diff --git a/reftable/block.c b/reftable/block.c
index ad9074dba6..b67300a734 100644
--- a/reftable/block.c
+++ b/reftable/block.c
@@ -332,7 +332,8 @@ int block_iter_next(struct block_iter *it, struct reftable_record *rec)
 		return REFTABLE_FORMAT_ERROR;
 
 	string_view_consume(&in, n);
-	n = reftable_record_decode(rec, it->last_key, extra, in, it->br->hash_size);
+	n = reftable_record_decode(rec, it->last_key, extra, in, it->br->hash_size,
+				   &it->scratch);
 	if (n < 0)
 		return -1;
 	string_view_consume(&in, n);
@@ -369,6 +370,7 @@ int block_iter_seek(struct block_iter *it, struct strbuf *want)
 void block_iter_close(struct block_iter *it)
 {
 	strbuf_release(&it->last_key);
+	strbuf_release(&it->scratch);
 }
 
 int block_reader_seek(struct block_reader *br, struct block_iter *it,
diff --git a/reftable/block.h b/reftable/block.h
index 51699af233..47acc62c0a 100644
--- a/reftable/block.h
+++ b/reftable/block.h
@@ -84,10 +84,12 @@ struct block_iter {
 
 	/* key for last entry we read. */
 	struct strbuf last_key;
+	struct strbuf scratch;
 };
 
 #define BLOCK_ITER_INIT { \
 	.last_key = STRBUF_INIT, \
+	.scratch = STRBUF_INIT, \
 }
 
 /* initializes a block reader. */
diff --git a/reftable/record.c b/reftable/record.c
index 7c86877586..060244337f 100644
--- a/reftable/record.c
+++ b/reftable/record.c
@@ -374,7 +374,7 @@ static int reftable_ref_record_encode(const void *rec, struct string_view s,
 
 static int reftable_ref_record_decode(void *rec, struct strbuf key,
 				      uint8_t val_type, struct string_view in,
-				      int hash_size)
+				      int hash_size, struct strbuf *scratch)
 {
 	struct reftable_ref_record *r = rec;
 	struct string_view start = in;
@@ -425,13 +425,12 @@ static int reftable_ref_record_decode(void *rec, struct strbuf key,
 		break;
 
 	case REFTABLE_REF_SYMREF: {
-		struct strbuf dest = STRBUF_INIT;
-		int n = decode_string(&dest, in);
+		int n = decode_string(scratch, in);
 		if (n < 0) {
 			return -1;
 		}
 		string_view_consume(&in, n);
-		r->value.symref = dest.buf;
+		r->value.symref = strbuf_detach(scratch, NULL);
 	} break;
 
 	case REFTABLE_REF_DELETION:
@@ -579,7 +578,7 @@ static int reftable_obj_record_encode(const void *rec, struct string_view s,
 
 static int reftable_obj_record_decode(void *rec, struct strbuf key,
 				      uint8_t val_type, struct string_view in,
-				      int hash_size)
+				      int hash_size, struct strbuf *scratch UNUSED)
 {
 	struct string_view start = in;
 	struct reftable_obj_record *r = rec;
@@ -849,13 +848,12 @@ static int reftable_log_record_encode(const void *rec, struct string_view s,
 
 static int reftable_log_record_decode(void *rec, struct strbuf key,
 				      uint8_t val_type, struct string_view in,
-				      int hash_size)
+				      int hash_size, struct strbuf *scratch)
 {
 	struct string_view start = in;
 	struct reftable_log_record *r = rec;
 	uint64_t max = 0;
 	uint64_t ts = 0;
-	struct strbuf dest = STRBUF_INIT;
 	int n;
 
 	if (key.len <= 9 || key.buf[key.len - 9] != 0)
@@ -892,7 +890,7 @@ static int reftable_log_record_decode(void *rec, struct strbuf key,
 
 	string_view_consume(&in, 2 * hash_size);
 
-	n = decode_string(&dest, in);
+	n = decode_string(scratch, in);
 	if (n < 0)
 		goto done;
 	string_view_consume(&in, n);
@@ -904,26 +902,25 @@ static int reftable_log_record_decode(void *rec, struct strbuf key,
 	 * skip copying over the name in case it's accurate already.
 	 */
 	if (!r->value.update.name ||
-	    strcmp(r->value.update.name, dest.buf)) {
+	    strcmp(r->value.update.name, scratch->buf)) {
 		r->value.update.name =
-			reftable_realloc(r->value.update.name, dest.len + 1);
-		memcpy(r->value.update.name, dest.buf, dest.len);
-		r->value.update.name[dest.len] = 0;
+			reftable_realloc(r->value.update.name, scratch->len + 1);
+		memcpy(r->value.update.name, scratch->buf, scratch->len);
+		r->value.update.name[scratch->len] = 0;
 	}
 
-	strbuf_reset(&dest);
-	n = decode_string(&dest, in);
+	n = decode_string(scratch, in);
 	if (n < 0)
 		goto done;
 	string_view_consume(&in, n);
 
