diff --git a/src/Attr.cc b/src/Attr.cc
index 093e2d7f28..9536be2554 100644
--- a/src/Attr.cc
+++ b/src/Attr.cc
@@ -262,10 +262,10 @@ void Attributes::CheckAttr(Attr* a)
 		{
 		bool is_add = a->Tag() == ATTR_ADD_FUNC;
 
-		const auto& at = a->AttrExpr()->GetType();
+		const auto& at = a->GetExpr()->GetType();
 		if ( at->Tag() != TYPE_FUNC )
 			{
-			a->AttrExpr()->Error(
+			a->GetExpr()->Error(
 				is_add ?
 					"&add_func must be a function" :
 					"&delete_func must be a function");
@@ -275,7 +275,7 @@ void Attributes::CheckAttr(Attr* a)
 		FuncType* aft = at->AsFuncType();
 		if ( ! same_type(aft->Yield(), type) )
 			{
-			a->AttrExpr()->Error(
+			a->GetExpr()->Error(
 				is_add ?
 					"&add_func function must yield same type as variable" :
 					"&delete_func function must yield same type as variable");
@@ -294,7 +294,7 @@ void Attributes::CheckAttr(Attr* a)
 			break;
 			}
 
-		const auto& atype = a->AttrExpr()->GetType();
+		const auto& atype = a->GetExpr()->GetType();
 
 		if ( type->Tag() != TYPE_TABLE || (type->IsSet() && ! in_record) )
 			{
@@ -314,7 +314,7 @@ void Attributes::CheckAttr(Attr* a)
 				// Ok.
 				break;
 
-			auto e = check_and_promote_expr(a->AttrExpr(), type.get());
+			auto e = check_and_promote_expr(a->GetExpr().get(), type.get());
 
 			if ( e )
 				{
@@ -323,7 +323,7 @@ void Attributes::CheckAttr(Attr* a)
 				break;
 				}
 
-			a->AttrExpr()->Error("&default value has inconsistent type", type.get());
+			a->GetExpr()->Error("&default value has inconsistent type", type.get());
 			return;
 			}
 
@@ -354,7 +354,7 @@ void Attributes::CheckAttr(Attr* a)
 					// Ok.
 					break;
 
-				auto e = check_and_promote_expr(a->AttrExpr(), ytype.get());
+				auto e = check_and_promote_expr(a->GetExpr().get(), ytype.get());
 
 				if ( e )
 					{
@@ -380,7 +380,7 @@ void Attributes::CheckAttr(Attr* a)
 
 			if ( (atype->Tag() == TYPE_TABLE && atype->AsTableType()->IsUnspecifiedTable()) )
 				{
-				auto e = check_and_promote_expr(a->AttrExpr(), type.get());
+				auto e = check_and_promote_expr(a->GetExpr().get(), type.get());
 
 				if ( e )
 					{
@@ -446,7 +446,7 @@ void Attributes::CheckAttr(Attr* a)
 			break;
 			}
 
-		const Expr* expire_func = a->AttrExpr();
+		const auto& expire_func = a->GetExpr();
 
 		if ( expire_func->GetType()->Tag() != TYPE_FUNC )
 			Error("&expire_func attribute is not a function");
@@ -493,7 +493,7 @@ void Attributes::CheckAttr(Attr* a)
 			break;
 			}
 
-		const Expr* change_func = a->AttrExpr();
+		const auto& change_func = a->GetExpr();
 
 		if ( change_func->GetType()->Tag() != TYPE_FUNC || change_func->GetType()->AsFuncType()->Flavor() != FUNC_FLAVOR_FUNCTION )
 			Error("&on_change attribute is not a function");
@@ -588,7 +588,7 @@ void Attributes::CheckAttr(Attr* a)
 			break;
 			}
 
-		const auto& atype = a->AttrExpr()->GetType();
+		const auto& atype = a->GetExpr()->GetType();
 
 		if ( atype->Tag() != TYPE_STRING ) {
 			Error("type column needs to have a string argument");
diff --git a/src/Attr.h b/src/Attr.h
index 7271bdd1f6..7e050d1a49 100644
--- a/src/Attr.h
+++ b/src/Attr.h
@@ -41,8 +41,13 @@ public:
 	~Attr() override;
 
 	attr_tag Tag() const	{ return tag; }
+
+	[[deprecated("Remove in v4.1.  Use GetExpr().")]]
 	Expr* AttrExpr() const	{ return expr.get(); }
 
