_value()) {
-    on_enter_byte = gen_pair(gen, *on_enter.value());
+    on_enter_byte = gen_pair(gen, on_enter.value());
   } else {
     gen.link_word_to_symbol("#f", on_enter_slot);
   }
   if (on_inside.has_value()) {
-    on_inside_byte = gen_pair(gen, *on_inside.value());
+    on_inside_byte = gen_pair(gen, on_inside.value());
   } else {
     gen.link_word_to_symbol("#f", on_inside_slot);
   }
   if (on_exit.has_value()) {
-    on_exit_byte = gen_pair(gen, *on_exit.value());
+    on_exit_byte = gen_pair(gen, on_exit.value());
   } else {
     gen.link_word_to_symbol("#f", on_exit_slot);
   }
@@ -75,17 +75,17 @@ size_t Region::generate(DataObjectGenerator& gen) const {
   size_t on_inside_byte = 0;
   size_t on_exit_byte = 0;
   if (on_enter.has_value()) {
-    on_enter_byte = gen_pair(gen, *on_enter.value());
+    on_enter_byte = gen_pair(gen, on_enter.value());
   } else {
     gen.link_word_to_symbol("#f", on_enter_slot);
   }
   if (on_inside.has_value()) {
-    on_inside_byte = gen_pair(gen, *on_inside.value());
+    on_inside_byte = gen_pair(gen, on_inside.value());
   } else {
     gen.link_word_to_symbol("#f", on_inside_slot);
   }
   if (on_exit.has_value()) {
-    on_exit_byte = gen_pair(gen, *on_exit.value());
+    on_exit_byte = gen_pair(gen, on_exit.value());
   } else {
     gen.link_word_to_symbol("#f", on_exit_slot);
   }
@@ -269,22 +269,22 @@ void add_regions_from_json(const nlohmann::json& json,
         region.faces = std::make_optional<std::vector<RegionFaceData>>(arr.faces);
       }
       if (region_json.find("on-enter") != region_json.end()) {
-        region.on_enter = std::make_optional(
-            &reader.read_from_string(region_json.at("on-enter").get<std::string>(), false)
-                 .as_pair()
-                 ->car);
+        region.on_enter =
+            reader.read_from_string(region_json.at("on-enter").get<std::string>(), false)
+                .as_pair()
+                ->car;
       }
       if (region_json.find("on-inside") != region_json.end()) {
-        region.on_inside = std::make_optional(
-            &reader.read_from_string(region_json.at("on-inside").get<std::string>(), false)
-                 .as_pair()
-                 ->car);
+        region.on_inside =
+            reader.read_from_string(region_json.at("on-inside").get<std::string>(), false)
+                .as_pair()
+                ->car;
       }
       if (region_json.find("on-exit") != region_json.end()) {
-        region.on_exit = std::make_optional(
-            &reader.read_from_string(region_json.at("on-exit").get<std::string>(), false)
-                 .as_pair()
-                 ->car);
+        region.on_exit =
+            reader.read_from_string(region_json.at("on-exit").get<std::string>(), false)
+                .as_pair()
+                ->car;
       }
       lg::print(region.print());
     } else {
@@ -298,17 +298,17 @@ std::string Region::print() {
   result += fmt::format("Region {} ({}):\n", id, tree);
   result += fmt::format("  shape: {}\n", shape);
   if (on_enter.has_value()) {
-    result += fmt::format("  on-enter: {}\n", on_enter.value()->print());
+    result += fmt::format("  on-enter: {}\n", on_enter.value().print());
   } else {
     result += fmt::format("  on-enter: #f\n");
   }
   if (on_inside.has_value()) {
-    result += fmt::format("  on-inside: {}\n", on_inside.value()->print());
+    result += fmt::format("  on-inside: {}\n", on_inside.value().print());
   } else {
     result += fmt::format("  on-inside: #f\n");
   }
   if (on_exit.has_value()) {
-    result += fmt::format("  on-exit: {}\n", on_exit.value()->print());
+    result += fmt::format("  on-exit: {}\n", on_exit.value().print());
