diff --git a/arangod/Aql/IndexBlock.cpp b/arangod/Aql/IndexBlock.cpp
index 7d82430ea9..7db3ce78a4 100644
--- a/arangod/Aql/IndexBlock.cpp
+++ b/arangod/Aql/IndexBlock.cpp
@@ -512,10 +512,8 @@ AqlItemBlock* IndexBlock::getSome(size_t atLeast, size_t atMost) {
         }
       }
       if (_cursor->collection()->readDocument(_trx, token, *_mmdr)) {
-        uint8_t const* vpack = _mmdr->vpack(); //back();
-        // TODO use internal toAQL function
         res->setValue(_returned, static_cast<arangodb::aql::RegisterId>(curRegs),
-            AqlValue(VPackSlice(vpack)));
+            _mmdr->createAqlValue());
 
         if (_returned > 0) {
           // re-use already copied AqlValues
@@ -531,10 +529,8 @@ AqlItemBlock* IndexBlock::getSome(size_t atLeast, size_t atMost) {
     callback = [&](DocumentIdentifierToken const& token) {
       TRI_ASSERT(res.get() != nullptr);
       if (_cursor->collection()->readDocument(_trx, token, *_mmdr)) {
-        uint8_t const* vpack = _mmdr->vpack(); //back();
-        // TODO use internal toAQL function
         res->setValue(_returned, static_cast<arangodb::aql::RegisterId>(curRegs),
-            AqlValue(VPackSlice(vpack)));
+            _mmdr->createAqlValue());
 
         if (_returned > 0) {
           // re-use already copied AqlValues
diff --git a/arangod/VocBase/ManagedDocumentResult.cpp b/arangod/VocBase/ManagedDocumentResult.cpp
index f3bf76f39f..4af6d73594 100644
--- a/arangod/VocBase/ManagedDocumentResult.cpp
+++ b/arangod/VocBase/ManagedDocumentResult.cpp
@@ -22,12 +22,14 @@
 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 
 #include "ManagedDocumentResult.h"
+#include "Aql/AqlValue.h"
 
 #include <velocypack/Builder.h>
 #include <velocypack/Slice.h>
 #include <velocypack/velocypack-aliases.h>
 
 using namespace arangodb;
+using namespace arangodb::aql;
 
 void ManagedDocumentResult::clone(ManagedDocumentResult& cloned) const {
   cloned.reset();
@@ -100,3 +102,17 @@ void ManagedDocumentResult::addToBuilder(velocypack::Builder& builder, bool allo
     builder.add(velocypack::Slice(_vpack));
   }
 }
+
+// @brief Creates an AQLValue with the content of this ManagedDocumentResult
+// The caller is responsible to properly destroy() the
+// returned value
+AqlValue ManagedDocumentResult::createAqlValue() const {
+  TRI_ASSERT(!empty());
+  if (canUseInExternal()) {
+    // No need to copy. Underlying structure guarantees that Slices stay
+    // valid
+    return AqlValue(_vpack, AqlValueFromManagedDocument());
+  }
+  // Do copy. Otherwise the slice may go out of scope
+  return AqlValue(VPackSlice(_vpack));
+}
diff --git a/arangod/VocBase/ManagedDocumentResult.h b/arangod/VocBase/ManagedDocumentResult.h
index e1e16a3201..30e3a17990 100644
--- a/arangod/VocBase/ManagedDocumentResult.h
+++ b/arangod/VocBase/ManagedDocumentResult.h
@@ -32,6 +32,10 @@ namespace velocypack {
 class Builder;
 }
 
+namespace aql {
+struct AqlValue;
+}
+
 class ManagedDocumentResult {
  public:
   ManagedDocumentResult() :
@@ -91,6 +95,11 @@ class ManagedDocumentResult {
   
   void addToBuilder(velocypack::Builder& builder, bool allowExternals) const;
 
+  // @brief Creates an AQLValue with the content of this ManagedDocumentResult
+  // The caller is responsible to properly destroy() the
+  // returned value
+  aql::AqlValue createAqlValue() const;
+
  private:
   uint64_t _length;
   TRI_voc_rid_t _lastRevisionId;