diff --git a/betterproto-extras/src/merging.rs b/betterproto-extras/src/merging.rs
index 09cc2fb..1fbe712 100644
--- a/betterproto-extras/src/merging.rs
+++ b/betterproto-extras/src/merging.rs
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ use crate::{
     py_any_extras::PyAnyExtras,
 };
 use prost_reflect::{DynamicMessage, ReflectMessage, Value};
-use pyo3::{IntoPy, PyAny};
+use pyo3::{PyAny, ToPyObject, PyObject};
 
 pub fn merge_msg_into_pyobj(obj: &PyAny, msg: &DynamicMessage) -> Result<()> {
     for field in msg.descriptor().fields() {
@@ -19,26 +19,26 @@ pub fn merge_msg_into_pyobj(obj: &PyAny, msg: &DynamicMessage) -> Result<()> {
     Ok(())
 }
 
-fn map_field_value<'py>(
+fn map_field_value(
     field_name: &str,
     field_value: &Value,
-    proto_meta: &'py PyAny,
-) -> Result<&'py PyAny> {
+    proto_meta: &PyAny,
+) -> Result<PyObject> {
     let py = proto_meta.py();
     match field_value {
-        Value::Bool(x) => Ok(x.into_py(py).into_ref(py)),
-        Value::Bytes(x) => Ok(x.into_py(py).into_ref(py)),
-        Value::F32(x) => Ok(x.into_py(py).into_ref(py)),
-        Value::F64(x) => Ok(x.into_py(py).into_ref(py)),
-        Value::I32(x) => Ok(x.into_py(py).into_ref(py)),
-        Value::I64(x) => Ok(x.into_py(py).into_ref(py)),
-        Value::String(x) => Ok(x.into_py(py).into_ref(py)),
-        Value::U32(x) => Ok(x.into_py(py).into_ref(py)),
-        Value::U64(x) => Ok(x.into_py(py).into_ref(py)),
+        Value::Bool(x) => Ok(x.to_object(py)),
+        Value::Bytes(x) => Ok(x.to_object(py)),
+        Value::F32(x) => Ok(x.to_object(py)),
+        Value::F64(x) => Ok(x.to_object(py)),
+        Value::I32(x) => Ok(x.to_object(py)),
+        Value::I64(x) => Ok(x.to_object(py)),
+        Value::String(x) => Ok(x.to_object(py)),
+        Value::U32(x) => Ok(x.to_object(py)),
+        Value::U64(x) => Ok(x.to_object(py)),
         Value::Message(msg) => {
             let obj = proto_meta.create_instance(field_name)?;
             merge_msg_into_pyobj(obj, msg)?;
-            Ok(obj)
+            Ok(obj.to_object(py))
         }
         value => Err(Error::UnsupportedType(value.to_string())),
     }