diff --git a/openmp/libomptarget/DeviceRTL/include/State.h b/openmp/libomptarget/DeviceRTL/include/State.h
index 3365b054b4720..2f9cbd4c9ca6e 100644
--- a/openmp/libomptarget/DeviceRTL/include/State.h
+++ b/openmp/libomptarget/DeviceRTL/include/State.h
@@ -124,20 +124,21 @@ template <typename Ty, ValueKind Kind> struct PtrValue {
 
 template <typename VTy, typename Ty> struct ValueRAII {
   ValueRAII(VTy &V, Ty NewValue, Ty OldValue, bool Active, IdentTy *Ident)
-      : Ptr(Active ? V.lookup(/* IsReadonly */ false, Ident) : Val),
+      : Ptr(Active ? &V.lookup(/* IsReadonly */ false, Ident) : nullptr),
         Val(OldValue), Active(Active) {
     if (!Active)
       return;
-    ASSERT(Ptr == OldValue && "ValueRAII initialization with wrong old value!");
-    Ptr = NewValue;
+    ASSERT(*Ptr == OldValue &&
+           "ValueRAII initialization with wrong old value!");
+    *Ptr = NewValue;
   }
   ~ValueRAII() {
     if (Active)
-      Ptr = Val;
+      *Ptr = Val;
   }
 
 private:
-  Ty &Ptr;
+  Ty *Ptr;
   Ty Val;
   bool Active;
 };