diff --git a/include/link/patch.hpp b/include/link/patch.hpp
index 666c7b9f..3e6ce96d 100644
--- a/include/link/patch.hpp
+++ b/include/link/patch.hpp
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
 
 struct Assertion {
 	struct Patch patch; // Also used for its `.type`
-	std::string *message;
+	std::string message;
 	// This would be redundant with `.section->fileSymbols`... but `section` is sometimes NULL!
 	std::vector<struct Symbol> *fileSymbols;
 };
diff --git a/src/link/object.cpp b/src/link/object.cpp
index 5554ff57..f1fd1c4f 100644
--- a/src/link/object.cpp
+++ b/src/link/object.cpp
@@ -384,11 +384,14 @@ static void readAssertion(FILE *file, struct Assertion *assert, char const *file
 			  std::vector<struct FileStackNode> const &fileNodes)
 {
 	char assertName[sizeof("Assertion #4294967295")]; // UINT32_MAX
+	std::string *name;
 
 	snprintf(assertName, sizeof(assertName), "Assertion #%" PRIu32, i);
 
 	readPatch(file, &assert->patch, fileName, assertName, 0, fileNodes);
-	tryReadstring(assert->message, file, "%s: Cannot read assertion's message: %s", fileName);
+	tryReadstring(name, file, "%s: Cannot read assertion's message: %s", fileName);
+	assert->message = *name;
+	delete name;
 }
 
 static struct Section *getMainSection(struct Section *section)
@@ -587,7 +590,4 @@ void obj_Cleanup(void)
 
 	sect_ForEach(freeSection);
 	sect_CleanupSections();
-
-	for (struct Assertion &assert : assertions)
-		delete assert.message;
 }
diff --git a/src/link/patch.cpp b/src/link/patch.cpp
index 1440edf1..0ba328c5 100644
--- a/src/link/patch.cpp
+++ b/src/link/patch.cpp
@@ -422,24 +422,23 @@ void patch_CheckAssertions(std::deque<struct Assertion> &assertions)
 			switch (type) {
 			case ASSERT_FATAL:
 				fatal(assert.patch.src, assert.patch.lineNo, "%s",
-				      !assert.message->empty() ? assert.message->c_str()
-							       : "assert failure");
+				      !assert.message.empty() ? assert.message.c_str()
+							      : "assert failure");
 			case ASSERT_ERROR:
 				error(assert.patch.src, assert.patch.lineNo, "%s",
-				      !assert.message->empty() ? assert.message->c_str()
-							       : "assert failure");
+				      !assert.message.empty() ? assert.message.c_str()
+							      : "assert failure");
 				break;
 			case ASSERT_WARN:
 				warning(assert.patch.src, assert.patch.lineNo, "%s",
-					!assert.message->empty() ? assert.message->c_str()
-								 : "assert failure");
+					!assert.message.empty() ? assert.message.c_str()
+							 : "assert failure");
 				break;
 			}
 		} else if (isError && type == ASSERT_FATAL) {
 			fatal(assert.patch.src, assert.patch.lineNo,
 			      "Failed to evaluate assertion%s%s",
-			      !assert.message->empty() ? ": " : "",
-			      assert.message->c_str());
+			      !assert.message.empty() ? ": " : "", assert.message.c_str());
 		}
 	}
 }