diff --git a/helix-core/src/history.rs b/helix-core/src/history.rs
index 1aac38d93..28d6dd6ec 100644
--- a/helix-core/src/history.rs
+++ b/helix-core/src/history.rs
@@ -72,8 +72,8 @@ impl Default for History {
             revisions: vec![Revision {
                 parent: 0,
                 last_child: None,
-                transaction: Transaction::from(ChangeSet::new(&Rope::new())),
-                inversion: Transaction::from(ChangeSet::new(&Rope::new())),
+                transaction: Transaction::from(ChangeSet::new("".into())),
+                inversion: Transaction::from(ChangeSet::new("".into())),
                 timestamp: Instant::now(),
             }],
             current: 0,
diff --git a/helix-core/src/syntax.rs b/helix-core/src/syntax.rs
index 73d3f7387..79fb52a79 100644
--- a/helix-core/src/syntax.rs
+++ b/helix-core/src/syntax.rs
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ use crate::{
     diagnostic::Severity,
     regex::Regex,
     transaction::{ChangeSet, Operation},
-    Rope, RopeSlice, Tendril,
+    RopeSlice, Tendril,
 };
 
 use ahash::RandomState;
@@ -818,7 +818,10 @@ impl Loader {
         // TODO: content_regex handling conflict resolution
     }
 
-    pub fn language_config_for_shebang(&self, source: &Rope) -> Option<Arc<LanguageConfiguration>> {
+    pub fn language_config_for_shebang(
+        &self,
+        source: RopeSlice,
+    ) -> Option<Arc<LanguageConfiguration>> {
         let line = Cow::from(source.line(0));
         static SHEBANG_REGEX: Lazy<Regex> =
             Lazy::new(|| Regex::new(&["^", SHEBANG].concat()).unwrap());
@@ -928,7 +931,7 @@ fn byte_range_to_str(range: std::ops::Range<usize>, source: RopeSlice) -> Cow<st
 
 impl Syntax {
     pub fn new(
-        source: &Rope,
+        source: RopeSlice,
         config: Arc<HighlightConfiguration>,
         loader: Arc<Loader>,
     ) -> Option<Self> {
@@ -967,8 +970,8 @@ impl Syntax {
 
     pub fn update(
         &mut self,
-        old_source: &Rope,
-        source: &Rope,
+        old_source: RopeSlice,
+        source: RopeSlice,
         changeset: &ChangeSet,
     ) -> Result<(), Error> {
         let mut queue = VecDeque::new();
@@ -1387,7 +1390,7 @@ impl LanguageLayer {
         self.tree.as_ref().unwrap()
     }
 
-    fn parse(&mut self, parser: &mut Parser, source: &Rope) -> Result<(), Error> {
+    fn parse(&mut self, parser: &mut Parser, source: RopeSlice) -> Result<(), Error> {
         parser
             .set_included_ranges(&self.ranges)
             .map_err(|_| Error::InvalidRanges)?;
@@ -1418,7 +1421,7 @@ impl LanguageLayer {
 }
 
 pub(crate) fn generate_edits(
-    old_text: &Rope,
+    old_text: RopeSlice,
     changeset: &ChangeSet,
 ) -> Vec<tree_sitter::InputEdit> {
     use Operation::*;
@@ -1434,7 +1437,7 @@ pub(crate) fn generate_edits(
 
     // TODO; this is a lot easier with Change instead of Operation.
 
-    fn point_at_pos(text: &Rope, pos: usize) -> (usize, Point) {
+    fn point_at_pos(text: RopeSlice, pos: usize) -> (usize, Point) {
         let byte = text.char_to_byte(pos); // <- attempted to index past end
         let line = text.char_to_line(pos);
         let line_start_byte = text.line_to_byte(line);
@@ -2529,7 +2532,7 @@ mod test {
         let mut cursor = QueryCursor::new();
 
         let config = HighlightConfiguration::new(language, "", "", "").unwrap();
-        let syntax = Syntax::new(&source, Arc::new(config), Arc::new(loader)).unwrap();
+        let syntax = Syntax::new(source.slice(..), Arc::new(config), Arc::new(loader)).unwrap();
 
         let root = syntax.tree().root_node();
         let mut test = |capture, range| {
@@ -2603,7 +2606,7 @@ mod test {
             fn main() {}
         ",
         );
-        let syntax = Syntax::new(&source, Arc::new(config), Arc::new(loader)).unwrap();
+        let syntax = Syntax::new(source.slice(..), Arc::new(config), Arc::new(loader)).unwrap();
         let tree = syntax.tree();
         let root = tree.root_node();
         assert_eq!(root.kind(), "source_file");
@@ -2630,7 +2633,7 @@ mod test {
             &doc,
             vec![(6, 11, Some("test".into())), (12, 17, None)].into_iter(),
         );
-        let edits = generate_edits(&doc, transaction.changes());
+        let edits = generate_edits(doc.slice(..), transaction.changes());
         // transaction.apply(&mut state);
 
