diff --git a/core/src/avm1/activation.rs b/core/src/avm1/activation.rs
index 01fa09431207c..33c539239220a 100644
--- a/core/src/avm1/activation.rs
+++ b/core/src/avm1/activation.rs
@@ -1008,7 +1008,7 @@ impl<'a, 'gc> Activation<'a, 'gc> {
         // SWF19: "If A is zero, the result NaN, Infinity, or -Infinity is pushed to the stack in SWF 5 and later.
         // In SWF 4, the result is the string #ERROR#."
         let result: Value<'gc> = if a == 0.0 && self.swf_version() < 5 {
-            AvmString::new_utf8(self.gc(), "#ERROR#").into()
+            AvmString::new_ascii_static(self.gc(), b"#ERROR#").into()
         } else {
             (b / a).into()
         };
diff --git a/core/src/avm1/globals/object.rs b/core/src/avm1/globals/object.rs
index f634b8290e7ec..8f8759f496ee7 100644
--- a/core/src/avm1/globals/object.rs
+++ b/core/src/avm1/globals/object.rs
@@ -116,9 +116,9 @@ fn to_string<'gc>(
     _args: &[Value<'gc>],
 ) -> Result<Value<'gc>, Error<'gc>> {
     if this.as_executable().is_some() {
-        Ok(AvmString::new_utf8(activation.gc(), "[type Function]").into())
+        Ok(AvmString::new_ascii_static(activation.gc(), b"[type Function]").into())
     } else {
-        Ok(AvmString::new_utf8(activation.gc(), "[object Object]").into())
+        Ok(AvmString::new_ascii_static(activation.gc(), b"[object Object]").into())
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/core/src/avm1/globals/system_ime.rs b/core/src/avm1/globals/system_ime.rs
index 6c2854f98cc9a..6b4a63c869509 100644
--- a/core/src/avm1/globals/system_ime.rs
+++ b/core/src/avm1/globals/system_ime.rs
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ fn get_conversion_mode<'gc>(
     _this: Object<'gc>,
     _args: &[Value<'gc>],
 ) -> Result<Value<'gc>, Error<'gc>> {
-    Ok(AvmString::new_utf8(activation.gc(), "KOREAN").into())
+    Ok(AvmString::new_ascii_static(activation.gc(), b"KOREAN").into())
 }
 
 fn get_enabled<'gc>(
diff --git a/core/src/avm1/value.rs b/core/src/avm1/value.rs
index 0dd9a71731118..810da606762cf 100644
--- a/core/src/avm1/value.rs
+++ b/core/src/avm1/value.rs
@@ -423,9 +423,9 @@ impl<'gc> Value<'gc> {
                         Value::String(s) => s,
                         _ => {
                             if object.as_executable().is_some() {
-                                AvmString::new_utf8(activation.gc(), "[type Function]")
+                                AvmString::new_ascii_static(activation.gc(), b"[type Function]")
                             } else {
-                                AvmString::new_utf8(activation.gc(), "[type Object]")
+                                AvmString::new_ascii_static(activation.gc(), b"[type Object]")
                             }
                         }
                     }
diff --git a/core/src/avm2/domain.rs b/core/src/avm2/domain.rs
index f9b7f4c44f1fd..8f5c85d1176c7 100644
--- a/core/src/avm2/domain.rs
+++ b/core/src/avm2/domain.rs
@@ -290,7 +290,7 @@ impl<'gc> Domain<'gc> {
                 activation.gc(),
                 &name[(start + 2)..(name.len() - 1)],
             ));
-            name = AvmString::new_utf8(activation.gc(), "__AS3__.vec::Vector");
+            name = AvmString::new_ascii_static(activation.gc(), b"__AS3__.vec::Vector");
         }
         // FIXME - is this the correct api version?
         let api_version = activation.avm2().root_api_version;
diff --git a/core/src/avm2/globals/Date.as b/core/src/avm2/globals/Date.as
index b78e9ca00d648..08d83e523d738 100644
--- a/core/src/avm2/globals/Date.as
+++ b/core/src/avm2/globals/Date.as
@@ -4,8 +4,6 @@ package {
     public dynamic class Date {
         public static const length:int = 7;
 