   } else {
     result += fmt::format("  on-exit: #f\n");
   }
diff --git a/goalc/build_level/jak2/Region.h b/goalc/build_level/jak2/Region.h
index 27055b23ee..1146c6c237 100644
--- a/goalc/build_level/jak2/Region.h
+++ b/goalc/build_level/jak2/Region.h
@@ -39,9 +39,9 @@ struct Region {
   // (on-inside pair    :offset-assert 8)
   // (on-exit   pair    :offset-assert 12)
   u32 id;
-  std::optional<goos::Object*> on_enter;
-  std::optional<goos::Object*> on_inside;
-  std::optional<goos::Object*> on_exit;
+  std::optional<goos::Object> on_enter;
+  std::optional<goos::Object> on_inside;
+  std::optional<goos::Object> on_exit;
   math::Vector4f trans;
   math::Vector4f bsphere;
   std::string tree;   // target, camera, data, water, city_vis, sample, light, entity
diff --git a/goalc/build_level/jak3/Region.cpp b/goalc/build_level/jak3/Region.cpp
index c10a00f695..947d2fa87e 100644
--- a/goalc/build_level/jak3/Region.cpp
+++ b/goalc/build_level/jak3/Region.cpp
@@ -41,17 +41,17 @@ void Region::generate_pairs(DataObjectGenerator& gen, const std::vector<size_t>&
   size_t on_inside_byte = 0;
   size_t on_exit_byte = 0;
   if (on_enter.has_value()) {
-    on_enter_byte = gen_pair(gen, *on_enter.value());
+    on_enter_byte = gen_pair(gen, on_enter.value());
   } else {
     gen.link_word_to_symbol("#f", on_enter_slot);
   }
   if (on_inside.has_value()) {
-    on_inside_byte = gen_pair(gen, *on_inside.value());
+    on_inside_byte = gen_pair(gen, on_inside.value());
   } else {
     gen.link_word_to_symbol("#f", on_inside_slot);
   }
   if (on_exit.has_value()) {
-    on_exit_byte = gen_pair(gen, *on_exit.value());
+    on_exit_byte = gen_pair(gen, on_exit.value());
   } else {
     gen.link_word_to_symbol("#f", on_exit_slot);
   }
@@ -75,17 +75,17 @@ size_t Region::generate(DataObjectGenerator& gen) const {
   size_t on_inside_byte = 0;
   size_t on_exit_byte = 0;
   if (on_enter.has_value()) {
-    on_enter_byte = gen_pair(gen, *on_enter.value());
+    on_enter_byte = gen_pair(gen, on_enter.value());
   } else {
     gen.link_word_to_symbol("#f", on_enter_slot);
   }
   if (on_inside.has_value()) {
-    on_inside_byte = gen_pair(gen, *on_inside.value());
+    on_inside_byte = gen_pair(gen, on_inside.value());
   } else {
     gen.link_word_to_symbol("#f", on_inside_slot);
   }
   if (on_exit.has_value()) {
-    on_exit_byte = gen_pair(gen, *on_exit.value());
+    on_exit_byte = gen_pair(gen, on_exit.value());
   } else {
     gen.link_word_to_symbol("#f", on_exit_slot);
   }
@@ -269,22 +269,22 @@ void add_regions_from_json(const nlohmann::json& json,
         region.faces = std::make_optional<std::vector<RegionFaceData>>(arr.faces);
       }
       if (region_json.find("on-enter") != region_json.end()) {
-        region.on_enter = std::make_optional(
-            &reader.read_from_string(region_json.at("on-enter").get<std::string>(), false)
-                 .as_pair()
-                 ->car);
+        region.on_enter =
+            reader.read_from_string(region_json.at("on-enter").get<std::string>(), false)
+                .as_pair()
+                ->car;
       }
       if (region_json.find("on-inside") != region_json.end()) {
-        region.on_inside = std::make_optional(
-            &reader.read_from_string(region_json.at("on-inside").get<std::string>(), false)
-                 .as_pair()
-                 ->car);
+        region.on_inside =
+            reader.read_from_string(region_json.at("on-inside").get<std::string>(), false)
+                .as_pair()
+                ->car;
       }
       if (region_json.find("on-exit") != region_json.end()) {
-        region.on_exit = std::make_optional(
