diff --git a/include/bitcoin/database/impl/query/archive.ipp b/include/bitcoin/database/impl/query/archive.ipp
index 17c706e2..b8da31e1 100644
--- a/include/bitcoin/database/impl/query/archive.ipp
+++ b/include/bitcoin/database/impl/query/archive.ipp
@@ -154,8 +154,8 @@ bool CLASS::populate(const transaction& tx) const NOEXCEPT
     BC_ASSERT(!tx.is_coinbase());
 
     auto result = true;
-    const auto& ins = *tx.inputs_ptr();
-    std::for_each(ins.begin(), ins.end(), [&](const auto& in) NOEXCEPT
+    const auto& ins = tx.inputs_ptr();
+    std::for_each(ins->begin(), ins->end(), [&](const auto& in) NOEXCEPT
     {
         result &= populate(*in);
     });
@@ -166,16 +166,16 @@ bool CLASS::populate(const transaction& tx) const NOEXCEPT
 TEMPLATE
 bool CLASS::populate(const block& block) const NOEXCEPT
 {
-    const auto& txs = *block.transactions_ptr();
-    if (txs.empty())
+    const auto& txs = block.transactions_ptr();
+    if (txs->empty())
         return false;
 
     auto result = true;
-    std::for_each(std::next(txs.begin()), txs.end(),
+    std::for_each(std::next(txs->begin()), txs->end(),
         [&](const auto& tx) NOEXCEPT
         {
-            const auto& ins = *tx->inputs_ptr();
-            std::for_each(ins.begin(), ins.end(), [&](const auto& in) NOEXCEPT
+            const auto& ins = tx->inputs_ptr();
+            std::for_each(ins->begin(), ins->end(), [&](const auto& in) NOEXCEPT
             {
                 result &= populate(*in);
             });
@@ -225,8 +225,8 @@ bool CLASS::populate_with_metadata(const transaction& tx,
     const tx_link& link) const NOEXCEPT
 {
     auto result = true;
-    const auto& ins = *tx.inputs_ptr();
-    std::for_each(ins.begin(), ins.end(), [&](const auto& in) NOEXCEPT
+    const auto& ins = tx.inputs_ptr();
+    std::for_each(ins->begin(), ins->end(), [&](const auto& in) NOEXCEPT
     {
         result &= populate_with_metadata(*in, link);
     });
@@ -240,7 +240,7 @@ bool CLASS::populate_with_metadata(const transaction& tx) const NOEXCEPT
     BC_ASSERT(is_coinbase(tx));
 
     // A coinbase tx is allowed only one input.
-    const auto& input = *tx.inputs_ptr()->front();
+    const auto& input = tx.inputs_ptr()->front();
 
     // Find any confirmed unspent duplicates of tx (unspent_coinbase_collision).
     const auto ec = unspent_duplicates(tx);
@@ -248,29 +248,29 @@ bool CLASS::populate_with_metadata(const transaction& tx) const NOEXCEPT
         return false;
 
     // The prevout of a coinbase is null (not an output of a coinbase tx).
-    input.metadata.coinbase = false;
-    input.metadata.spent = (ec != error::unspent_coinbase_collision);
-    input.metadata.median_time_past = max_uint32;
-    input.metadata.height = zero;
+    input->metadata.coinbase = false;
+    input->metadata.spent = (ec != error::unspent_coinbase_collision);
+    input->metadata.median_time_past = max_uint32;
+    input->metadata.height = zero;
     return true;
 }
 
 TEMPLATE
 bool CLASS::populate_with_metadata(const block& block) const NOEXCEPT
 {
-    const auto& txs = *block.transactions_ptr();
-    if (txs.empty())
+    const auto& txs = block.transactions_ptr();
+    if (txs->empty())
         return false;
 
     auto result = true;
-    const auto coinbase = populate_with_metadata(txs.front());
-    std::for_each(std::next(txs.begin()), txs.end(),
+    const auto coinbase = populate_with_metadata(txs->front());
+    std::for_each(std::next(txs->begin()), txs->end(),
         [&](const auto& tx) NOEXCEPT
         {
             const auto link = to_tx(tx.get_hash());
             result &= !link.is_terminal();
-            const auto& ins = *tx->inputs_ptr();
-            std::for_each(ins.begin(), ins.end(), [&](const auto& in) NOEXCEPT
+            const auto& ins = tx->inputs_ptr();
+            std::for_each(ins->begin(), ins->end(), [&](const auto& in) NOEXCEPT
             {
                 result &= populate_with_metadata(*in, link);
             });
@@ -743,15 +743,15 @@ code CLASS::set_code(tx_link& out_fk, const transaction& tx) NOEXCEPT
     const auto& key = tx.get_hash(false);
 
