diff --git a/.github/workflows/build_osx.yml b/.github/workflows/build_osx.yml
index 636ad293..ce6163e5 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build_osx.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build_osx.yml
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ jobs:
   build:
     strategy:
       matrix:
-        os: [macos-12, macos-latest]
+        os: [macos-14, macos-latest]
     runs-on: ${{ matrix.os }}
     steps:
     - uses: actions/checkout@v4
diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yml b/.github/workflows/release.yml
index 77bbb9fe..79b8291c 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yml
@@ -66,22 +66,6 @@ jobs:
         retention-days: 1
 
 
-  build_x86_macos:
-    runs-on: macos-12
-    steps:
-    - uses: actions/checkout@v4
-    - run: ./res/ci/nixish_setup.sh && make bsd
-    - env:
-        MKN_GCC_PREFERRED: 1
-        KUL_GIT_CO: --depth 1
-      run: KLOG=3 ./mkn build -dtKa "-std=c++17 -fPIC" -O 2 -g 0 -W 9 -o mkn_x86_osx
-    - uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4.4.0
-      with:
-        name: maiken-macos-12
-        path: bin/build/mkn_x86_osx
-        retention-days: 1
-
-
   build_arm_macos:
     runs-on: macos-latest
     steps:
@@ -117,5 +101,4 @@ jobs:
             maiken-windows-latest/mkn.exe
             maiken-ubuntu-latest/mkn_nix
             maiken-manylinux-latest/mkn_manylinux
-            maiken-macos-12/mkn_x86_osx
             maiken-macos-latest/mkn_arm_osx
diff --git a/mkn.yaml b/mkn.yaml
index 5b367cf9..2b8a5126 100644
--- a/mkn.yaml
+++ b/mkn.yaml
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 name: mkn
 version: master
 property:
-  DATE: 07-OCT-2024
+  DATE: 19-DEC-2024
   maiken_location: ${MKN_HOME}/app/mkn/${version}
   maiken_scm: https://github.com/mkn/mkn
   self.deps: mkn.kul
diff --git a/src/maiken.cpp b/src/maiken.cpp
index f6b8c9a8..7296f595 100644
--- a/src/maiken.cpp
+++ b/src/maiken.cpp
@@ -193,7 +193,7 @@ void maiken::Application::setSuper() {
   if (project().root()[STR_SUPER]) {
     mkn::kul::os::PushDir pushd(project().dir().real());
 
-    auto const& super_string = project().root()[STR_SUPER].Scalar();
+    auto const super_string = project().root()[STR_SUPER].Scalar();
     auto const gOrC = [&](auto const& in) {
       try {
         return &Applications::INSTANCE()
diff --git a/src/maiken/build/bin.cpp b/src/maiken/build/bin.cpp
index bcb14a93..773fc399 100644
--- a/src/maiken/build/bin.cpp
+++ b/src/maiken/build/bin.cpp
@@ -122,7 +122,7 @@ void maiken::Application::buildExecutable(mkn::kul::hash::set::String const& obj
     KEXIT(1, "Unable to handle artifact: \"" + file + "\" - type is not in file list");
   std::string const oType("." + (*AppVars::INSTANCE().envVars().find("MKN_OBJ")).second);
   mkn::kul::Dir objD(buildDir().join("obj")), tmpD(buildDir().join("tmp"));
-  std::string const& name(out.empty() ? project().root()[STR_NAME].Scalar() : out);
+  auto const name(out.empty() ? project().root()[STR_NAME].Scalar() : out);
   auto obFile = Source(mkn::kul::File(main_->in()).real()).object();
   mkn::kul::File tbject(obFile, tmpD);
   if (!tbject)
diff --git a/src/maiken/dep.cpp b/src/maiken/dep.cpp
index e5b87e81..b9bc1f0d 100644
--- a/src/maiken/dep.cpp
+++ b/src/maiken/dep.cpp
@@ -106,7 +106,7 @@ void maiken::Application::buildDepVec(std::string const& depVal) {
   for (Application* ap : deps) {
     Application& a(*ap);
     a.buildDepVecRec(dePs, AppVars::INSTANCE().dependencyLevel(), i, include);
-    std::string const& name(a.project().root()[STR_NAME].Scalar());
+    auto const name(a.project().root()[STR_NAME].Scalar());
     std::stringstream ss;
     ss << name << "[" << (a.p.empty() ? "@" : a.p) << "]";
     if (AppVars::INSTANCE().dependencyLevel() || include.count(ss.str())) a.ig = 0;
diff --git a/src/maiken/validation.cpp b/src/maiken/validation.cpp
index 8701e68e..05ea0c43 100644
--- a/src/maiken/validation.cpp
+++ b/src/maiken/validation.cpp
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ class Validator : public maiken::Constants {
   static void PRE_BUILD(maiken::Application const& a, YAML::Node const& n)
       KTHROW(maiken::Exception) {
     if (n[STR_MODE]) {
-      auto const& s(n[STR_MODE].Scalar());
+      auto const s(n[STR_MODE].Scalar());
       if (s != STR_NONE && s != STR_STATIC && s != STR_SHARED)
         KEXIT(1, "mode tag invalid value, expects none/static/shared\n" + a.project().dir().path());
     }
@@ -130,7 +130,7 @@ void maiken::Application::preSetupValidation() KTHROW(maiken::Exception) {
   Validator::PRE_BUILD(*this, project().root());
   std::vector<std::string> profiles;
   for (auto const& profile : project().root()[STR_PROFILE]) {
-    std::string const& p(profile[STR_NAME].Scalar());
+    auto const p(profile[STR_NAME].Scalar());
     if (p.find("[") != std::string::npos || p.find("]") != std::string::npos)
       KEXIT(1, "Profile may not contain character \"[\" or \"]\"");
     if (p == project().root()[STR_NAME].Scalar())