diff --git a/src/lib/option.rs b/src/lib/option.rs
index 53c19ba8c0a..c10c22ae18d 100644
--- a/src/lib/option.rs
+++ b/src/lib/option.rs
@@ -2,8 +2,8 @@
 
 tag t<@T> { none; some(T); }
 
-fn get<@T>(opt: t<T>) -> &T {
-    alt opt { some(x) { ret x; } none. { fail "option none"; } }
+fn get<@T>(opt: t<T>) -> T {
+    alt opt { some(x) { x } none. { fail "option none" } }
 }
 
 fn map<@T, @U>(f: block(T) -> U, opt: t<T>) -> t<U> {