diff --git a/src/app.zig b/src/app.zig
index 5c90b546e..dc9e4ed95 100644
--- a/src/app.zig
+++ b/src/app.zig
@@ -28,10 +28,7 @@ pub const App = struct {
         run_mode: RunMode,
     };
 
-    pub fn init(allocator: Allocator, config: Config) !*App {
-        const app = try allocator.create(App);
-        errdefer allocator.destroy(app);
-
+    pub fn init(allocator: Allocator, config: Config) !App {
         const loop = try allocator.create(Loop);
         errdefer allocator.destroy(loop);
 
@@ -40,7 +37,7 @@ pub const App = struct {
 
         const app_dir_path = getAndMakeAppDir(allocator);
 
-        app.* = .{
+        var app: App = .{
             .loop = loop,
             .allocator = allocator,
             .telemetry = undefined,
@@ -49,7 +46,7 @@ pub const App = struct {
                 .tls_verify_host = config.tls_verify_host,
             }),
         };
-        app.telemetry = Telemetry.init(app, config.run_mode);
+        app.telemetry = Telemetry.init(&app, config.run_mode);
 
         return app;
     }
@@ -63,7 +60,6 @@ pub const App = struct {
         self.loop.deinit();
         allocator.destroy(self.loop);
         self.http_client.deinit();
-        allocator.destroy(self);
     }
 };
 
diff --git a/src/cdp/testing.zig b/src/cdp/testing.zig
index 99e98d6ab..776b9d42a 100644
--- a/src/cdp/testing.zig
+++ b/src/cdp/testing.zig
@@ -138,7 +138,7 @@ const TestCDP = main.CDPT(struct {
 });
 
 const TestContext = struct {
-    app: *App,
+    app: App,
     client: ?Client = null,
     cdp_: ?TestCDP = null,
     arena: std.heap.ArenaAllocator,
@@ -156,7 +156,7 @@ const TestContext = struct {
             self.client = Client.init(self.arena.allocator());
             // Don't use the arena here. We want to detect leaks in CDP.
             // The arena is only for test-specific stuff
-            self.cdp_ = TestCDP.init(self.app, &self.client.?);
+            self.cdp_ = TestCDP.init(&self.app, &self.client.?);
         }
         return &self.cdp_.?;
     }
diff --git a/src/main.zig b/src/main.zig
index 6e7a65265..a33640112 100644
--- a/src/main.zig
+++ b/src/main.zig
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ pub fn main() !void {
             app.telemetry.record(.{ .run = {} });
 
             const timeout = std.time.ns_per_s * @as(u64, opts.timeout);
-            server.run(app, address, timeout) catch |err| {
+            server.run(&app, address, timeout) catch |err| {
                 log.err("Server error", .{});
                 return err;
             };
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@ pub fn main() !void {
             defer vm.deinit();
 
             // browser
-            var browser = Browser.init(app);
+            var browser = Browser.init(&app);
             defer browser.deinit();
 
             var session = try browser.newSession({});
diff --git a/src/main_unit_tests.zig b/src/main_unit_tests.zig
index 9937f0b8d..2c0eab02b 100644
--- a/src/main_unit_tests.zig
+++ b/src/main_unit_tests.zig
@@ -218,7 +218,7 @@ fn serveCDP(address: std.net.Address) !void {
 
     const server = @import("server.zig");
     wg.finish();
-    server.run(app, address, std.time.ns_per_s * 2) catch |err| {
+    server.run(&app, address, std.time.ns_per_s * 2) catch |err| {
         std.debug.print("CDP server error: {}", .{err});
         return err;
     };
diff --git a/src/telemetry/telemetry.zig b/src/telemetry/telemetry.zig
index 9143be7dc..c4bd72128 100644
--- a/src/telemetry/telemetry.zig
+++ b/src/telemetry/telemetry.zig
@@ -160,7 +160,7 @@ test "telemetry: sends event to provider" {
     var app = testing.app(.{});
     defer app.deinit();
 
-    var telemetry = TelemetryT(MockProvider).init(app, .serve);
+    var telemetry = TelemetryT(MockProvider).init(&app, .serve);
     defer telemetry.deinit();
     const mock = &telemetry.provider;
 
diff --git a/src/testing.zig b/src/testing.zig
index 7e157f7e8..4236cf4a3 100644
--- a/src/testing.zig
+++ b/src/testing.zig
@@ -156,7 +156,7 @@ pub fn print(comptime fmt: []const u8, args: anytype) void {
 }
 
 // dummy opts incase we want to add something, and not have to break all the callers
-pub fn app(_: anytype) *App {
+pub fn app(_: anytype) App {
     return App.init(allocator, .{ .run_mode = .serve }) catch unreachable;
 }