diff --git a/include/util.h b/include/util.h
index a9a1aed..dd44440 100644
--- a/include/util.h
+++ b/include/util.h
@@ -80,7 +80,15 @@ libab_result libab_create_table(libab_ref* into, libab_ref* parent);
  * @param type the type to give the value.
  * @return the result of necessary allocations.
  */
-libab_result libab_create_value(libab_ref* into, void* data, libab_ref* type);
+libab_result libab_create_value_ref(libab_ref* into, libab_ref* data, libab_ref* type);
+/**
+ * Allocates a new reference counted value with the given type and data.
+ * @param into the reference to store the allocated data into.
+ * @param data the type-specific data this value holds.
+ * @param type the type to give the value.
+ * @return the result of necessary allocations.
+ */
+libab_result libab_create_value_raw(libab_ref* into, void* data, libab_ref* type);
 /**
  * Creates a function list object, storing it in to the given reference.
  * @param into the reference to store into.
diff --git a/include/value.h b/include/value.h
index 834505a..f4f8eb6 100644
--- a/include/value.h
+++ b/include/value.h
@@ -15,19 +15,28 @@ struct libab_value_s {
     /**
      * The data that is specific to this value.
      */
-    void* data;
+    libab_ref data;
 };
 
 typedef struct libab_value_s libab_value;
 
 /**
- * Initializes a new value with the given allocated memory for the data,
+ * Initializes a new value with the given reference counted data
  * and the given type.
- * @param data the data for this value. It is freed when the value is released
- * according to the free function of the base type.
+ * @param value the value to initialize.
+ * @param data the data for this value. Its refcount is decreased when the value is freed.
  * @param type the type of this value.
  */
-void libab_value_init(libab_value* value, void* data, libab_ref* type);
+void libab_value_init_ref(libab_value* value, libab_ref* data, libab_ref* type);
+/**
+ * Initializes a new value with the given raw allocated data, and a type,
+ * whose basetype's free function is used to release the data when the value is freed.
+ * @param value the value to initialize.
+ * @param data the data this value holds.
+ * @param type the type of this value.
+ * @return the result of any necessary allocations.
+ */
+libab_result libab_value_init_raw(libab_value* value, void* data, libab_ref* type);
 /**
  * Frees the given value.
  * @param value the value to free.
diff --git a/src/interpreter.c b/src/interpreter.c
index 0470913..5888a3f 100644
--- a/src/interpreter.c
+++ b/src/interpreter.c
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ libab_result _interpreter_create_num_val(struct interpreter_state* state,
     libab_result result = LIBAB_SUCCESS;
 
     if((data = state->ab->impl.parse_num(from))) {
-        result = libab_create_value(into, data, &state->ab->type_num);
+        result = libab_create_value_raw(into, data, &state->ab->type_num);
 
         if(result != LIBAB_SUCCESS) {
             ((libab_parsetype*) libab_ref_get(&state->ab->type_num))->data_u.base->free_function(data);
diff --git a/src/util.c b/src/util.c
index b0e6897..9f061ef 100644
--- a/src/util.c
+++ b/src/util.c
@@ -155,11 +155,11 @@ void _free_value(void* value) {
     free(value);
 }
 
-libab_result libab_create_value(libab_ref* into, void* data, libab_ref* type) {
+libab_result libab_create_value_ref(libab_ref* into, libab_ref* data, libab_ref* type) {
     libab_value* value;
     libab_result result = LIBAB_SUCCESS;
     if((value = malloc(sizeof(*value)))) {
-        libab_value_init(value, data, type);
+        libab_value_init_ref(value, data, type);
         result = libab_ref_new(into, value, _free_value);
 
         if(result != LIBAB_SUCCESS) {
@@ -175,6 +175,31 @@ libab_result libab_create_value(libab_ref* into, void* data, libab_ref* type) {
     return result;
 }
 
+libab_result libab_create_value_raw(libab_ref* into, void* data, libab_ref* type) {
+    libab_value* value;
+    libab_result result = LIBAB_SUCCESS;
+
+    if((value = malloc(sizeof(*value)))) {
+        result = libab_value_init_raw(value, data, type);
+    } else {
+        result = LIBAB_MALLOC;
+    }
+
+    if(result == LIBAB_SUCCESS) {
+        result = libab_ref_new(into, value, _free_value);
+        if(result != LIBAB_SUCCESS) {
+            libab_value_free(value);
+        }
+    }
+
+    if(result != LIBAB_SUCCESS) {
+        libab_ref_null(into);
+        free(value);
+    }
+
+    return result;
+}
+
 libab_result libab_create_function_list(libab_ref* into, libab_ref* type) {
     libab_function_list* list;
     libab_result result = LIBAB_SUCCESS;
@@ -186,7 +211,7 @@ libab_result libab_create_function_list(libab_ref* into, libab_ref* type) {
     }
 
     if(result == LIBAB_SUCCESS) {
-        result = libab_create_value(into, list, type);
+        result = libab_create_value_raw(into, list, type);
         if(result != LIBAB_SUCCESS) {
             libab_function_list_free(list);
             libab_ref_free(into);
diff --git a/src/value.c b/src/value.c
index 84323e5..81f212d 100644
--- a/src/value.c
+++ b/src/value.c
@@ -1,17 +1,27 @@
 #include "value.h"
 #include "parsetype.h"
 
-void libab_value_init(libab_value* value, void* data, libab_ref* type) {
-    value->data = data;
+void libab_value_init_ref(libab_value* value, libab_ref* data, libab_ref* type) {
+    libab_ref_copy(data, &value->data);
     libab_ref_copy(type, &value->type);
 }
 
-void libab_value_free(libab_value* value) {
-    void (*free_function)(void*);
-    libab_parsetype* value_type;
-    value_type = libab_ref_get(&value->type);
-    free_function = value_type->data_u.base->free_function;
-    libab_ref_free(&value->type);
-    if (free_function)
-        free_function(value->data);
+libab_result libab_value_init_raw(libab_value* value, void* data, libab_ref* type) {
+    libab_result result = LIBAB_SUCCESS;
+    libab_ref tmp_ref;
+
+    result = libab_ref_new(&tmp_ref, data, 
+            ((libab_parsetype*) libab_ref_get(type))->data_u.base->free_function);
+
+    if(result == LIBAB_SUCCESS) {
+        libab_value_init_ref(value, &tmp_ref, type);
+        libab_ref_free(&tmp_ref);
+    }
+
+    return result;
+}
+
+void libab_value_free(libab_value* value) {
+    libab_ref_free(&value->data);
+    libab_ref_free(&value->type);
 }