diff --git a/src/parse_execution.rs b/src/parse_execution.rs
index e3a065633..102404e01 100644
--- a/src/parse_execution.rs
+++ b/src/parse_execution.rs
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ pub enum EndExecutionReason {
     error,
 }
 
-pub struct ExecutionContext {
+pub struct ExecutionContext<'a> {
     // The parsed source and its AST.
     pstree: ParsedSourceRef,
 
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ pub struct ExecutionContext {
 
     // Helper to count lines.
     // This is shared with the Parser so that the Parser can access the current line.
-    line_counter: Rc<ScopedRefCell<LineCounter<ast::JobPipeline>>>,
+    line_counter: &'a ScopedRefCell<LineCounter<ast::JobPipeline>>,
 
     /// The block IO chain.
     /// For example, in `begin; foo ; end < file.txt` this would have the 'file.txt' IO.
@@ -111,13 +111,13 @@ macro_rules! report_error_formatted {
     }};
 }
 
-impl<'a> ExecutionContext {
+impl<'a> ExecutionContext<'a> {
     /// Construct a context in preparation for evaluating a node in a tree, with the given block_io.
     /// The execution context may access the parser and parent job group (if any) through ctx.
     pub fn new(
         pstree: ParsedSourceRef,
         block_io: IoChain,
-        line_counter: Rc<ScopedRefCell<LineCounter<ast::JobPipeline>>>,
+        line_counter: &'a ScopedRefCell<LineCounter<ast::JobPipeline>>,
     ) -> Self {
         Self {
             pstree,
@@ -134,7 +134,7 @@ pub fn pstree(&self) -> &ParsedSourceRef {
     pub fn eval_node(
         &mut self,
         ctx: &OperationContext<'_>,
-        node: &dyn Node,
+        node: &'a dyn Node,
         associated_block: Option<BlockId>,
     ) -> EndExecutionReason {
         match node.typ() {
@@ -1531,8 +1531,9 @@ fn run_1_job(
         let _saved_eval_level = ctx.parser().push_scope(|s| s.eval_level += 1);
 
         // Save the executing node.
-        let line_counter = Rc::clone(&self.line_counter);
-        let _saved_node = line_counter.scoped_set(job_node as *const _, |s| &mut s.node);
+        let _saved_node = self
+            .line_counter
+            .scoped_set(job_node as *const _, |s| &mut s.node);
 
         // Profiling support.
         let profile_item_id = ctx.parser().create_profile_item();
diff --git a/src/parser.rs b/src/parser.rs
index 7cd977a69..4ab2a3b04 100644
--- a/src/parser.rs
+++ b/src/parser.rs
@@ -398,7 +398,7 @@ pub enum CancelBehavior {
 pub struct Parser {
     /// A shared line counter. This is handed out to each execution context
     /// so they can communicate the line number back to this Parser.
-    line_counter: Rc<ScopedRefCell<LineCounter<ast::JobPipeline>>>,
+    line_counter: ScopedRefCell<LineCounter<ast::JobPipeline>>,
 
     /// The jobs associated with this parser.
     job_list: RefCell<JobList>,
@@ -439,7 +439,7 @@ impl Parser {
     /// Create a parser.
     pub fn new(variables: Rc<EnvStack>, cancel_behavior: CancelBehavior) -> Parser {
         let result = Self {
-            line_counter: Rc::new(ScopedRefCell::new(LineCounter::empty())),
+            line_counter: ScopedRefCell::new(LineCounter::empty()),
             job_list: RefCell::default(),
             wait_handles: RefCell::new(WaitHandleStore::new()),
             block_list: RefCell::default(),
@@ -624,13 +624,13 @@ pub fn eval_node<T: Node>(
         op_ctx.cancel_checker = cancel_checker;
 
         // Restore the line counter.
-        let line_counter = Rc::clone(&self.line_counter);
-        let restore_line_counter =
-            line_counter.scoped_replace(ps.line_counter::<ast::JobPipeline>());
+        let restore_line_counter = self
+            .line_counter
+            .scoped_replace(ps.line_counter::<ast::JobPipeline>());
 
         // Create a new execution context.
         let mut execution_context =
-            ExecutionContext::new(ps.clone(), block_io.clone(), Rc::clone(&line_counter));
+            ExecutionContext::new(ps.clone(), block_io.clone(), &self.line_counter);
 
         terminal_protocols_disable_ifn();