-        private static const invalidDateStr:String = "Invalid Date";
-
         prototype.valueOf = function():* {
             var d:Date = this;
             return d.AS3::valueOf();
diff --git a/core/src/avm2/globals/class.rs b/core/src/avm2/globals/class.rs
index 6a3cd67fc77c3..fa564c707962c 100644
--- a/core/src/avm2/globals/class.rs
+++ b/core/src/avm2/globals/class.rs
@@ -103,7 +103,7 @@ pub fn create_c_class<'gc>(
     let gc_context = activation.gc();
     let namespaces = activation.avm2().namespaces;
 
-    let class_name = AvmString::new_utf8(gc_context, "Class$");
+    let class_name = AvmString::new_ascii_static(gc_context, b"Class$");
     let class_c_class = Class::custom_new(
         QName::new(namespaces.public_all(), class_name),
         Some(class_i_class),
diff --git a/core/src/avm2/globals/date.rs b/core/src/avm2/globals/date.rs
index 33a43a715d420..76dec1f12e1ab 100644
--- a/core/src/avm2/globals/date.rs
+++ b/core/src/avm2/globals/date.rs
@@ -934,7 +934,7 @@ pub fn to_string<'gc>(
         )
         .into())
     } else {
-        Ok(AvmString::new_utf8(activation.gc(), "Invalid Date").into())
+        Ok(AvmString::new_ascii_static(activation.gc(), b"Invalid Date").into())
     }
 }
 
@@ -955,7 +955,7 @@ pub fn to_utc_string<'gc>(
         )
         .into())
     } else {
-        Ok(AvmString::new_utf8(activation.gc(), "Invalid Date").into())
+        Ok(AvmString::new_ascii_static(activation.gc(), b"Invalid Date").into())
     }
 }
 
@@ -979,7 +979,7 @@ pub fn to_locale_string<'gc>(
         )
         .into())
     } else {
-        Ok(AvmString::new_utf8(activation.gc(), "Invalid Date").into())
+        Ok(AvmString::new_ascii_static(activation.gc(), b"Invalid Date").into())
     }
 }
 
@@ -999,7 +999,7 @@ pub fn to_time_string<'gc>(
     {
         Ok(AvmString::new_utf8(activation.gc(), date.format("%T GMT%z").to_string()).into())
     } else {
-        Ok(AvmString::new_utf8(activation.gc(), "Invalid Date").into())
+        Ok(AvmString::new_ascii_static(activation.gc(), b"Invalid Date").into())
     }
 }
 
@@ -1019,7 +1019,7 @@ pub fn to_locale_time_string<'gc>(
     {
         Ok(AvmString::new_utf8(activation.gc(), date.format("%T %p").to_string()).into())
     } else {
-        Ok(AvmString::new_utf8(activation.gc(), "Invalid Date").into())
+        Ok(AvmString::new_ascii_static(activation.gc(), b"Invalid Date").into())
     }
 }
 
@@ -1039,7 +1039,7 @@ pub fn to_date_string<'gc>(
     {
         Ok(AvmString::new_utf8(activation.gc(), date.format("%a %b %-d %-Y").to_string()).into())
     } else {
-        Ok(AvmString::new_utf8(activation.gc(), "Invalid Date").into())
+        Ok(AvmString::new_ascii_static(activation.gc(), b"Invalid Date").into())
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/core/src/avm2/globals/flash/ui/keyboard.rs b/core/src/avm2/globals/flash/ui/keyboard.rs
index 153c18654a305..99ec867de7338 100644
--- a/core/src/avm2/globals/flash/ui/keyboard.rs
+++ b/core/src/avm2/globals/flash/ui/keyboard.rs
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ pub fn get_physical_keyboard_type<'gc>(
     _args: &[Value<'gc>],
 ) -> Result<Value<'gc>, Error<'gc>> {
     avm2_stub_getter!(activation, "flash.ui.Keyboard", "physicalKeyboardType");
-    Ok(AvmString::new_utf8(activation.gc(), "alphanumeric").into())
+    Ok(AvmString::new_ascii_static(activation.gc(), b"alphanumeric").into())
 }
 
