diff --git a/libcxx/include/string b/libcxx/include/string
--- a/libcxx/include/string
+++ b/libcxx/include/string
@@ -806,7 +806,7 @@
         if (__size > max_size())
             __throw_length_error();
         if (__fits_in_sso(__size)) {
-            __zero();
+            __r_.first() = __rep();
             __set_short_size(__size);
         } else {
             auto __capacity = __recommend(__size) + 1;
@@ -1525,7 +1525,7 @@
     }
 
     _LIBCPP_HIDE_FROM_ABI _LIBCPP_CONSTEXPR_SINCE_CXX20 void __default_init() {
-        __zero();
+        __r_.first() = __rep();
         if (__libcpp_is_constant_evaluated()) {
             size_type __sz = __recommend(0) + 1;
             pointer __ptr = __alloc_traits::allocate(__alloc(), __sz);
@@ -1632,11 +1632,6 @@
     const_pointer __get_pointer() const _NOEXCEPT
         {return __is_long() ? __get_long_pointer() : __get_short_pointer();}
 
-    _LIBCPP_HIDE_FROM_ABI _LIBCPP_CONSTEXPR_SINCE_CXX20
-    void __zero() _NOEXCEPT {
-        __r_.first() = __rep();
-    }
-
     template <size_type __a> static
         _LIBCPP_HIDE_FROM_ABI _LIBCPP_CONSTEXPR_SINCE_CXX20
         size_type __align_it(size_type __s) _NOEXCEPT
@@ -1936,7 +1931,7 @@
                                                        size_type __reserve)
 {
     if (__libcpp_is_constant_evaluated())
-        __zero();
+        __r_.first() = __rep();
     if (__reserve > max_size())
         __throw_length_error();
     pointer __p;
@@ -1964,7 +1959,7 @@
 basic_string<_CharT, _Traits, _Allocator>::__init(const value_type* __s, size_type __sz)
 {
     if (__libcpp_is_constant_evaluated())
-        __zero();
+        __r_.first() = __rep();
     if (__sz > max_size())
         __throw_length_error();
     pointer __p;
@@ -2023,7 +2018,7 @@
     : __r_(__default_init_tag(), __alloc_traits::select_on_container_copy_construction(__str.__alloc()))
 {
     if (!__str.__is_long())
-        __r_.first().__r = __str.__r_.first().__r;
+        __r_.first() = __str.__r_.first();
     else
         __init_copy_ctor_external(std::__to_address(__str.__get_long_pointer()),
                                   __str.__get_long_size());
@@ -2037,7 +2032,7 @@
     : __r_(__default_init_tag(), __a)
 {
     if (!__str.__is_long())
-        __r_.first().__r = __str.__r_.first().__r;
+        __r_.first() = __str.__r_.first();
     else
         __init_copy_ctor_external(std::__to_address(__str.__get_long_pointer()),
                                   __str.__get_long_size());
@@ -2049,7 +2044,8 @@
 void basic_string<_CharT, _Traits, _Allocator>::__init_copy_ctor_external(
     const value_type* __s, size_type __sz) {
   if (__libcpp_is_constant_evaluated())
-    __zero();
+    __r_.first() = __rep();
+
   pointer __p;
   if (__fits_in_sso(__sz)) {
     __p = __get_short_pointer();
@@ -2094,12 +2090,9 @@
         __init(std::__to_address(__str.__get_long_pointer()), __str.__get_long_size());
     else
     {
-        if (__libcpp_is_constant_evaluated()) {
-            __zero();
-            __r_.first().__l = __str.__r_.first().__l;
-        } else {
-            __r_.first().__r = __str.__r_.first().__r;
-        }
+        if (__libcpp_is_constant_evaluated())
+            __r_.first() = __rep();
+        __r_.first() = __str.__r_.first();
         __str.__default_init();
     }
     std::__debug_db_insert_c(this);
@@ -2115,7 +2108,8 @@
 basic_string<_CharT, _Traits, _Allocator>::__init(size_type __n, value_type __c)
 {
     if (__libcpp_is_constant_evaluated())
-        __zero();
+        __r_.first() = __rep();
+
     if (__n > max_size())
         __throw_length_error();
     pointer __p;
@@ -2255,7 +2249,7 @@
 basic_string<_CharT, _Traits, _Allocator>::__init(_ForwardIterator __first, _ForwardIterator __last)
 {
     if (__libcpp_is_constant_evaluated())
-        __zero();
+        __r_.first() = __rep();
     size_type __sz = static_cast<size_type>(std::distance(__first, __last));
     if (__sz > max_size())
         __throw_length_error();
@@ -2511,7 +2505,7 @@
     __copy_assign_alloc(__str);
     if (!__is_long()) {
       if (!__str.__is_long()) {
-        __r_.first().__r = __str.__r_.first().__r;
+        __r_.first() = __str.__r_.first();
       } else {
         return __assign_no_alias<true>(__str.data(), __str.size());
       }