-            &reader.read_from_string(region_json.at("on-exit").get<std::string>(), false)
-                 .as_pair()
-                 ->car);
+        region.on_exit =
+            reader.read_from_string(region_json.at("on-exit").get<std::string>(), false)
+                .as_pair()
+                ->car;
       }
       lg::print(region.print());
     } else {
@@ -298,17 +298,17 @@ std::string Region::print() {
   result += fmt::format("Region {} ({}):\n", id, tree);
   result += fmt::format("  shape: {}\n", shape);
   if (on_enter.has_value()) {
-    result += fmt::format("  on-enter: {}\n", on_enter.value()->print());
+    result += fmt::format("  on-enter: {}\n", on_enter.value().print());
   } else {
     result += fmt::format("  on-enter: #f\n");
   }
   if (on_inside.has_value()) {
-    result += fmt::format("  on-inside: {}\n", on_inside.value()->print());
+    result += fmt::format("  on-inside: {}\n", on_inside.value().print());
   } else {
     result += fmt::format("  on-inside: #f\n");
   }
   if (on_exit.has_value()) {
-    result += fmt::format("  on-exit: {}\n", on_exit.value()->print());
+    result += fmt::format("  on-exit: {}\n", on_exit.value().print());
   } else {
     result += fmt::format("  on-exit: #f\n");
   }
diff --git a/goalc/build_level/jak3/Region.h b/goalc/build_level/jak3/Region.h
index 8c599c9d5f..bb45b2dd4e 100644
--- a/goalc/build_level/jak3/Region.h
+++ b/goalc/build_level/jak3/Region.h
@@ -39,9 +39,9 @@ struct Region {
   // (on-inside pair    :offset-assert 8)
   // (on-exit   pair    :offset-assert 12)
   u32 id;
-  std::optional<goos::Object*> on_enter;
-  std::optional<goos::Object*> on_inside;
-  std::optional<goos::Object*> on_exit;
+  std::optional<goos::Object> on_enter;
+  std::optional<goos::Object> on_inside;
+  std::optional<goos::Object> on_exit;
   math::Vector4f trans;
   math::Vector4f bsphere;
   std::string tree;   // target, camera, data, water, city_vis, sample, light, entity
diff --git a/goalc/data_compiler/DataObjectGenerator.cpp b/goalc/data_compiler/DataObjectGenerator.cpp
index 6fbf91aeac..3cc2c93e7e 100644
--- a/goalc/data_compiler/DataObjectGenerator.cpp
+++ b/goalc/data_compiler/DataObjectGenerator.cpp
@@ -116,7 +116,8 @@ void DataObjectGenerator::add_goos_obj(
       if (obj.type == goos::ObjectType::INTEGER || obj.type == goos::ObjectType::FLOAT) {
         link_word_to_byte(next_slot, current_offset_bytes() + 2);
       } else {
-        link_word_to_byte(add_word(0), current_offset_bytes() + 2);
+        auto cdr_slot = add_word(0);
+        link_word_to_byte(cdr_slot, current_offset_bytes() + 2);
       }
     }
   }
@@ -146,7 +147,8 @@ int DataObjectGenerator::add_pair(const goos::Object& obj,
             if (current.as_pair()->cdr.is_empty_list()) {
               add_empty_list();
             } else {
-              link_word_to_byte(add_word(0), current_offset_bytes() + 2);
+              auto cdr_slot = add_word(0);
+              link_word_to_byte(cdr_slot, current_offset_bytes() + 2);
             }
           } else {
             ASSERT_MSG(false, fmt::format("error in pair {}: for {}, entity-actor {} not found",
@@ -164,7 +166,8 @@ int DataObjectGenerator::add_pair(const goos::Object& obj,
             if (current.as_pair()->cdr.is_empty_list()) {
               add_empty_list();
             } else {
-              link_word_to_byte(add_word(0), current_offset_bytes() + 2);
+              auto cdr_slot = add_word(0);
+              link_word_to_byte(cdr_slot, current_offset_bytes() + 2);
             }
           } else {
             ASSERT_MSG(false, fmt::format("error in pair {}: for {}, got invalid id {}",