 pub fn is_accessible<'gc>(
diff --git a/core/src/avm2/globals/number.rs b/core/src/avm2/globals/number.rs
index 3502b2e685738..b9f03aec8911c 100644
--- a/core/src/avm2/globals/number.rs
+++ b/core/src/avm2/globals/number.rs
@@ -136,7 +136,7 @@ pub fn print_with_radix<'gc>(
 
     if number.is_infinite() {
         if number < 0.0 {
-            return Ok(AvmString::new_utf8(activation.gc(), "-Infinity"));
+            return Ok(AvmString::new_ascii_static(activation.gc(), b"-Infinity"));
         } else if number > 0.0 {
             return Ok(istr!("Infinity"));
         }
diff --git a/core/src/avm2/globals/object.rs b/core/src/avm2/globals/object.rs
index 9f935fce04c5f..bb6e212fb0d3f 100644
--- a/core/src/avm2/globals/object.rs
+++ b/core/src/avm2/globals/object.rs
@@ -355,7 +355,7 @@ pub fn create_c_class<'gc>(
     let gc_context = activation.gc();
     let namespaces = activation.avm2().namespaces;
 
-    let class_name = AvmString::new_utf8(gc_context, "Object$");
+    let class_name = AvmString::new_ascii_static(gc_context, b"Object$");
     let object_c_class = Class::custom_new(
         QName::new(namespaces.public_all(), class_name),
         Some(class_i_class),
diff --git a/core/src/avm2/globals/xml.rs b/core/src/avm2/globals/xml.rs
index 6ba054344d149..5be58ad77f05f 100644
--- a/core/src/avm2/globals/xml.rs
+++ b/core/src/avm2/globals/xml.rs
@@ -866,17 +866,17 @@ pub fn node_kind<'gc>(
     let this = this.as_object().unwrap();
 
     let xml = this.as_xml_object().unwrap();
-    let name = match &*xml.node().kind() {
-        E4XNodeKind::Text(_) => "text",
-        E4XNodeKind::CData(_) => "text", // cdata pretends to be text here
-        E4XNodeKind::Comment(_) => "comment",
-        E4XNodeKind::ProcessingInstruction(_) => "processing-instruction",
-        E4XNodeKind::Attribute(_) => "attribute",
-        E4XNodeKind::Element { .. } => "element",
+    let name: &'static [u8] = match &*xml.node().kind() {
+        E4XNodeKind::Text(_) => b"text",
+        E4XNodeKind::CData(_) => b"text", // cdata pretends to be text here
+        E4XNodeKind::Comment(_) => b"comment",
+        E4XNodeKind::ProcessingInstruction(_) => b"processing-instruction",
+        E4XNodeKind::Attribute(_) => b"attribute",
+        E4XNodeKind::Element { .. } => b"element",
     };
 
     // FIXME should we intern these?
-    Ok(AvmString::new_utf8(activation.gc(), name).into())
+    Ok(AvmString::new_ascii_static(activation.gc(), name).into())
 }
 
 pub fn append_child<'gc>(
diff --git a/core/src/avm2/namespace.rs b/core/src/avm2/namespace.rs
index 0a30ba4fcccc8..2c3ed58865ad4 100644
--- a/core/src/avm2/namespace.rs
+++ b/core/src/avm2/namespace.rs
@@ -349,8 +349,8 @@ impl<'gc> CommonNamespaces<'gc> {
         let empty_string = context.empty();
 
         let as3_namespace_string =
-            AvmString::new_utf8(context.gc(), "http://adobe.com/AS3/2006/builtin");
-        let vector_namespace_string = AvmString::new_utf8(context.gc(), "__AS3__.vec");
+            AvmString::new_ascii_static(context.gc(), b"http://adobe.com/AS3/2006/builtin");
+        let vector_namespace_string = AvmString::new_ascii_static(context.gc(), b"__AS3__.vec");
 
