diff --git a/src/vt/vrt/collection/balance/offlinelb/offlinelb.cc b/src/vt/vrt/collection/balance/offlinelb/offlinelb.cc
index 0ed7636aab..b9abd6d03f 100644
--- a/src/vt/vrt/collection/balance/offlinelb/offlinelb.cc
+++ b/src/vt/vrt/collection/balance/offlinelb/offlinelb.cc
@@ -55,8 +55,8 @@ void OfflineLB::init(objgroup::proxy::Proxy<OfflineLB> in_proxy) {
 }
 
 void OfflineLB::runLB(LoadType) {
-  auto const& distro = theLBDataReader()->getDistro(phase_ + 1);
-  for (auto&& elm : distro) {
+  auto const distro = theLBDataReader()->getDistro(phase_ + 1);
+  for (auto&& elm : *distro) {
     migrateObjectTo(elm, theContext()->getNode());
   }
   theLBDataReader()->clearDistro(phase_ + 1);