diff --git a/src/check_expr.cpp b/src/check_expr.cpp
index c373c2738..7afb7808c 100644
--- a/src/check_expr.cpp
+++ b/src/check_expr.cpp
@@ -3948,7 +3948,7 @@ gb_internal bool check_transmute(CheckerContext *c, Ast *node, Operand *o, Type
 			if (types_have_same_internal_endian(src_t, dst_t)) {
 				ExactValue src_v = exact_value_to_integer(o->value);
 				GB_ASSERT(src_v.kind == ExactValue_Integer || src_v.kind == ExactValue_Invalid);
-				BigInt v = src_v.value_integer;
+				BigInt v = big_int_make(&src_v.value_integer);
 
 				BigInt smax = {};
 				BigInt umax = {};