diff --git a/core/src/avm1/globals/text_field.rs b/core/src/avm1/globals/text_field.rs
index ee374b340..5bdf0a30a 100644
--- a/core/src/avm1/globals/text_field.rs
+++ b/core/src/avm1/globals/text_field.rs
@@ -347,7 +347,7 @@ pub fn set_html_text<'gc>(
     value: Value<'gc>,
 ) -> Result<(), Error<'gc>> {
     let text = value.coerce_to_string(activation)?;
-    let _ = this.set_html_text(text.to_string(), &mut activation.context);
+    let _ = this.set_html_text(&text, &mut activation.context);
     // Changing the htmlText does NOT update variable bindings (does not call EditText::propagate_text_binding).
     Ok(())
 }
diff --git a/core/src/avm1/object/stage_object.rs b/core/src/avm1/object/stage_object.rs
index b60f906f1..47ea45f5f 100644
--- a/core/src/avm1/object/stage_object.rs
+++ b/core/src/avm1/object/stage_object.rs
@@ -211,7 +211,7 @@ impl<'gc> TObject<'gc> for StageObject<'gc> {
             .filter(|binding| swf_string_eq(&binding.variable_name, &name, case_sensitive))
         {
             let _ = binding.text_field.set_html_text(
-                value.coerce_to_string(activation)?.to_string(),
+                &value.coerce_to_string(activation)?,
                 &mut activation.context,
             );
         }
diff --git a/core/src/avm2/globals/flash/text/textfield.rs b/core/src/avm2/globals/flash/text/textfield.rs
index c18132024..800bc98e9 100644
--- a/core/src/avm2/globals/flash/text/textfield.rs
+++ b/core/src/avm2/globals/flash/text/textfield.rs
@@ -341,13 +341,11 @@ pub fn set_html_text<'gc>(
     {
         let html_text = args
             .get(0)
-            .cloned()
-            .unwrap_or(Value::Undefined)
-            .coerce_to_string(activation)?
-            .to_string();
+            .unwrap_or(&Value::Undefined)
+            .coerce_to_string(activation)?;
 
         this.set_is_html(&mut activation.context, true);
-        this.set_html_text(html_text, &mut activation.context)?;
+        this.set_html_text(&html_text, &mut activation.context)?;
     }
 
     Ok(Value::Undefined)
diff --git a/core/src/display_object/edit_text.rs b/core/src/display_object/edit_text.rs
index b2fee52af..3916e329b 100644
--- a/core/src/display_object/edit_text.rs
+++ b/core/src/display_object/edit_text.rs
@@ -455,7 +455,7 @@ impl<'gc> EditText<'gc> {
 
     pub fn set_html_text(
         self,
-        text: String,
+        text: &str,
         context: &mut UpdateContext<'_, 'gc, '_>,
     ) -> Result<(), Error> {
         if self.is_html() {
@@ -471,7 +471,7 @@ impl<'gc> EditText<'gc> {
             }
 
             self.set_html_tree(document, context);
-        } else if let Err(err) = self.set_text(&text, context) {
+        } else if let Err(err) = self.set_text(text, context) {
             log::error!("Error when setting TextField.htmlText: {}", err);
         }
         Ok(())
@@ -1113,10 +1113,7 @@ impl<'gc> EditText<'gc> {
                             if object.has_property(activation, property) {
                                 let value = object.get(property, activation).unwrap();
                                 let _ = self.set_html_text(
-                                    value
-                                        .coerce_to_string(activation)
-                                        .unwrap_or_default()
-                                        .to_string(),
+                                    &value.coerce_to_string(activation).unwrap_or_default(),
                                     &mut activation.context,
                                 );
                             } else {