diff --git a/src/actions.cpp b/src/actions.cpp
index 3e75fa3..7a28810 100644
--- a/src/actions.cpp
+++ b/src/actions.cpp
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ namespace quickbook
 
     void element_action::operator()(iterator first, iterator) const
     {
-        value_consumer values = actions.values.get();
+        value_consumer values = actions.values.release();
         if(!values.check()) return;
         value v = values.consume();
         if(values.check()) return;
@@ -347,7 +347,7 @@ namespace quickbook
         assert(tag != 0);
         detail::markup markup = detail::get_markup(tag);
 
-        value_consumer values = actions.values.get();
+        value_consumer values = actions.values.release();
         value content = values.consume();
         values.finish();
 
@@ -367,7 +367,7 @@ namespace quickbook
     {
         saved_suppress = actions.suppress;
     
-        value_consumer values = actions.values.get();
+        value_consumer values = actions.values.release();
         bool condition = find(actions.macro,
             values.consume().get_quickbook().c_str());
     
@@ -1109,7 +1109,7 @@ namespace quickbook
         file_position const pos = first.get_position();
         
         // Get the arguments
-        value_consumer values = actions.values.get();
+        value_consumer values = actions.values.release();
 
         bool template_escape = values.check(template_tags::escape);
         if(template_escape) values.consume();
diff --git a/src/code_snippet.cpp b/src/code_snippet.cpp
index d5aac18..a88ee77 100644
--- a/src/code_snippet.cpp
+++ b/src/code_snippet.cpp
@@ -429,7 +429,7 @@ namespace quickbook
         append_code();
 
         boost::shared_ptr<snippet_data> snippet = pop_snippet_data();
-        value callouts = snippet->callouts.get();
+        value callouts = snippet->callouts.release();
 
         std::string body;
         if(snippet->start_code) {
diff --git a/src/doc_info_actions.cpp b/src/doc_info_actions.cpp
index 2d7939e..97b5c58 100644
--- a/src/doc_info_actions.cpp
+++ b/src/doc_info_actions.cpp
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ namespace quickbook
         // The doc_info in the file has been parsed. Here's what we'll do
         // *before* anything else.
 
-        value_consumer values = actions.values.get();
+        value_consumer values = actions.values.release();
 
         // Skip over invalid attributes
 
diff --git a/src/values.cpp b/src/values.cpp
index e110c2d..5e49658 100644
--- a/src/values.cpp
+++ b/src/values.cpp
@@ -194,7 +194,7 @@ namespace quickbook
     }
 
     stored_value::stored_value(detail::value_base const& x)
-        : detail::value_counted(x.store())
+        : detail::value_counted(x.value_->store())
     {
     }
 
@@ -689,8 +689,10 @@ namespace quickbook
         struct value_list_impl : public value_node
         {
             value_list_impl(value::tag_type);
-            value_list_impl(value_node*, value::tag_type);
+            value_list_impl(value_list_builder&, value::tag_type);
         private:
+            value_list_impl(value_list_impl const&);
+
             char const* type_name() const { return "list"; }
 
             virtual ~value_list_impl();
@@ -708,8 +710,14 @@ namespace quickbook
             : value_node(tag), head_(&value_nil_impl::instance)
         {}
     
-        value_list_impl::value_list_impl(value_node* ptr, value::tag_type tag)
-            : value_node(tag), head_(ptr)
+        value_list_impl::value_list_impl(value_list_builder& builder,
+        		value::tag_type tag)
+            : value_node(tag), head_(builder.release())
+        {
+        }
+
+        value_list_impl::value_list_impl(value_list_impl const& x)
+            : value_node(x.tag_), head_(x.head_)
         {
             list_ref(head_);
         }
@@ -721,7 +729,7 @@ namespace quickbook
 
         value_node* value_list_impl::clone() const
         {
-            return new value_list_impl(head_, tag_);
+            return new value_list_impl(*this);
         }
 
         value_node* value_list_impl::store()
@@ -750,7 +758,7 @@ namespace quickbook
             for(;pos2 != &value_nil_impl::instance; pos2 = pos2->next_)
                 build.append(pos2->store());
 
-            return new value_list_impl(build.get(), tag_);
+            return new value_list_impl(build, tag_);
         }
 
 
@@ -799,8 +807,11 @@ namespace quickbook
             if(other.back_ == &head_) other.back_ = &other.head_;
         }
 
-        value_node* value_list_builder::get() const {
-            return head_;
+        value_node* value_list_builder::release() {
+        	value_node* r = head_;
+        	head_ = &value_nil_impl::instance;
+        	back_ = &head_;
+            return r;
         }
     
         void value_list_builder::append(value_node* item)
@@ -847,8 +858,8 @@ namespace quickbook
         swap(*store);
     }
 
