diff --git a/capnp-rpc/examples/hello-world/server.rs b/capnp-rpc/examples/hello-world/server.rs
index b019a03fe..2eff13aa7 100644
--- a/capnp-rpc/examples/hello-world/server.rs
+++ b/capnp-rpc/examples/hello-world/server.rs
@@ -38,8 +38,7 @@ impl hello_world::Server for HelloWorldImpl {
         let request = pry!(pry!(params.get()).get_request());
         let name = pry!(pry!(request.get_name()).to_str());
         let message = format!("Hello, {name}!");
-
-        results.get().init_reply().set_message(&message[..]);
+        results.get().init_reply().set_message(message);
 
         Promise::ok(())
     }
diff --git a/capnp-rpc/examples/pubsub/server.rs b/capnp-rpc/examples/pubsub/server.rs
index 4f743261f..f037c576a 100644
--- a/capnp-rpc/examples/pubsub/server.rs
+++ b/capnp-rpc/examples/pubsub/server.rs
@@ -166,9 +166,10 @@ pub async fn main() -> Result<(), Box<dyn std::error::Error>> {
                         if subscriber.requests_in_flight < 5 {
                             subscriber.requests_in_flight += 1;
                             let mut request = subscriber.client.push_message_request();
-                            request.get().set_message(
-                                &format!("system time is: {:?}", ::std::time::SystemTime::now())[..],
-                            )?;
+                            request.get().set_message(format!(
+                                "system time is: {:?}",
+                                ::std::time::SystemTime::now()
+                            ))?;
                             let subscribers2 = subscribers1.clone();
                             tokio::task::spawn_local(request.send().promise.map(
                                 move |r| match r {
diff --git a/capnp/src/text.rs b/capnp/src/text.rs
index babeb4eb0..2229fe4bc 100644
--- a/capnp/src/text.rs
+++ b/capnp/src/text.rs
@@ -318,35 +318,16 @@ impl<'a> crate::traits::SetterInput<Owned> for Reader<'a> {
     }
 }
 
-// Text field setters are generated with a signature like
-// ```
-//   set_foo(&mut self, value: impl SetterInput<text::Owned>)
-// ```
-// Combined with the below impls of `SetterInput`, this
-// allows text fields to be conveniently set from values
-// of type `&str`.
-
-impl<'a> crate::traits::SetterInput<Owned> for &'a str {
+// Allow text fields to be set with &str or String or anything
+// else that implements `AsRef<str>`.
+impl<T: AsRef<str>> crate::traits::SetterInput<Owned> for T {
     #[inline]
     fn set_pointer_builder<'b>(
         mut pointer: crate::private::layout::PointerBuilder<'b>,
-        value: &'a str,
+        value: T,
         _canonicalize: bool,
     ) -> Result<()> {
-        pointer.set_text(value.into());
-        Ok(())
-    }
-}
-
-#[cfg(feature = "alloc")]
-impl<'a> crate::traits::SetterInput<Owned> for &'a alloc::string::String {
-    #[inline]
-    fn set_pointer_builder<'b>(
-        mut pointer: crate::private::layout::PointerBuilder<'b>,
-        value: &'a alloc::string::String,
-        _canonicalize: bool,
-    ) -> Result<()> {
-        pointer.set_text(value.as_str().into());
+        pointer.set_text(value.as_ref().into());
         Ok(())
     }
 }