         Self {
             public_namespaces: std::array::from_fn(|val| {
diff --git a/core/src/backend/audio.rs b/core/src/backend/audio.rs
index cf585841a5d86..aba3fb464c657 100644
--- a/core/src/backend/audio.rs
+++ b/core/src/backend/audio.rs
@@ -412,7 +412,7 @@ impl<'gc> AudioManager<'gc> {
 
                     // Fire soundComplete event.
                     if let Some(root) = context.stage.root_clip() {
-                        let method_name = AvmString::new_utf8(mc, "onSoundComplete");
+                        let method_name = AvmString::new_ascii_static(mc, b"onSoundComplete");
 
                         context.action_queue.queue_action(
                             root,
diff --git a/core/src/context.rs b/core/src/context.rs
index 794b04a40b33b..acae440afdab3 100644
--- a/core/src/context.rs
+++ b/core/src/context.rs
@@ -422,7 +422,7 @@ impl<'gc> UpdateContext<'gc> {
             .get_version_string(activation.context.avm1);
         object.define_value(
             activation.gc(),
-            AvmString::new_utf8(activation.gc(), "$version"),
+            AvmString::new_ascii_static(activation.gc(), b"$version"),
             AvmString::new_utf8(activation.gc(), version_string).into(),
             Attribute::empty(),
         );
diff --git a/core/src/display_object/interactive.rs b/core/src/display_object/interactive.rs
index 6bc5d657846f6..9d631cd8894eb 100644
--- a/core/src/display_object/interactive.rs
+++ b/core/src/display_object/interactive.rs
@@ -610,9 +610,9 @@ pub trait TInteractiveObject<'gc>:
                 .unwrap_or(Avm1Value::Null);
 
             let method_name = if focused {
-                AvmString::new_utf8(context.gc(), "onSetFocus")
+                AvmString::new_ascii_static(context.gc(), b"onSetFocus")
             } else {
-                AvmString::new_utf8(context.gc(), "onKillFocus")
+                AvmString::new_ascii_static(context.gc(), b"onKillFocus")
             };
 
             Avm1::run_stack_frame_for_method(self_do, object, method_name, &[other], context);
diff --git a/core/src/loader.rs b/core/src/loader.rs
index 2c5bd8fad74fa..b2f95699ea362 100644
--- a/core/src/loader.rs
+++ b/core/src/loader.rs
@@ -2531,7 +2531,7 @@ impl<'gc> Loader<'gc> {
         match vm_data {
             MovieLoaderVMData::Avm1 { broadcaster } => {
                 if let Some(broadcaster) = broadcaster {
-                    let error_message = AvmString::new_utf8(uc.gc(), "LoadNeverCompleted");
+                    let error_message = AvmString::new_ascii_static(uc.gc(), b"LoadNeverCompleted");
 
                     Avm1::run_stack_frame_for_method(
                         clip,
diff --git a/core/src/string/avm_string.rs b/core/src/string/avm_string.rs
index 9d4a8546dc443..944afefd65fc8 100644
--- a/core/src/string/avm_string.rs
+++ b/core/src/string/avm_string.rs
@@ -21,6 +21,11 @@ impl<'gc> AvmString<'gc> {
         }
     }
 
+    pub fn new_ascii_static(gc_context: &Mutation<'gc>, bytes: &'static [u8]) -> Self {
+        let repr = AvmStringRepr::from_raw_static(WStr::from_units(bytes), false);
+        Self(Gc::new(gc_context, repr))
+    }
+
     pub fn new_utf8<'s, S: Into<Cow<'s, str>>>(gc_context: &Mutation<'gc>, string: S) -> Self {
         let buf = match string.into() {
             Cow::Owned(utf8) => WString::from_utf8_owned(utf8),