diff --git a/crates/nu-command/src/viewers/griddle.rs b/crates/nu-command/src/viewers/griddle.rs
index 4daa0dcbf7..7b1a2e2ce5 100644
--- a/crates/nu-command/src/viewers/griddle.rs
+++ b/crates/nu-command/src/viewers/griddle.rs
@@ -261,7 +261,7 @@ fn convert_to_list(
     let mut iter = iter.into_iter().peekable();
 
     if let Some(first) = iter.peek() {
-        let mut headers = first.columns();
+        let mut headers = first.columns().to_vec();
 
         if !headers.is_empty() {
             headers.insert(0, "#".into());
diff --git a/crates/nu-protocol/src/value/mod.rs b/crates/nu-protocol/src/value/mod.rs
index 69a486707a..81d5177322 100644
--- a/crates/nu-protocol/src/value/mod.rs
+++ b/crates/nu-protocol/src/value/mod.rs
@@ -1732,10 +1732,10 @@ impl Value {
         matches!(self, Value::Bool { val: false, .. })
     }
 
-    pub fn columns(&self) -> Vec<String> {
+    pub fn columns(&self) -> &[String] {
         match self {
-            Value::Record { cols, .. } => cols.clone(),
-            _ => vec![],
+            Value::Record { cols, .. } => cols,
+            _ => &[],
         }
     }