diff --git a/src/image.zig b/src/image.zig
index 0189882..16e682f 100644
--- a/src/image.zig
+++ b/src/image.zig
@@ -285,7 +285,7 @@ pub const Image = struct {
                 idx,
                 param.value,
             );
-            ports[idx].value = param.value;
+            (&ports[idx]).value = param.value;
         }
 
         // now we need to generate a temporary file and put the output of
diff --git a/src/lv2_helpers.zig b/src/lv2_helpers.zig
index 50f99a1..d9a89f5 100644
--- a/src/lv2_helpers.zig
+++ b/src/lv2_helpers.zig
@@ -59,14 +59,14 @@ pub const Port = struct {
 /// Setup ports for a given plugin. Gives an array to pointers of Port structs.
 /// This setup is required so we link the plugin to the ports later on, and
 /// also link our buffers, and control values.
-pub fn setupPorts(ctx: *plugin.Context) ![]*Port {
+pub fn setupPorts(ctx: *plugin.Context) ![]Port {
     var world = ctx.world;
     const n_ports: u32 = c.lilv_plugin_get_num_ports(ctx.plugin);
 
-    var ports = try ctx.allocator.alloc(*Port, n_ports);
+    var ports = try ctx.allocator.alloc(Port, n_ports);
 
-    for (ports) |port_ptr, idx| {
-        var port = try ctx.allocator.create(Port);
+    for (ports) |_, idx| {
+        var port: *Port = &ports[idx];
         port.* = Port{
             .lilv_port = null,
             .ptype = .Control,
@@ -75,8 +75,6 @@ pub fn setupPorts(ctx: *plugin.Context) ![]*Port {
             .is_input = false,
             .optional = false,
         };
-
-        ports[idx] = port;
     }
 
     var values: []f32 = try ctx.allocator.alloc(f32, n_ports);
@@ -100,7 +98,7 @@ pub fn setupPorts(ctx: *plugin.Context) ![]*Port {
 
     var i: u32 = 0;
     while (i < n_ports) : (i += 1) {
-        var port: *Port = ports[i];
+        var port: *Port = &ports[i];
 
         const lport = c.lilv_plugin_get_port_by_index(ctx.plugin, i).?;
 
diff --git a/src/plugin.zig b/src/plugin.zig
index 1de854f..daf8023 100644
--- a/src/plugin.zig
+++ b/src/plugin.zig
@@ -112,15 +112,16 @@ pub const RunContext = struct {
         self.buffers.deinit();
     }
 
-    pub fn connectPorts(self: *RunContext, ports: []*lv2.Port) void {
+    pub fn connectPorts(self: *RunContext, ports: []lv2.Port) void {
         var i: usize = 0;
         var o: usize = 0;
 
         var in_buf = self.buffers.in;
         var out_buf = self.buffers.out;
 
-        for (ports) |port, p_idx| {
+        for (ports) |_, p_idx| {
             var p = @intCast(u32, p_idx);
+            var port: *lv2.Port = &ports[p_idx];
 
             switch (port.ptype) {
                 .Control => lv2.lilv_instance_connect_port(self.instance, p, &port.value),