diff --git a/test/anchor_dump.mojo b/test/anchor_dump.mojo
index cceb6fb..68a5a70 100644
--- a/test/anchor_dump.mojo
+++ b/test/anchor_dump.mojo
@@ -15,7 +15,8 @@ from xml import fromstring, Element
 def _esc(s_in: String, strip: Bool) -> String:
     var s = s_in
     if strip:
-        s = String(s.strip())
+        var stripped = String(s.strip())
+        s = stripped^
     # order matters: backslash first
     var out = String()
     for ch in s.codepoint_slices():
diff --git a/test/test_errors.mojo b/test/test_errors.mojo
index 92ebbd2..833d65f 100644
--- a/test/test_errors.mojo
+++ b/test/test_errors.mojo
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ def _assert_lc(source: String, offset: Int, line: Int, col: Int) raises:
 
 
 def _msg(e: Error) -> String:
-    return String.write(e)
+    return String(e)
 
 
 def _strict_drain(var source: String) raises: