diff --git a/src/cmd/internal/objabi/head.go b/src/cmd/internal/objabi/head.go
index 48ff292307..763910fbd6 100644
--- a/src/cmd/internal/objabi/head.go
+++ b/src/cmd/internal/objabi/head.go
@@ -80,8 +80,8 @@ func (h *HeadType) Set(s string) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
-func (h *HeadType) String() string {
-	switch *h {
+func (h HeadType) String() string {
+	switch h {
 	case Haix:
 		return "aix"
 	case Hdarwin:
@@ -105,5 +105,5 @@ func (h *HeadType) String() string {
 	case Hwindows:
 		return "windows"
 	}
-	return fmt.Sprintf("HeadType(%d)", *h)
+	return fmt.Sprintf("HeadType(%d)", h)
 }