-    value value_builder::get() {
-        return value(new detail::value_list_impl(current.get(), list_tag));
+    value value_builder::release() {
+        return value(new detail::value_list_impl(current, list_tag));
     }
 
     void value_builder::reset() {
@@ -876,7 +887,7 @@ namespace quickbook
     }
 
     void value_builder::finish_list() {
-        value list = get();
+        value list = release();
         restore();
         insert(list);
     }
diff --git a/src/values.hpp b/src/values.hpp
index 7eb2325..093395b 100644
--- a/src/values.hpp
+++ b/src/values.hpp
@@ -122,14 +122,13 @@ namespace quickbook
             int get_int() const
             { return value_->get_int(); }
 
-            value_node* store() const { return value_->store(); }
-
         protected:
             value_node* value_;
 
             // value_builder needs to access 'value_' to get the node
             // from a value.
             friend class quickbook::value_builder;
+            friend class quickbook::stored_value;
         };
         
         ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
@@ -206,7 +205,7 @@ namespace quickbook
             value_list_builder(value_node*);
             ~value_list_builder();
             void swap(value_list_builder& b);
-            value_node* get() const;
+            value_node* release();
 
             void append(value_node*);
             void sort();
@@ -272,7 +271,7 @@ namespace quickbook
         void save();
         void restore();
 
-        value get();
+        value release();
 
         void reset();
         void set_tag(value::tag_type);
diff --git a/src/values_parse.hpp b/src/values_parse.hpp
index 9897994..a65a3fd 100644
--- a/src/values_parse.hpp
+++ b/src/values_parse.hpp
@@ -123,7 +123,7 @@ namespace quickbook {
             , sort(builder)
             {}
     
-        value get() { return builder.get(); }
+        value release() { return builder.release(); }
 
         value_builder builder;
         scoped_parser<value_builder_save> save;
diff --git a/test/unit/values_test.cpp b/test/unit/values_test.cpp
index 23e7194..38b91e1 100644
--- a/test/unit/values_test.cpp
+++ b/test/unit/values_test.cpp
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ void sort_test()
     b.insert(quickbook::bbk_value("d", 8));
     b.sort_list();
     
-    quickbook::value_consumer c = b.get();
+    quickbook::value_consumer c = b.release();
     BOOST_TEST(c.check(2)); BOOST_TEST_EQ(c.consume(2).get_boostbook(), "b");
     BOOST_TEST(c.check(5)); c.consume(5);
     BOOST_TEST(c.check(8)); c.consume(8);
@@ -62,8 +62,8 @@ void multiple_list_test()
 
     list2.insert(quickbook::bbk_value("c", 3));
 
-    quickbook::value_consumer l1 = list1.get(); list1.reset();
-    quickbook::value_consumer l2 = list2.get(); list2.reset();
+    quickbook::value_consumer l1 = list1.release();
+    quickbook::value_consumer l2 = list2.release();
 
     BOOST_TEST(l1.check(10));
     BOOST_TEST_EQ(l1.consume(10).get_boostbook(), "b");
@@ -80,18 +80,19 @@ void multiple_list_test()
 
 void store_test1()
 {
-    quickbook::value q;
+    quickbook::stored_value q;
     
     {
         std::string src = "Hello";
-        q = quickbook::qbk_value(
+        quickbook::value q1 = quickbook::qbk_value(
             quickbook::iterator(src.begin()),
             quickbook::iterator(src.end()),
             5);
 
+        BOOST_TEST_EQ(q1.get_quickbook(), "Hello");
+        q = q1;
         BOOST_TEST_EQ(q.get_quickbook(), "Hello");
-        q.store();
-        BOOST_TEST_EQ(q.get_quickbook(), "Hello");
+        BOOST_TEST_EQ(q1.get_quickbook(), "Hello");
     }
 
     BOOST_TEST_EQ(q.get_quickbook(), "Hello");
@@ -109,7 +110,7 @@ void store_test2_check(quickbook::value const& q)
 
 void store_test2()
 {
-    quickbook::value q;
+    quickbook::stored_value q;
     
     {
         quickbook::value_builder list1;
@@ -120,11 +121,12 @@ void store_test2()
             5));
         list1.insert(quickbook::bbk_value("World", 10));
         
-        q = list1.get();
+        quickbook::value q2 = list1.release();
 
+        store_test2_check(q2);
+        q = q2;
         store_test2_check(q);
-        q.store();
-        store_test2_check(q);
+        store_test2_check(q2);
     }
     store_test2_check(q);
 }