diff --git a/pkg/yqlib/expression_tokeniser.go b/pkg/yqlib/expression_tokeniser.go
index 9cdec47c..98c2ad62 100644
--- a/pkg/yqlib/expression_tokeniser.go
+++ b/pkg/yqlib/expression_tokeniser.go
@@ -125,7 +125,7 @@ func assignAllCommentsOp(updateAssign bool) lex.Action {
 			Value:         assignCommentOpType.Type,
 			StringValue:   value,
 			UpdateAssign:  updateAssign,
-			Preferences:   &commentOpPreferences{LineComment: true, HeadComment: true, FootComment: true},
+			Preferences:   commentOpPreferences{LineComment: true, HeadComment: true, FootComment: true},
 		}
 		return &token{TokenType: operationToken, Operation: op}, nil
 	}
@@ -252,11 +252,11 @@ func initLexer() (*lex.Lexer, error) {
 	lexer.Add([]byte(`fi`), opToken(getFileIndexOpType))
 	lexer.Add([]byte(`path`), opToken(getPathOpType))
 
-	lexer.Add([]byte(`lineComment`), opTokenWithPrefs(getCommentOpType, assignCommentOpType, &commentOpPreferences{LineComment: true}))
+	lexer.Add([]byte(`lineComment`), opTokenWithPrefs(getCommentOpType, assignCommentOpType, commentOpPreferences{LineComment: true}))
 
-	lexer.Add([]byte(`headComment`), opTokenWithPrefs(getCommentOpType, assignCommentOpType, &commentOpPreferences{HeadComment: true}))
+	lexer.Add([]byte(`headComment`), opTokenWithPrefs(getCommentOpType, assignCommentOpType, commentOpPreferences{HeadComment: true}))
 
-	lexer.Add([]byte(`footComment`), opTokenWithPrefs(getCommentOpType, assignCommentOpType, &commentOpPreferences{FootComment: true}))
+	lexer.Add([]byte(`footComment`), opTokenWithPrefs(getCommentOpType, assignCommentOpType, commentOpPreferences{FootComment: true}))
 
 	lexer.Add([]byte(`comments\s*=`), assignAllCommentsOp(false))
 	lexer.Add([]byte(`comments\s*\|=`), assignAllCommentsOp(true))
diff --git a/pkg/yqlib/operator_comments.go b/pkg/yqlib/operator_comments.go
index 95b528b4..b66cba59 100644
--- a/pkg/yqlib/operator_comments.go
+++ b/pkg/yqlib/operator_comments.go
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ func assignCommentsOperator(d *dataTreeNavigator, matchingNodes *list.List, expr
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
-	preferences := expressionNode.Operation.Preferences.(*commentOpPreferences)
+	preferences := expressionNode.Operation.Preferences.(commentOpPreferences)
 
 	comment := ""
 	if !expressionNode.Operation.UpdateAssign {
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ func assignCommentsOperator(d *dataTreeNavigator, matchingNodes *list.List, expr
 }
 
 func getCommentsOperator(d *dataTreeNavigator, matchingNodes *list.List, expressionNode *ExpressionNode) (*list.List, error) {
-	preferences := expressionNode.Operation.Preferences.(*commentOpPreferences)
+	preferences := expressionNode.Operation.Preferences.(commentOpPreferences)
 	log.Debugf("GetComments operator!")
 	var results = list.New()