diff --git a/crates/oxc_allocator/src/string.rs b/crates/oxc_allocator/src/string.rs
index 02aa364ee66e3..be3506fa39b09 100644
--- a/crates/oxc_allocator/src/string.rs
+++ b/crates/oxc_allocator/src/string.rs
@@ -106,23 +106,23 @@ impl<'alloc> String<'alloc> {
     //
     // `#[inline(always)]` because this is a no-op at runtime
     #[inline(always)]
-    pub unsafe fn from_utf8_unchecked(mut bytes: Vec<'alloc, u8>) -> String<'alloc> {
+    pub unsafe fn from_utf8_unchecked(bytes: Vec<'alloc, u8>) -> String<'alloc> {
         // Cannot use `bumpalo::String::from_utf8_unchecked` because it takes a `bumpalo::collections::Vec`,
         // and our inner `Vec` type is our own `crate::vec2::Vec`.
-        //
+
+        // Wrap `bytes` in `ManuallyDrop` to prevent its memory getting freed when `bytes`
+        // goes out of scope at end of this function.
+        // This shouldn't actually be required as `Vec` is already non-`Drop`,
+        // but `ManuallyDrop` has no runtime cost, so it doesn't hurt to make sure.
+        let mut bytes = ManuallyDrop::new(bytes);
+
+        let ptr = bytes.as_mut_ptr();
+        let len = bytes.len();
+        let capacity = bytes.capacity();
+        let bump = bytes.bump();
         // SAFETY: Conversion is safe because both types store data in arena in same way.
         // Lifetime of returned `String` is same as lifetime of original `Vec<u8>`.
-        //
-        // `into_raw_parts_with_alloc` consumed `bytes`, so it wasn't an issue before.
-        // But `as_mut_ptr` doesn't consume `bytes`, so if `Vec` was `Drop`, it'd get
-        // dropped at end of this function, which would free the memory which is now
-        // backing the `String`. Ditto if it was `InnerVec` which is (currently) `Drop`.
-
         unsafe {
-            let ptr = bytes.as_mut_ptr();
-            let len = bytes.len();
-            let capacity = bytes.capacity();
-            let bump = bytes.bump();
             Self(ManuallyDrop::new(BumpaloString::from_raw_parts_in(ptr, len, capacity, bump)))
         }
     }