         assert_eq!(
@@ -2659,7 +2662,7 @@ mod test {
         let mut doc = Rope::from("fn test() {}");
         let transaction =
             Transaction::change(&doc, vec![(8, 8, Some("a: u32".into()))].into_iter());
-        let edits = generate_edits(&doc, transaction.changes());
+        let edits = generate_edits(doc.slice(..), transaction.changes());
         transaction.apply(&mut doc);
 
         assert_eq!(doc, "fn test(a: u32) {}");
@@ -2693,7 +2696,7 @@ mod test {
         let language = get_language(language_name).unwrap();
 
         let config = HighlightConfiguration::new(language, "", "", "").unwrap();
-        let syntax = Syntax::new(&source, Arc::new(config), Arc::new(loader)).unwrap();
+        let syntax = Syntax::new(source.slice(..), Arc::new(config), Arc::new(loader)).unwrap();
 
         let root = syntax
             .tree()
diff --git a/helix-core/src/transaction.rs b/helix-core/src/transaction.rs
index 9d2a3e5c4..fec62578b 100644
--- a/helix-core/src/transaction.rs
+++ b/helix-core/src/transaction.rs
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+use ropey::RopeSlice;
 use smallvec::SmallVec;
 
 use crate::{Range, Rope, Selection, Tendril};
@@ -42,7 +43,7 @@ impl ChangeSet {
     }
 
     #[must_use]
-    pub fn new(doc: &Rope) -> Self {
+    pub fn new(doc: RopeSlice) -> Self {
         let len = doc.len_chars();
         Self {
             changes: Vec::new(),
@@ -485,7 +486,7 @@ impl Transaction {
     /// Create a new, empty transaction.
     pub fn new(doc: &Rope) -> Self {
         Self {
-            changes: ChangeSet::new(doc),
+            changes: ChangeSet::new(doc.slice(..)),
             selection: None,
         }
     }
@@ -946,9 +947,9 @@ mod test {
     #[test]
     fn combine_with_empty() {
         let empty = Rope::from("");
-        let a = ChangeSet::new(&empty);
+        let a = ChangeSet::new(empty.slice(..));
 
-        let mut b = ChangeSet::new(&empty);
+        let mut b = ChangeSet::new(empty.slice(..));
         b.insert("a".into());
 
         let changes = a.compose(b);
@@ -962,9 +963,9 @@ mod test {
         const TEST_CASE: &str = "Hello, これはヘリックスエディターです！";
 
         let empty = Rope::from("");
-        let a = ChangeSet::new(&empty);
+        let a = ChangeSet::new(empty.slice(..));
 
-        let mut b = ChangeSet::new(&empty);
+        let mut b = ChangeSet::new(empty.slice(..));
         b.insert(TEST_CASE.into());
 
         let changes = a.compose(b);
diff --git a/helix-core/tests/indent.rs b/helix-core/tests/indent.rs
index 409706bb9..1dec99894 100644
--- a/helix-core/tests/indent.rs
+++ b/helix-core/tests/indent.rs
@@ -72,9 +72,9 @@ fn test_treesitter_indent(file_name: &str, lang_scope: &str) {
 
     let language_config = loader.language_config_for_scope(lang_scope).unwrap();
     let highlight_config = language_config.highlight_config(&[]).unwrap();
-    let syntax = Syntax::new(&doc, highlight_config, std::sync::Arc::new(loader)).unwrap();
-    let indent_query = language_config.indent_query().unwrap();
     let text = doc.slice(..);
+    let syntax = Syntax::new(text, highlight_config, std::sync::Arc::new(loader)).unwrap();
+    let indent_query = language_config.indent_query().unwrap();
 
     for i in 0..doc.len_lines() {
         let line = text.line(i);
diff --git a/helix-term/src/ui/markdown.rs b/helix-term/src/ui/markdown.rs
index def64434a..cb2abf68c 100644
--- a/helix-term/src/ui/markdown.rs
+++ b/helix-term/src/ui/markdown.rs
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ use pulldown_cmark::{CodeBlockKind, Event, HeadingLevel, Options, Parser, Tag};
 
 use helix_core::{
     syntax::{self, HighlightEvent, InjectionLanguageMarker, Syntax},
-    Rope,
+    RopeSlice,
 };
 use helix_view::{
     graphics::{Margin, Rect, Style},
@@ -45,13 +45,13 @@ pub fn highlighted_code_block<'a>(
         None => return styled_multiline_text(text, code_style),
     };
 
