diff --git a/examples/arduino/z_scout.ino b/examples/arduino/z_scout.ino
index 2d168225c..bd8f15836 100644
--- a/examples/arduino/z_scout.ino
+++ b/examples/arduino/z_scout.ino
@@ -79,8 +79,8 @@ void fprinthello(const z_loaned_hello_t *hello) {
     Serial.println(" }");
 }
 
-void callback(z_owned_hello_t *hello, void *context) {
-    fprinthello(z_hello_loan(hello));
+void callback(const z_loaned_hello_t *hello, void *context) {
+    fprinthello(hello);
     Serial.println("");
     (*(int *)context)++;
 }
diff --git a/examples/espidf/z_scout.c b/examples/espidf/z_scout.c
index e569d81ea..e1ce7b9c7 100644
--- a/examples/espidf/z_scout.c
+++ b/examples/espidf/z_scout.c
@@ -133,8 +133,8 @@ void fprinthello(FILE *stream, const z_loaned_hello_t *hello) {
     fprintf(stream, " }");
 }
 
-void callback(z_owned_hello_t *hello, void *context) {
-    fprinthello(stdout, z_hello_loan(hello));
+void callback(const z_loaned_hello_t *hello, void *context) {
+    fprinthello(stdout, hello);
     fprintf(stdout, "\n");
     (*(int *)context)++;
 }
diff --git a/examples/freertos_plus_tcp/z_scout.c b/examples/freertos_plus_tcp/z_scout.c
index 4b62c1301..1d7ba13a3 100644
--- a/examples/freertos_plus_tcp/z_scout.c
+++ b/examples/freertos_plus_tcp/z_scout.c
@@ -67,8 +67,8 @@ void fprinthello(FILE *stream, const z_loaned_hello_t *hello) {
     fprintf(stream, " }");
 }
 
-void callback(z_owned_hello_t *hello, void *context) {
-    fprinthello(stdout, z_loan(*hello));
+void callback(const z_loaned_hello_t *hello, void *context) {
+    fprinthello(stdout, hello);
     fprintf(stdout, "\n");
     (*(int *)context)++;
 }
diff --git a/examples/mbed/z_scout.cpp b/examples/mbed/z_scout.cpp
index 9f78c6be4..a8d305a22 100644
--- a/examples/mbed/z_scout.cpp
+++ b/examples/mbed/z_scout.cpp
@@ -75,8 +75,8 @@ void fprinthello(FILE *stream, const z_loaned_hello_t *hello) {
     fprintf(stream, " }");
 }
 
-void callback(z_owned_hello_t *hello, void *context) {
-    fprinthello(stdout, z_hello_loan(hello));
+void callback(const z_loaned_hello_t *hello, void *context) {
+    fprinthello(stdout, hello);
     fprintf(stdout, "\n");
     (*(int *)context)++;
 }
diff --git a/examples/unix/c11/z_scout.c b/examples/unix/c11/z_scout.c
index a39bd2226..be0be84fa 100644
--- a/examples/unix/c11/z_scout.c
+++ b/examples/unix/c11/z_scout.c
@@ -65,11 +65,10 @@ void fprinthello(FILE *stream, const z_loaned_hello_t *hello) {
     fprintf(stream, " }");
 }
 
-void callback(z_owned_hello_t *hello, void *context) {
-    fprinthello(stdout, z_loan(*hello));
+void callback(const z_loaned_hello_t *hello, void *context) {
+    fprinthello(stdout, hello);
     fprintf(stdout, "\n");
     (*(int *)context)++;
-    z_drop(hello);
 }
 
 void drop(void *context) {
diff --git a/examples/unix/c99/z_scout.c b/examples/unix/c99/z_scout.c
index d94c278f4..d383bc335 100644
--- a/examples/unix/c99/z_scout.c
+++ b/examples/unix/c99/z_scout.c
@@ -64,11 +64,10 @@ void fprinthello(FILE *stream, const z_loaned_hello_t *hello) {
     fprintf(stream, " }");
 }
 
-void callback(z_owned_hello_t *hello, void *context) {
-    fprinthello(stdout, z_hello_loan(hello));
+void callback(const z_loaned_hello_t *hello, void *context) {
+    fprinthello(stdout, hello);
     fprintf(stdout, "\n");
     (*(int *)context)++;
-    z_hello_drop(hello);
 }
 
 void drop(void *context) {
diff --git a/examples/windows/z_scout.c b/examples/windows/z_scout.c
index dfd993637..efffdc993 100644
--- a/examples/windows/z_scout.c
+++ b/examples/windows/z_scout.c
@@ -64,8 +64,8 @@ void fprinthello(FILE *stream, const z_loaned_hello_t *hello) {
     fprintf(stream, " }");
 }
 
