diff --git a/src/AstGen.zig b/src/AstGen.zig
index ae1c6be0da..0b0de11ea9 100644
--- a/src/AstGen.zig
+++ b/src/AstGen.zig
@@ -698,7 +698,13 @@ fn expr(gz: *GenZir, scope: *Scope, rl: ResultLoc, node: ast.Node.Index) InnerEr
                 .lhs = lhs,
                 .start = start,
             });
-            return rvalue(gz, rl, result, node);
+            switch (rl) {
+                .ref, .none_or_ref => return result,
+                else => {
+                    const dereffed = try gz.addUnNode(.load, result, node);
+                    return rvalue(gz, rl, dereffed, node);
+                },
+            }
         },
         .slice => {
             const lhs = try expr(gz, scope, .ref, node_datas[node].lhs);
@@ -710,7 +716,13 @@ fn expr(gz: *GenZir, scope: *Scope, rl: ResultLoc, node: ast.Node.Index) InnerEr
                 .start = start,
                 .end = end,
             });
-            return rvalue(gz, rl, result, node);
+            switch (rl) {
+                .ref, .none_or_ref => return result,
+                else => {
+                    const dereffed = try gz.addUnNode(.load, result, node);
+                    return rvalue(gz, rl, dereffed, node);
+                },
+            }
         },
         .slice_sentinel => {
             const lhs = try expr(gz, scope, .ref, node_datas[node].lhs);
@@ -724,7 +736,13 @@ fn expr(gz: *GenZir, scope: *Scope, rl: ResultLoc, node: ast.Node.Index) InnerEr
                 .end = end,
                 .sentinel = sentinel,
             });
-            return rvalue(gz, rl, result, node);
+            switch (rl) {
+                .ref, .none_or_ref => return result,
+                else => {
+                    const dereffed = try gz.addUnNode(.load, result, node);
+                    return rvalue(gz, rl, dereffed, node);
+                },
+            }
         },
 
         .deref => {
diff --git a/src/Zir.zig b/src/Zir.zig
index 2110122580..2092a7b5e4 100644
--- a/src/Zir.zig
+++ b/src/Zir.zig
@@ -495,12 +495,15 @@ pub const Inst = struct {
         /// Uses the `ptr_type` union field.
         ptr_type,
         /// Slice operation `lhs[rhs..]`. No sentinel and no end offset.
+        /// Returns a pointer to the subslice.
         /// Uses the `pl_node` field. AST node is the slice syntax. Payload is `SliceStart`.
         slice_start,
         /// Slice operation `array_ptr[start..end]`. No sentinel.
+        /// Returns a pointer to the subslice.
         /// Uses the `pl_node` field. AST node is the slice syntax. Payload is `SliceEnd`.
         slice_end,
         /// Slice operation `array_ptr[start..end:sentinel]`.
+        /// Returns a pointer to the subslice.
         /// Uses the `pl_node` field. AST node is the slice syntax. Payload is `SliceSentinel`.
         slice_sentinel,
         /// Write a value to a pointer. For loading, see `load`.