-    let rope = Rope::from(text.as_ref());
+    let ropeslice = RopeSlice::from(text);
     let syntax = config_loader
         .language_configuration_for_injection_string(&InjectionLanguageMarker::Name(
             language.into(),
         ))
         .and_then(|config| config.highlight_config(theme.scopes()))
-        .and_then(|config| Syntax::new(&rope, config, Arc::clone(&config_loader)));
+        .and_then(|config| Syntax::new(ropeslice, config, Arc::clone(&config_loader)));
 
     let syntax = match syntax {
         Some(s) => s,
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ pub fn highlighted_code_block<'a>(
     };
 
     let highlight_iter = syntax
-        .highlight_iter(rope.slice(..), None, None)
+        .highlight_iter(ropeslice, None, None)
         .map(|e| e.unwrap());
     let highlight_iter: Box<dyn Iterator<Item = HighlightEvent>> =
         if let Some(spans) = additional_highlight_spans {
diff --git a/helix-term/src/ui/picker.rs b/helix-term/src/ui/picker.rs
index 13746cfc8..4605e2f18 100644
--- a/helix-term/src/ui/picker.rs
+++ b/helix-term/src/ui/picker.rs
@@ -453,9 +453,9 @@ impl<T: Item + 'static> Picker<T> {
                 let text = doc.text().clone();
                 let loader = cx.editor.syn_loader.clone();
                 let job = tokio::task::spawn_blocking(move || {
-                    let syntax = language_config
-                        .highlight_config(&loader.scopes())
-                        .and_then(|highlight_config| Syntax::new(&text, highlight_config, loader));
+                    let syntax = language_config.highlight_config(&loader.scopes()).and_then(
+                        |highlight_config| Syntax::new(text.slice(..), highlight_config, loader),
+                    );
                     let callback = move |editor: &mut Editor, compositor: &mut Compositor| {
                         let Some(syntax) = syntax else {
                             log::info!("highlighting picker item failed");
diff --git a/helix-view/src/document.rs b/helix-view/src/document.rs
index b08370f9f..af7e3a7e8 100644
--- a/helix-view/src/document.rs
+++ b/helix-view/src/document.rs
@@ -642,7 +642,7 @@ impl Document {
     ) -> Self {
         let (encoding, has_bom) = encoding_with_bom_info.unwrap_or((encoding::UTF_8, false));
         let line_ending = config.load().default_line_ending.into();
-        let changes = ChangeSet::new(&text);
+        let changes = ChangeSet::new(text.slice(..));
         let old_state = None;
 
         Self {
@@ -938,7 +938,7 @@ impl Document {
     ) -> Option<Arc<helix_core::syntax::LanguageConfiguration>> {
         config_loader
             .language_config_for_file_name(self.path.as_ref()?)
-            .or_else(|| config_loader.language_config_for_shebang(self.text()))
+            .or_else(|| config_loader.language_config_for_shebang(self.text().slice(..)))
     }
 
     /// Detect the indentation used in the file, or otherwise defaults to the language indentation
@@ -1030,7 +1030,7 @@ impl Document {
     ) {
         if let (Some(language_config), Some(loader)) = (language_config, loader) {
             if let Some(highlight_config) = language_config.highlight_config(&loader.scopes()) {
-                self.syntax = Syntax::new(&self.text, highlight_config, loader);
+                self.syntax = Syntax::new(self.text.slice(..), highlight_config, loader);
             }
 
             self.language = Some(language_config);
@@ -1165,7 +1165,11 @@ impl Document {
             // update tree-sitter syntax tree
             if let Some(syntax) = &mut self.syntax {
                 // TODO: no unwrap
-                let res = syntax.update(&old_doc, &self.text, transaction.changes());
+                let res = syntax.update(
+                    old_doc.slice(..),
+                    self.text.slice(..),
+                    transaction.changes(),
+                );
                 if res.is_err() {
                     log::error!("TS parser failed, disabeling TS for the current buffer: {res:?}");
                     self.syntax = None;
@@ -1288,7 +1292,7 @@ impl Document {
 
         if success {
             // reset changeset to fix len
-            self.changes = ChangeSet::new(self.text());
+            self.changes = ChangeSet::new(self.text().slice(..));
             // Sync with changes with the jumplist selections.
             view.sync_changes(self);
         }
@@ -1371,7 +1375,7 @@ impl Document {
         }
         if success {
             // reset changeset to fix len
-            self.changes = ChangeSet::new(self.text());
+            self.changes = ChangeSet::new(self.text().slice(..));
             // Sync with changes with the jumplist selections.
             view.sync_changes(self);
         }
@@ -1394,7 +1398,7 @@ impl Document {
             return;
         }
 
-        let new_changeset = ChangeSet::new(self.text());
+        let new_changeset = ChangeSet::new(self.text().slice(..));
         let changes = std::mem::replace(&mut self.changes, new_changeset);
         // Instead of doing this messy merge we could always commit, and based on transaction
         // annotations either add a new layer or compose into the previous one.