diff --git a/src/orange/orangeinp/detail/DeMorganSimplifier.cc b/src/orange/orangeinp/detail/DeMorganSimplifier.cc
index da6f1a8872..f6ab7a592a 100644
--- a/src/orange/orangeinp/detail/DeMorganSimplifier.cc
+++ b/src/orange/orangeinp/detail/DeMorganSimplifier.cc
@@ -135,19 +135,20 @@ void DeMorganSimplifier::find_join_negations()
                 },
                 [&](Joined const& joined) { handle_joined(node_id, joined); },
                 [&](Aliased const& aliased) {
-                    auto const& alias_target = tree_[aliased.node];
+                    auto const* target_node = &tree_[aliased.node];
+                    CELER_EXPECT(
+                        !std::holds_alternative<Aliased>(*target_node));
                     // treat the aliased node as its target
-                    if (std::holds_alternative<Negated>(alias_target))
+                    if (Negated const* negated
+                        = std::get_if<Negated>(target_node))
                     {
-                        handle_negated(node_id,
-                                       std::get<Negated>(alias_target));
+                        handle_negated(node_id, *negated);
                     }
-                    else if (std::holds_alternative<Joined>(alias_target))
+                    else if (Joined const* joined
+                             = std::get_if<Joined>(target_node))
                     {
-                        handle_joined(node_id, std::get<Joined>(alias_target));
+                        handle_joined(node_id, *joined);
                     }
-                    CELER_EXPECT(
-                        !std::holds_alternative<Aliased>(alias_target));
                 },
                 // Nothing to do for leaf node types
                 [](auto&&) {},