 	/* Same as above, but for the reflog email. */
 	if (!r->value.update.email ||
-	    strcmp(r->value.update.email, dest.buf)) {
+	    strcmp(r->value.update.email, scratch->buf)) {
 		r->value.update.email =
-			reftable_realloc(r->value.update.email, dest.len + 1);
-		memcpy(r->value.update.email, dest.buf, dest.len);
-		r->value.update.email[dest.len] = 0;
+			reftable_realloc(r->value.update.email, scratch->len + 1);
+		memcpy(r->value.update.email, scratch->buf, scratch->len);
+		r->value.update.email[scratch->len] = 0;
 	}
 
 	ts = 0;
@@ -938,22 +935,19 @@ static int reftable_log_record_decode(void *rec, struct strbuf key,
 	r->value.update.tz_offset = get_be16(in.buf);
 	string_view_consume(&in, 2);
 
-	strbuf_reset(&dest);
-	n = decode_string(&dest, in);
+	n = decode_string(scratch, in);
 	if (n < 0)
 		goto done;
 	string_view_consume(&in, n);
 
-	REFTABLE_ALLOC_GROW(r->value.update.message, dest.len + 1,
+	REFTABLE_ALLOC_GROW(r->value.update.message, scratch->len + 1,
 			    r->value.update.message_cap);
-	memcpy(r->value.update.message, dest.buf, dest.len);
-	r->value.update.message[dest.len] = 0;
+	memcpy(r->value.update.message, scratch->buf, scratch->len);
+	r->value.update.message[scratch->len] = 0;
 
-	strbuf_release(&dest);
 	return start.len - in.len;
 
 done:
-	strbuf_release(&dest);
 	return REFTABLE_FORMAT_ERROR;
 }
 
@@ -1093,7 +1087,7 @@ static int reftable_index_record_encode(const void *rec, struct string_view out,
 
 static int reftable_index_record_decode(void *rec, struct strbuf key,
 					uint8_t val_type, struct string_view in,
-					int hash_size)
+					int hash_size, struct strbuf *scratch UNUSED)
 {
 	struct string_view start = in;
 	struct reftable_index_record *r = rec;
@@ -1174,10 +1168,12 @@ uint8_t reftable_record_val_type(struct reftable_record *rec)
 }
 
 int reftable_record_decode(struct reftable_record *rec, struct strbuf key,
-			   uint8_t extra, struct string_view src, int hash_size)
+			   uint8_t extra, struct string_view src, int hash_size,
+			   struct strbuf *scratch)
 {
 	return reftable_record_vtable(rec)->decode(reftable_record_data(rec),
-						   key, extra, src, hash_size);
+						   key, extra, src, hash_size,
+						   scratch);
 }
 
 void reftable_record_release(struct reftable_record *rec)
diff --git a/reftable/record.h b/reftable/record.h
index 5e8304e052..826ee1c55c 100644
--- a/reftable/record.h
+++ b/reftable/record.h
@@ -55,7 +55,8 @@ struct reftable_record_vtable {
 
 	/* decode data from `src` into the record. */
 	int (*decode)(void *rec, struct strbuf key, uint8_t extra,
-		      struct string_view src, int hash_size);
+		      struct string_view src, int hash_size,
+		      struct strbuf *scratch);
 
 	/* deallocate and null the record. */
 	void (*release)(void *rec);
@@ -138,7 +139,7 @@ int reftable_record_encode(struct reftable_record *rec, struct string_view dest,
 			   int hash_size);
 int reftable_record_decode(struct reftable_record *rec, struct strbuf key,
 			   uint8_t extra, struct string_view src,
-			   int hash_size);
+			   int hash_size, struct strbuf *scratch);
 int reftable_record_is_deletion(struct reftable_record *rec);
 
 static inline uint8_t reftable_record_type(struct reftable_record *rec)
diff --git a/reftable/record_test.c b/reftable/record_test.c
index 57e56138c0..c158ee79ff 100644
--- a/reftable/record_test.c
+++ b/reftable/record_test.c
@@ -99,6 +99,7 @@ static void set_hash(uint8_t *h, int j)
 
 static void test_reftable_ref_record_roundtrip(void)
 {
+	struct strbuf scratch = STRBUF_INIT;
 	int i = 0;
 
 	for (i = REFTABLE_REF_DELETION; i < REFTABLE_NR_REF_VALUETYPES; i++) {
@@ -140,7 +141,7 @@ static void test_reftable_ref_record_roundtrip(void)
 		EXPECT(n > 0);
 
 		/* decode into a non-zero reftable_record to test for leaks. */
-		m = reftable_record_decode(&out, key, i, dest, GIT_SHA1_RAWSZ);
+		m = reftable_record_decode(&out, key, i, dest, GIT_SHA1_RAWSZ, &scratch);
 		EXPECT(n == m);
 
