diff --git a/lix/libexpr/flake/flake.cc b/lix/libexpr/flake/flake.cc
index 3317026eb..2943925aa 100644
--- a/lix/libexpr/flake/flake.cc
+++ b/lix/libexpr/flake/flake.cc
@@ -943,16 +943,14 @@ LockedFlake lockFlake(
 Value callFlake(EvalState & state, const LockedFlake & lockedFlake)
 {
     Value vLocks;
-    Value vRootSrc;
     Value vRootSubdir;
 
     vLocks = {NewValueAs::string, lockedFlake.lockFile.to_string()};
 
-    emitTreeAttrs(
+    Value vRootSrc = emitTreeAttrs(
         state.ctx,
         *lockedFlake.flake.sourceInfo,
         lockedFlake.flake.lockedRef.input,
-        vRootSrc,
         false,
         lockedFlake.flake.forceDirty
     );
diff --git a/lix/libexpr/flake/flake.hh b/lix/libexpr/flake/flake.hh
index bdd848133..478e48d6a 100644
--- a/lix/libexpr/flake/flake.hh
+++ b/lix/libexpr/flake/flake.hh
@@ -202,12 +202,11 @@ LockedFlake lockFlake(
 Value callFlake(EvalState & state, const LockedFlake & lockedFlake);
 }
 
-void emitTreeAttrs(
+Value emitTreeAttrs(
     Evaluator & state,
     const fetchers::Tree & tree,
     const fetchers::Input & input,
-    Value & v,
     bool emptyRevFallback = false,
-    bool forceDirty = false);
-
+    bool forceDirty = false
+);
 }
diff --git a/lix/libexpr/primops/fetchTree.cc b/lix/libexpr/primops/fetchTree.cc
index ddba5567a..f0f90cd12 100644
--- a/lix/libexpr/primops/fetchTree.cc
+++ b/lix/libexpr/primops/fetchTree.cc
@@ -14,13 +14,13 @@
 
 namespace nix {
 
-void emitTreeAttrs(
+Value emitTreeAttrs(
     Evaluator & state,
     const fetchers::Tree & tree,
     const fetchers::Input & input,
-    Value & v,
     bool emptyRevFallback,
-    bool forceDirty)
+    bool forceDirty
+)
 {
     assert(input.isLocked());
 
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ void emitTreeAttrs(
         };
     }
 
-    v = {NewValueAs::attrs, attrs};
+    return {NewValueAs::attrs, attrs};
 }
 
 std::string fixURI(std::string uri, EvalState & state, const std::string & defaultScheme = "file")
@@ -223,7 +223,7 @@ static void fetchTree(
 
     state.ctx.paths.allowPath(tree.storePath);
 
-    emitTreeAttrs(state.ctx, tree, input2, v, params.emptyRevFallback, false);
+    v = emitTreeAttrs(state.ctx, tree, input2, params.emptyRevFallback, false);
 }
 
 void prim_fetchTree(EvalState & state, Value * * args, Value & v)