diff --git a/xwords4/common/comms.c b/xwords4/common/comms.c
index 9d2f2aabf..853f45f1c 100644
--- a/xwords4/common/comms.c
+++ b/xwords4/common/comms.c
@@ -2020,7 +2020,6 @@ send_via_relay( CommsCtxt* comms, XWRELAY_Cmd cmd, XWHostID destID,
     XP_U16 len = 0;
     CommsAddrRec addr;
     XWStreamCtxt* tmpStream;
-    XP_U8* buf;
 
     comms_getAddr( comms, &addr );
     tmpStream = mem_stream_make( MPPARM(comms->mpool) 
@@ -2101,22 +2100,17 @@ send_via_relay( CommsCtxt* comms, XWRELAY_Cmd cmd, XWHostID destID,
         }
 
         len = stream_getSize( tmpStream );
-        buf = XP_MALLOC( comms->mpool, len );
-        if ( buf != NULL ) {
-            stream_getBytes( tmpStream, buf, len );
-        }
-        stream_destroy( tmpStream );
-        if ( buf != NULL ) {
+        if ( 0 < len ) {
             XP_U16 result;
             XP_LOGF( "%s: passing %d bytes to sendproc", __func__, len );
-            result = (*comms->procs.send)( buf, len, &addr, 
-                                           comms->procs.closure );
+            result = (*comms->procs.send)( stream_getPtr(tmpStream), len,
+                                           &addr, comms->procs.closure );
             success = result == len;
             if ( success ) {
                 setHeartbeatTimer( comms );
             }
         }
-        XP_FREE( comms->mpool, buf );
+        stream_destroy( tmpStream );
     }
     return success;
 } /* send_via_relay */
diff --git a/xwords4/common/memstream.c b/xwords4/common/memstream.c
index ec64b2439..569a04395 100644
--- a/xwords4/common/memstream.c
+++ b/xwords4/common/memstream.c
@@ -301,7 +301,7 @@ mem_stream_copyFromStream( XWStreamCtxt* p_sctx, XWStreamCtxt* src,
         if ( nBytes < len ) {
             len = nBytes;
         }
-        stream_getBytes( src, buf, len );
+        stream_getBytes( src, buf, len );// fix to use stream_getPtr()?
         stream_putBytes( p_sctx, buf, len );
         nBytes -= len;
     }
@@ -338,6 +338,13 @@ mem_stream_getSize( const XWStreamCtxt* p_sctx )
     return size;
 } /* mem_stream_getSize */
 
+static const XP_U8*
+mem_stream_getPtr( const XWStreamCtxt* p_sctx )
+{
+    MemStreamCtxt* stream = (MemStreamCtxt*)p_sctx;
+    return stream->buf;
+} /* mem_stream_getPtr */
+
 static XP_PlayerAddr
 mem_stream_getAddress( XWStreamCtxt* p_sctx )
 {
@@ -451,6 +458,7 @@ make_vtable( MemStreamCtxt* stream )
     SET_VTABLE_ENTRY( vtable, stream_close, mem );
 
     SET_VTABLE_ENTRY( vtable, stream_getSize, mem );
+    SET_VTABLE_ENTRY( vtable, stream_getPtr, mem );
     SET_VTABLE_ENTRY( vtable, stream_getAddress, mem );
     SET_VTABLE_ENTRY( vtable, stream_setAddress, mem );
 
diff --git a/xwords4/common/server.c b/xwords4/common/server.c
index 25fbd864b..d259cfa6e 100644
--- a/xwords4/common/server.c
+++ b/xwords4/common/server.c
@@ -841,14 +841,11 @@ showPrevScore( ServerCtxt* server )
         if ( !!server->nv.prevMoveStream ) {
             XWStreamCtxt* prevStream = server->nv.prevMoveStream;
             XP_U16 len = stream_getSize( prevStream );
-            XP_UCHAR* buf = XP_MALLOC( server->mpool, len );
 
-            stream_getBytes( prevStream, buf, len );
-            stream_destroy( prevStream );
             server->nv.prevMoveStream = NULL;
 
-            stream_putBytes( stream, buf, len );
-            XP_FREE( server->mpool, buf );
+            stream_putBytes( stream, stream_getPtr( prevStream ), len );
+            stream_destroy( prevStream );
         }
 
         (void)util_userQuery( util, QUERY_ROBOT_MOVE, stream );
diff --git a/xwords4/common/xwstream.h b/xwords4/common/xwstream.h
index 56dbacf2b..32a72f8f5 100644
--- a/xwords4/common/xwstream.h
+++ b/xwords4/common/xwstream.h
@@ -69,6 +69,8 @@ typedef struct StreamCtxVTable {
     void (*m_stream_close)( XWStreamCtxt* dctx );
 
     XP_U16 (*m_stream_getSize)( const XWStreamCtxt* dctx );
+    
+    const XP_U8* (*m_stream_getPtr)( const XWStreamCtxt* dctx );
 
 /*     void (*m_stream_makeReturnAddr)( XWStreamCtxt* dctx, XP_PlayerAddr* addr, */
 /*                                      XP_U16* addrLen ); */
@@ -143,6 +145,9 @@ struct XWStreamCtxt {
 #define stream_getSize(sc) \
          (sc)->vtable->m_stream_getSize((sc))
 
+#define stream_getPtr(sc) \
+         (sc)->vtable->m_stream_getPtr((sc))
+
 #define stream_makeReturnAddr(sc,addr,len) \
          (sc)->vtable->m_stream_makeReturnAddr((sc),(addr),(len))