 		EXPECT(reftable_ref_record_equal(&in.u.ref, &out.u.ref,
@@ -150,6 +151,8 @@ static void test_reftable_ref_record_roundtrip(void)
 		strbuf_release(&key);
 		reftable_record_release(&out);
 	}
+
+	strbuf_release(&scratch);
 }
 
 static void test_reftable_log_record_equal(void)
@@ -175,7 +178,6 @@ static void test_reftable_log_record_equal(void)
 static void test_reftable_log_record_roundtrip(void)
 {
 	int i;
-
 	struct reftable_log_record in[] = {
 		{
 			.refname = xstrdup("refs/heads/master"),
@@ -202,6 +204,8 @@ static void test_reftable_log_record_roundtrip(void)
 			.value_type = REFTABLE_LOG_UPDATE,
 		}
 	};
+	struct strbuf scratch = STRBUF_INIT;
+
 	set_test_hash(in[0].value.update.new_hash, 1);
 	set_test_hash(in[0].value.update.old_hash, 2);
 	set_test_hash(in[2].value.update.new_hash, 3);
@@ -241,7 +245,7 @@ static void test_reftable_log_record_roundtrip(void)
 		EXPECT(n >= 0);
 		valtype = reftable_record_val_type(&rec);
 		m = reftable_record_decode(&out, key, valtype, dest,
-					   GIT_SHA1_RAWSZ);
+					   GIT_SHA1_RAWSZ, &scratch);
 		EXPECT(n == m);
 
 		EXPECT(reftable_log_record_equal(&in[i], &out.u.log,
@@ -250,6 +254,8 @@ static void test_reftable_log_record_roundtrip(void)
 		strbuf_release(&key);
 		reftable_record_release(&out);
 	}
+
+	strbuf_release(&scratch);
 }
 
 static void test_u24_roundtrip(void)
@@ -299,23 +305,27 @@ static void test_reftable_obj_record_roundtrip(void)
 {
 	uint8_t testHash1[GIT_SHA1_RAWSZ] = { 1, 2, 3, 4, 0 };
 	uint64_t till9[] = { 1, 2, 3, 4, 500, 600, 700, 800, 9000 };
-	struct reftable_obj_record recs[3] = { {
-						       .hash_prefix = testHash1,
-						       .hash_prefix_len = 5,
-						       .offsets = till9,
-						       .offset_len = 3,
-					       },
-					       {
-						       .hash_prefix = testHash1,
-						       .hash_prefix_len = 5,
-						       .offsets = till9,
-						       .offset_len = 9,
-					       },
-					       {
-						       .hash_prefix = testHash1,
-						       .hash_prefix_len = 5,
-					       } };
+	struct reftable_obj_record recs[3] = {
+		{
+			.hash_prefix = testHash1,
+			.hash_prefix_len = 5,
+			.offsets = till9,
+			.offset_len = 3,
+		},
+		{
+			.hash_prefix = testHash1,
+			.hash_prefix_len = 5,
+			.offsets = till9,
+			.offset_len = 9,
+		},
+		{
+			.hash_prefix = testHash1,
+			.hash_prefix_len = 5,
+		},
+	};
+	struct strbuf scratch = STRBUF_INIT;
 	int i = 0;
+
 	for (i = 0; i < ARRAY_SIZE(recs); i++) {
 		uint8_t buffer[1024] = { 0 };
 		struct string_view dest = {
@@ -339,13 +349,15 @@ static void test_reftable_obj_record_roundtrip(void)
 		EXPECT(n > 0);
 		extra = reftable_record_val_type(&in);
 		m = reftable_record_decode(&out, key, extra, dest,
-					   GIT_SHA1_RAWSZ);
+					   GIT_SHA1_RAWSZ, &scratch);
 		EXPECT(n == m);
 
 		EXPECT(reftable_record_equal(&in, &out, GIT_SHA1_RAWSZ));
 		strbuf_release(&key);
 		reftable_record_release(&out);
 	}
+
+	strbuf_release(&scratch);
 }
 
 static void test_reftable_index_record_roundtrip(void)
@@ -362,6 +374,7 @@ static void test_reftable_index_record_roundtrip(void)
 		.buf = buffer,
 		.len = sizeof(buffer),
 	};
+	struct strbuf scratch = STRBUF_INIT;
 	struct strbuf key = STRBUF_INIT;
 	struct reftable_record out = {
 		.type = BLOCK_TYPE_INDEX,
@@ -379,13 +392,15 @@ static void test_reftable_index_record_roundtrip(void)
 	EXPECT(n > 0);
 
 	extra = reftable_record_val_type(&in);
-	m = reftable_record_decode(&out, key, extra, dest, GIT_SHA1_RAWSZ);
+	m = reftable_record_decode(&out, key, extra, dest, GIT_SHA1_RAWSZ,
+				   &scratch);
 	EXPECT(m == n);
 
 	EXPECT(reftable_record_equal(&in, &out, GIT_SHA1_RAWSZ));
 
 	reftable_record_release(&out);
 	strbuf_release(&key);
+	strbuf_release(&scratch);
 	strbuf_release(&in.u.idx.last_key);
 }