diff --git a/src/add-ons/kernel/file_systems/ramfs/Attribute.cpp b/src/add-ons/kernel/file_systems/ramfs/Attribute.cpp
index 93e0de294c..2a1196c6b6 100644
--- a/src/add-ons/kernel/file_systems/ramfs/Attribute.cpp
+++ b/src/add-ons/kernel/file_systems/ramfs/Attribute.cpp
@@ -84,9 +84,9 @@ Attribute::WriteAt(off_t offset, const void *buffer, size_t size,
 		fIndex->Changed(this, oldKey, oldLength);
 
 	// update live queries
-	const uint8* newKey;
+	uint8 newKey[kMaxIndexKeyLength];
 	size_t newLength;
-	GetKey(&newKey, &newLength);
+	GetKey(newKey, &newLength);
 	GetVolume()->UpdateLiveQueries(NULL, fNode, GetName(), fType, oldKey,
 		oldLength, newKey, newLength);
 
@@ -105,26 +105,12 @@ Attribute::SetIndex(AttributeIndex *index, bool inIndex)
 	fInIndex = inIndex;
 }
 
-// GetKey
-void
-Attribute::GetKey(const uint8 **key, size_t *length)
-{
-	if (key && length) {
-		GetFirstDataBlock(key, length);
-		*length = min(*length, kMaxIndexKeyLength);
-	}
-}
-
 // GetKey
 void
 Attribute::GetKey(uint8 *key, size_t *length)
 {
-	if (key && length) {
-		const uint8 *originalKey = NULL;
-		GetKey(&originalKey, length);
-		if (length > 0)
-			memcpy(key, originalKey, *length);
-	}
+	*length = min(*length, kMaxIndexKeyLength);
+	ReadAt(0, key, *length, length);
 }
 
 // AttachAttributeIterator
diff --git a/src/add-ons/kernel/file_systems/ramfs/Attribute.h b/src/add-ons/kernel/file_systems/ramfs/Attribute.h
index b87440dd0b..630e55f39c 100644
--- a/src/add-ons/kernel/file_systems/ramfs/Attribute.h
+++ b/src/add-ons/kernel/file_systems/ramfs/Attribute.h
@@ -42,7 +42,6 @@ public:
 	void SetIndex(AttributeIndex *index, bool inIndex);
 	AttributeIndex *GetIndex() const	{ return fIndex; }
 	bool IsInIndex() const				{ return fInIndex; }
-	void GetKey(const uint8 **key, size_t *length);
 	void GetKey(uint8 *key, size_t *length);
 
 	// iterator management
diff --git a/src/add-ons/kernel/file_systems/ramfs/AttributeIndexImpl.cpp b/src/add-ons/kernel/file_systems/ramfs/AttributeIndexImpl.cpp
index c85642f135..8a77a6baec 100644
--- a/src/add-ons/kernel/file_systems/ramfs/AttributeIndexImpl.cpp
+++ b/src/add-ons/kernel/file_systems/ramfs/AttributeIndexImpl.cpp
@@ -66,16 +66,18 @@ compare_keys(const uint8 *key1, size_t length1, const uint8 *key2,
 // PrimaryKey
 class AttributeIndexImpl::PrimaryKey {
 public:
-	PrimaryKey(Attribute *attribute, const uint8 *key,
+	PrimaryKey(Attribute *attribute, const uint8 *theKey,
 			   size_t length)
-		: attribute(attribute), key(key), length(length) {}
+		: attribute(attribute), length(length)
+			{ memcpy(key, theKey, length); }
 	PrimaryKey(Attribute *attribute)
-		: attribute(attribute) { attribute->GetKey(&key, &length); }
-	PrimaryKey(const uint8 *key, size_t length)
-		: attribute(NULL), key(key), length(length) {}
+		: attribute(attribute) { attribute->GetKey(key, &length); }
+	PrimaryKey(const uint8 *theKey, size_t length)
+		: attribute(NULL), length(length)
+			{ memcpy(key, theKey, length); }
 
 	Attribute	*attribute;
-	const uint8	*key;
+	uint8		key[kMaxIndexKeyLength];
 	size_t		length;
 };
 
@@ -466,9 +468,9 @@ AttributeIndexImpl::Iterator::SetTo(AttributeIndexImpl *index,
 				if (!fEntry)
 					BaseClass::GetNext();
 				if (Attribute **attribute = fIterator.fIterator.GetCurrent()) {
-					const uint8 *attrKey;
+					uint8 attrKey[kMaxIndexKeyLength];
 					size_t attrKeyLength;
-					(*attribute)->GetKey(&attrKey, &attrKeyLength);
+					(*attribute)->GetKey(attrKey, &attrKeyLength);
 					if (!ignoreValue
 						&& compare_keys(attrKey, attrKeyLength, key, length,
 										fIndex->GetType()) != 0) {
diff --git a/src/add-ons/kernel/file_systems/ramfs/Query.cpp b/src/add-ons/kernel/file_systems/ramfs/Query.cpp
index 9398f3bfa2..0b4e721904 100644
--- a/src/add-ons/kernel/file_systems/ramfs/Query.cpp
+++ b/src/add-ons/kernel/file_systems/ramfs/Query.cpp
@@ -1009,9 +1009,10 @@ Equation::Match(Entry *entry, Node* node, const char *attributeName, int32 type,
 	} else {
 		// then for attributes
 		Attribute *attribute = NULL;
+		buffer = (const uint8*)alloca(kMaxIndexKeyLength);
 
 		if (node->FindAttribute(fAttribute, &attribute) == B_OK) {
-			attribute->GetKey(&buffer, &size);
+			attribute->GetKey((uint8*)buffer, &size);
 			type = attribute->GetType();
 		} else
 			return MatchEmptyString();
diff --git a/src/add-ons/kernel/file_systems/ramfs/Volume.cpp b/src/add-ons/kernel/file_systems/ramfs/Volume.cpp
index 781ff7f950..002b51cbb9 100644
--- a/src/add-ons/kernel/file_systems/ramfs/Volume.cpp
+++ b/src/add-ons/kernel/file_systems/ramfs/Volume.cpp
@@ -670,9 +670,9 @@ Volume::NodeAttributeRemoved(ino_t id, Attribute *attribute)
 
 		// update live queries
 		if (error == B_OK && attribute->GetNode()) {
-			const uint8* oldKey;
+			uint8 oldKey[kMaxIndexKeyLength];
 			size_t oldLength;
-			attribute->GetKey(&oldKey, &oldLength);
+			attribute->GetKey(oldKey, &oldLength);
 			UpdateLiveQueries(NULL, attribute->GetNode(), attribute->GetName(),
 				attribute->GetType(), oldKey, oldLength, NULL, 0);
 		}