     // Declare puts record.
-    const auto& ins = *tx.inputs_ptr();
-    const auto& outs = *tx.outputs_ptr();
+    const auto& ins = tx.inputs_ptr();
+    const auto& outs = tx.outputs_ptr();
     table::puts::slab puts{};
-    puts.spend_fks.reserve(ins.size());
-    puts.out_fks.reserve(outs.size());
+    puts.spend_fks.reserve(ins->size());
+    puts.out_fks.reserve(outs->size());
 
     // Declare spends buffer.
     std_vector<foreign_point> spends{};
-    spends.reserve(ins.size());
+    spends.reserve(ins->size());
 
     // TODO: eliminate shared memory pointer reallocations.
     // ========================================================================
@@ -765,13 +765,13 @@ code CLASS::set_code(tx_link& out_fk, const transaction& tx) NOEXCEPT
 
     // Allocate spend records.
     // Clean single allocation failure (e.g. disk full).
-    const auto count = possible_narrow_cast<spend_link::integer>(ins.size());
+    const auto count = possible_narrow_cast<spend_link::integer>(ins->size());
     auto spend_fk = store_.spend.allocate(count);
     if (spend_fk.is_terminal())
         return error::tx_spend_allocate;
 
     // Commit input records (spend records not indexed).
-    for (const auto& in: ins)
+    for (const auto& in: *ins)
     {
         // Commit input record.
         // Safe allocation failure, blob linked by unindexed spend.
@@ -833,7 +833,7 @@ code CLASS::set_code(tx_link& out_fk, const transaction& tx) NOEXCEPT
     }
 
     // Commit output records.
-    for (const auto& out: outs)
+    for (const auto& out: *outs)
     {
         // Safe allocation failure, blob unlinked.
         output_link output_fk{};
@@ -864,8 +864,8 @@ code CLASS::set_code(tx_link& out_fk, const transaction& tx) NOEXCEPT
     {
         {},
         tx,
-        system::possible_narrow_cast<ix::integer>(ins.size()),
-        system::possible_narrow_cast<ix::integer>(outs.size()),
+        system::possible_narrow_cast<ix::integer>(ins->size()),
+        system::possible_narrow_cast<ix::integer>(outs->size()),
         puts_fk
     }))
     {
@@ -888,7 +888,7 @@ code CLASS::set_code(tx_link& out_fk, const transaction& tx) NOEXCEPT
     if (address_enabled())
     {
         auto output_fk = puts.out_fks.begin();
-        for (const auto& out: outs)
+        for (const auto& out: *outs)
         {
             // Safe allocation failure, unindexed tx outputs linked by address,
             // others unlinked. A replay of committed addresses without indexed
diff --git a/test/query/archive.cpp b/test/query/archive.cpp
index 64b54a80..911a3b3f 100644
--- a/test/query/archive.cpp
+++ b/test/query/archive.cpp
@@ -1273,9 +1273,9 @@ BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE(query_archive__get_input__genesis__expected)
     BOOST_REQUIRE(query.set(test::genesis, test::context, false, false));
 
     const auto tx = test::genesis.transactions_ptr()->front();
-    const auto& input = *tx->inputs_ptr()->front();
-    BOOST_REQUIRE(input == *query.get_input(query.to_tx(tx->hash(false)), 0u));
-    BOOST_REQUIRE(input == *query.get_input(0));
+    const auto input = tx->inputs_ptr()->front();
+    BOOST_REQUIRE(*input == *query.get_input(query.to_tx(tx->hash(false)), 0u));
+    BOOST_REQUIRE(*input == *query.get_input(0));
 }
 
 BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE(query_archive__get_inputs__tx_not_found__nullptr)
@@ -1328,10 +1328,10 @@ BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE(query_archive__get_output__genesis__expected)
     BOOST_REQUIRE(query.set(test::genesis, test::context, false, false));
 
     const auto tx = test::genesis.transactions_ptr()->front();
-    const auto& output1 = *tx->outputs_ptr()->front();
-    BOOST_REQUIRE(output1 == *query.get_output(query.to_tx(tx->hash(false)), 0u));
-    BOOST_REQUIRE(output1 == *query.get_output({ tx->hash(false), 0u }));
-    BOOST_REQUIRE(output1 == *query.get_output(0));
+    const auto output1 = tx->outputs_ptr()->front();
+    BOOST_REQUIRE(*output1 == *query.get_output(query.to_tx(tx->hash(false)), 0u));
+    BOOST_REQUIRE(*output1 == *query.get_output({ tx->hash(false), 0u }));
+    BOOST_REQUIRE(*output1 == *query.get_output(0));
 }
 
 BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE(query_archive__get_outputs__tx_not_found__nullptr)
@@ -1473,11 +1473,11 @@ BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE(query_archive__get_spenders__unspent_or_not_found__expected
 ////    BOOST_REQUIRE_EQUAL(query.get_spenders(1, 2)->size(), 0u);
 ////
 ////    // Match the two spenders.
-////    const auto& block_inputs = *test::block2a.transactions_ptr()->front()->inputs_ptr();
-////    BOOST_REQUIRE(*query.get_spenders(query.to_output(1, 0))->front() == *block_inputs.front());
-////    BOOST_REQUIRE(*query.get_spenders(query.to_output(1, 1))->front() == *block_inputs.back());
-////    BOOST_REQUIRE(*query.get_spenders(1, 0)->front() == *block_inputs.front());
-////    BOOST_REQUIRE(*query.get_spenders(1, 1)->front() == *block_inputs.back());
+////    const auto block_inputs = test::block2a.transactions_ptr()->front()->inputs_ptr();
+////    BOOST_REQUIRE(*query.get_spenders(query.to_output(1, 0))->front() == *(*block_inputs).front());
+////    BOOST_REQUIRE(*query.get_spenders(query.to_output(1, 1))->front() == *(*block_inputs).back());
+////    BOOST_REQUIRE(*query.get_spenders(1, 0)->front() == *(*block_inputs).front());
+////    BOOST_REQUIRE(*query.get_spenders(1, 1)->front() == *(*block_inputs).back());
 ////
 ////    // Each of the two outputs of block1a spent twice (two unconfirmed double spends).
 ////    BOOST_REQUIRE(query.set(test::tx4));
@@ -1489,15 +1489,15 @@ BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE(query_archive__get_spenders__unspent_or_not_found__expected
 ////    BOOST_REQUIRE_EQUAL(query.get_spenders(1, 2)->size(), 0u);
 ////
 ////    // Match the four spenders.
-////    const auto& tx_inputs = *test::tx4.inputs_ptr();
-////    BOOST_REQUIRE(*query.get_spenders(query.to_output(1, 0))->front() == *tx_inputs.front());
-////    BOOST_REQUIRE(*query.get_spenders(query.to_output(1, 1))->front() == *tx_inputs.back());
-////    BOOST_REQUIRE(*query.get_spenders(query.to_output(1, 0))->back() == *block_inputs.front());
-////    BOOST_REQUIRE(*query.get_spenders(query.to_output(1, 1))->back() == *block_inputs.back());
-////    BOOST_REQUIRE(*query.get_spenders(1, 0)->front() == *tx_inputs.front());
-////    BOOST_REQUIRE(*query.get_spenders(1, 1)->front() == *tx_inputs.back());
-////    BOOST_REQUIRE(*query.get_spenders(1, 0)->back() == *block_inputs.front());
-////    BOOST_REQUIRE(*query.get_spenders(1, 1)->back() == *block_inputs.back());
+////    const auto tx_inputs = test::tx4.inputs_ptr();
+////    BOOST_REQUIRE(*query.get_spenders(query.to_output(1, 0))->front() == *(*tx_inputs).front());
+////    BOOST_REQUIRE(*query.get_spenders(query.to_output(1, 1))->front() == *(*tx_inputs).back());
+////    BOOST_REQUIRE(*query.get_spenders(query.to_output(1, 0))->back() == *(*block_inputs).front());
+////    BOOST_REQUIRE(*query.get_spenders(query.to_output(1, 1))->back() == *(*block_inputs).back());
+////    BOOST_REQUIRE(*query.get_spenders(1, 0)->front() == *(*tx_inputs).front());
+////    BOOST_REQUIRE(*query.get_spenders(1, 1)->front() == *(*tx_inputs).back());
+////    BOOST_REQUIRE(*query.get_spenders(1, 0)->back() == *(*block_inputs).front());
+////    BOOST_REQUIRE(*query.get_spenders(1, 1)->back() == *(*block_inputs).back());
 ////}
 
 BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE(query_archive__get_value__genesis__expected)
diff --git a/test/tables/caches/buffer.cpp b/test/tables/caches/buffer.cpp
index 04094491..a67a5d1e 100644
--- a/test/tables/caches/buffer.cpp
+++ b/test/tables/caches/buffer.cpp
@@ -24,11 +24,11 @@
 ////using namespace system;
 ////const chain::transaction empty{};
 ////const auto genesis = system::settings{ system::chain::selection::mainnet }.genesis_block;
-////const auto& genesis_tx = *genesis.transactions_ptr()->front();
+////const auto genesis_tx = genesis.transactions_ptr()->front();
 ////const table::buffer::key key1{ 0x01, 0x02, 0x03, 0x04 };
 ////const table::buffer::key key2{ 0xa1, 0xa2, 0xa3, 0xa4 };
 ////const table::buffer::slab slab1{ {}, empty };
-////const table::buffer::slab slab2{ {}, genesis_tx };
+////const table::buffer::slab slab2{ {}, *genesis_tx };
 ////const data_chunk expected_head = base16_chunk
 ////(
 ////    "0000000000"