+	const IntrusivePtr<Expr>& GetExpr() const
+		{ return expr; }
+
 	template<typename E>
 	void SetAttrExpr(E&& e) { expr = std::forward<E>(e); }
 
diff --git a/src/Expr.cc b/src/Expr.cc
index 93c5d8f84e..c2a22bb3cc 100644
--- a/src/Expr.cc
+++ b/src/Expr.cc
@@ -2895,7 +2895,7 @@ IntrusivePtr<Val> FieldExpr::Fold(Val* v) const
 	const Attr* def_attr = td ? td->FindAttr(ATTR_DEFAULT) : nullptr;
 
 	if ( def_attr )
-		return def_attr->AttrExpr()->Eval(nullptr);
+		return def_attr->GetExpr()->Eval(nullptr);
 	else
 		{
 		RuntimeError("field value missing");
@@ -3658,7 +3658,7 @@ IntrusivePtr<Val> RecordCoerceExpr::Fold(Val* v) const
 					map[i])->FindAttr(ATTR_DEFAULT);
 
 				if ( def )
-					rhs = def->AttrExpr()->Eval(nullptr);
+					rhs = def->GetExpr()->Eval(nullptr);
 				}
 
 			assert(rhs || GetType()->AsRecordType()->FieldDecl(i)->FindAttr(ATTR_OPTIONAL));
@@ -3695,7 +3695,7 @@ IntrusivePtr<Val> RecordCoerceExpr::Fold(Val* v) const
 			{
 			if ( const Attr* def = GetType()->AsRecordType()->FieldDecl(i)->FindAttr(ATTR_DEFAULT) )
 				{
-				auto def_val = def->AttrExpr()->Eval(nullptr);
+				auto def_val = def->GetExpr()->Eval(nullptr);
 				const auto& def_type = def_val->GetType();
 				const auto& field_type = GetType()->AsRecordType()->GetFieldType(i);
 
@@ -5010,7 +5010,7 @@ bool check_and_promote_args(ListExpr* const args, RecordType* types)
 				return false;
 				}
 
-			def_elements.push_front(def_attr->AttrExpr());
+			def_elements.push_front(def_attr->GetExpr().get());
 			}
 
 		for ( const auto& elem : def_elements )
diff --git a/src/Func.cc b/src/Func.cc
index b35736db92..18875ff742 100644
--- a/src/Func.cc
+++ b/src/Func.cc
@@ -855,7 +855,7 @@ static int get_func_priority(const attr_list& attrs)
 			continue;
 			}
 
-		auto v = a->AttrExpr()->Eval(nullptr);
+		auto v = a->GetExpr()->Eval(nullptr);
 
 		if ( ! v )
 			{
diff --git a/src/ID.cc b/src/ID.cc
index e39de42804..87185eb4e9 100644
--- a/src/ID.cc
+++ b/src/ID.cc
@@ -213,7 +213,7 @@ void ID::SetVal(IntrusivePtr<Expr> ev, init_class c)
 	if ( ! a )
 		Internal("no add/delete function in ID::SetVal");
 
-	EvalFunc({NewRef{}, a->AttrExpr()}, std::move(ev));
+	EvalFunc(a->GetExpr(), std::move(ev));
 	}
 
 bool ID::IsRedefinable() const
@@ -291,7 +291,7 @@ std::string ID::GetDeprecationWarning() const
 	Attr* depr_attr = FindAttr(ATTR_DEPRECATED);
 	if ( depr_attr )
 		{
-		ConstExpr* expr = static_cast<ConstExpr*>(depr_attr->AttrExpr());
+		auto expr = static_cast<ConstExpr*>(depr_attr->GetExpr().get());
 		if ( expr )
 			{
 			StringVal* text = expr->Value()->AsStringVal();
diff --git a/src/Type.cc b/src/Type.cc
index 7260c4194c..1c204ec052 100644
--- a/src/Type.cc
+++ b/src/Type.cc
@@ -689,7 +689,7 @@ IntrusivePtr<Val> RecordType::FieldDefault(int field) const
 
 	const Attr* def_attr = td->attrs->FindAttr(ATTR_DEFAULT);
 
-	return def_attr ? def_attr->AttrExpr()->Eval(nullptr) : nullptr;
+	return def_attr ? def_attr->GetExpr()->Eval(nullptr) : nullptr;
 	}
 
 int RecordType::FieldOffset(const char* field) const
@@ -1010,7 +1010,7 @@ string RecordType::GetFieldDeprecationWarning(int field, bool has_check) const
 		string result;
 		if ( const Attr* deprecation = decl->FindAttr(ATTR_DEPRECATED) )
 			{
-			ConstExpr* expr = static_cast<ConstExpr*>(deprecation->AttrExpr());
+			auto expr = static_cast<ConstExpr*>(deprecation->GetExpr().get());
 			if ( expr )
 				{
 				StringVal* text = expr->Value()->AsStringVal();
diff --git a/src/Val.cc b/src/Val.cc
index 4fa0733091..f541cfd61a 100644
--- a/src/Val.cc
+++ b/src/Val.cc
@@ -1479,12 +1479,12 @@ void TableVal::SetAttrs(IntrusivePtr<Attributes> a)
 	Attr* ef = attrs->FindAttr(ATTR_EXPIRE_FUNC);
 
 	if ( ef )
-		expire_func = {NewRef{}, ef->AttrExpr()};
+		expire_func = ef->GetExpr();
 
 	auto cf = attrs->FindAttr(ATTR_ON_CHANGE);
 
 	if ( cf )
-		change_func = {NewRef{}, cf->AttrExpr()};
+		change_func = cf->GetExpr();
 	}
 
 void TableVal::CheckExpireAttr(attr_tag at)
@@ -1493,7 +1493,7 @@ void TableVal::CheckExpireAttr(attr_tag at)
 
 	if ( a )
 		{
-		expire_time = {NewRef{}, a->AttrExpr()};
+		expire_time = a->GetExpr();
 
 		if ( expire_time->GetType()->Tag() != TYPE_INTERVAL )
 			{
@@ -1821,21 +1821,21 @@ IntrusivePtr<Val> TableVal::Default(const IntrusivePtr<Val>& index)
 	if ( ! def_val )
 		{
 		const auto& ytype = GetType()->Yield();
-		const auto& dtype = def_attr->AttrExpr()->GetType();
+		const auto& dtype = def_attr->GetExpr()->GetType();
 
 		if ( dtype->Tag() == TYPE_RECORD && ytype->Tag() == TYPE_RECORD &&
 		     ! same_type(dtype, ytype) &&
 		     record_promotion_compatible(dtype->AsRecordType(),
 						 ytype->AsRecordType()) )
 			{
-			auto coerce = make_intrusive<RecordCoerceExpr>(
-			        IntrusivePtr{NewRef{}, def_attr->AttrExpr()},
-			        IntrusivePtr{NewRef{}, ytype->AsRecordType()});
+			auto rt = cast_intrusive<RecordType>(ytype);
+			auto coerce = make_intrusive<RecordCoerceExpr>(def_attr->GetExpr(),
+			                                               std::move(rt));
 			def_val = coerce->Eval(nullptr);
 			}
 
 		else
-			def_val = def_attr->AttrExpr()->Eval(nullptr);
+			def_val = def_attr->GetExpr()->Eval(nullptr);
 		}
 
 	if ( ! def_val )
@@ -1847,7 +1847,7 @@ IntrusivePtr<Val> TableVal::Default(const IntrusivePtr<Val>& index)
 	if ( def_val->GetType()->Tag() != TYPE_FUNC ||
 	     same_type(def_val->GetType(), GetType()->Yield()) )
 		{
-		if ( def_attr->AttrExpr()->IsConst() )
+		if ( def_attr->GetExpr()->IsConst() )
 			return def_val;
 
 		try
@@ -2345,7 +2345,7 @@ void TableVal::InitDefaultFunc(Frame* f)
 		return;
 
 	const auto& ytype = GetType()->Yield();
-	const auto& dtype = def_attr->AttrExpr()->GetType();
+	const auto& dtype = def_attr->GetExpr()->GetType();
 
 	if ( dtype->Tag() == TYPE_RECORD && ytype->Tag() == TYPE_RECORD &&
 	     ! same_type(dtype, ytype) &&
@@ -2353,7 +2353,7 @@ void TableVal::InitDefaultFunc(Frame* f)
 					 ytype->AsRecordType()) )
 		return; // TableVal::Default will handle this.
 
-	def_val = def_attr->AttrExpr()->Eval(f);
+	def_val = def_attr->GetExpr()->Eval(f);
 	}
 
 void TableVal::InitTimer(double delay)
@@ -2715,7 +2715,7 @@ RecordVal::RecordVal(IntrusivePtr<RecordType> t, bool init_fields) : Val(std::mo
 		{
 		Attributes* a = rt->FieldDecl(i)->attrs.get();
 		Attr* def_attr = a ? a->FindAttr(ATTR_DEFAULT) : nullptr;
-		auto def = def_attr ? def_attr->AttrExpr()->Eval(nullptr) : nullptr;
+		auto def = def_attr ? def_attr->GetExpr()->Eval(nullptr) : nullptr;
 		const auto& type = rt->FieldDecl(i)->type;
 
 		if ( def && type->Tag() == TYPE_RECORD &&
diff --git a/src/Var.cc b/src/Var.cc
index 0665169abc..47d34307c6 100644
--- a/src/Var.cc
+++ b/src/Var.cc
@@ -574,7 +574,7 @@ void begin_func(ID* id, const char* module_name, function_flavor flavor,
 		}
 
 	if ( Attr* depr_attr = find_attr(attrs, ATTR_DEPRECATED) )
-		id->MakeDeprecated({NewRef{}, depr_attr->AttrExpr()});
+		id->MakeDeprecated(depr_attr->GetExpr());
 	}
 
 class OuterIDBindingFinder : public TraversalCallback {
diff --git a/src/input/Manager.cc b/src/input/Manager.cc
index 88b30f098f..1dc1a0beb5 100644
--- a/src/input/Manager.cc
+++ b/src/input/Manager.cc
@@ -944,7 +944,7 @@ bool Manager::UnrollRecordType(vector<Field*> *fields, const RecordType *rec,
 				{
 				// we have an annotation for the second column
 
-				c = rec->FieldDecl(i)->FindAttr(ATTR_TYPE_COLUMN)->AttrExpr()->Eval(nullptr);
+				c = rec->FieldDecl(i)->FindAttr(ATTR_TYPE_COLUMN)->GetExpr()->Eval(nullptr);
 
 				assert(c);
 				assert(c->GetType()->Tag() == TYPE_STRING);