-void callback(z_owned_hello_t *hello, void *context) {
-    fprinthello(stdout, z_loan(*hello));
+void callback(const z_loaned_hello_t *hello, void *context) {
+    fprinthello(stdout, hello);
     fprintf(stdout, "\n");
     (*(int *)context)++;
 }
diff --git a/examples/zephyr/z_scout.c b/examples/zephyr/z_scout.c
index 06c8277b5..32c9a5660 100644
--- a/examples/zephyr/z_scout.c
+++ b/examples/zephyr/z_scout.c
@@ -61,8 +61,8 @@ void fprinthello(FILE *stream, const z_loaned_hello_t *hello) {
     fprintf(stream, " }");
 }
 
-void callback(z_owned_hello_t *hello, void *context) {
-    fprinthello(stdout, z_hello_loan(hello));
+void callback(const z_loaned_hello_t *hello, void *context) {
+    fprinthello(stdout, hello);
     fprintf(stdout, "\n");
     (*(int *)context)++;
 }
diff --git a/include/zenoh-pico/api/primitives.h b/include/zenoh-pico/api/primitives.h
index 97b1debf4..bae7ab894 100644
--- a/include/zenoh-pico/api/primitives.h
+++ b/include/zenoh-pico/api/primitives.h
@@ -1011,7 +1011,7 @@ int8_t z_closure_owned_reply(z_owned_closure_owned_reply_t *closure, z_owned_rep
  * Return:
  *   The hello closure.
  */
-int8_t z_closure_hello(z_owned_closure_hello_t *closure, z_owned_hello_handler_t call, z_dropper_handler_t drop,
+int8_t z_closure_hello(z_owned_closure_hello_t *closure, z_loaned_hello_handler_t call, z_dropper_handler_t drop,
                        void *context);
 
 /**
diff --git a/include/zenoh-pico/api/types.h b/include/zenoh-pico/api/types.h
index b5a0b617e..ac4797f1f 100644
--- a/include/zenoh-pico/api/types.h
+++ b/include/zenoh-pico/api/types.h
@@ -588,7 +588,7 @@ typedef struct {
 
 void z_closure_owned_reply_call(const z_owned_closure_owned_reply_t *closure, z_owned_reply_t *reply);
 
-typedef void (*z_owned_hello_handler_t)(z_owned_hello_t *hello, void *arg);
+typedef void (*z_loaned_hello_handler_t)(const z_loaned_hello_t *hello, void *arg);
 
 /**
  * Represents the Zenoh ID callback closure.
@@ -597,18 +597,18 @@ typedef void (*z_owned_hello_handler_t)(z_owned_hello_t *hello, void *arg);
  *
  * Members:
  *   void *context: a pointer to an arbitrary state.
- *   z_owned_hello_handler_t call: `void (*z_owned_hello_handler_t)(const z_owned_hello_t *hello, void *arg)` is the
+ *   z_loaned_hello_handler_t call: `void (*z_loaned_hello_handler_t)(const z_loaned_hello_t *hello, void *arg)` is the
  * callback function.
  *   z_dropper_handler_t drop: `void *drop(void*)` allows the callback's state to be freed.
  *   void *context: a pointer to an arbitrary state.
  */
 typedef struct {
     void *context;
-    z_owned_hello_handler_t call;
+    z_loaned_hello_handler_t call;
     z_dropper_handler_t drop;
 } z_owned_closure_hello_t;
 
-void z_closure_hello_call(const z_owned_closure_hello_t *closure, z_owned_hello_t *hello);
+void z_closure_hello_call(const z_owned_closure_hello_t *closure, const z_loaned_hello_t *hello);
 
 typedef void (*z_id_handler_t)(const z_id_t *id, void *arg);
 
diff --git a/src/api/api.c b/src/api/api.c
index 1072c95b9..c439ed142 100644
--- a/src/api/api.c
+++ b/src/api/api.c
@@ -657,7 +657,7 @@ void z_closure_owned_reply_call(const z_owned_closure_owned_reply_t *closure, z_
     }
 }
 
-void z_closure_hello_call(const z_owned_closure_hello_t *closure, z_owned_hello_t *hello) {
+void z_closure_hello_call(const z_owned_closure_hello_t *closure, const z_loaned_hello_t *hello) {
     if (closure->call != NULL) {
         (closure->call)(hello, closure->context);
     }
@@ -781,18 +781,17 @@ OWNED_FUNCTIONS_CLOSURE(z_owned_closure_owned_query_t, closure_owned_query, z_ow
 OWNED_FUNCTIONS_CLOSURE(z_owned_closure_reply_t, closure_reply, _z_reply_handler_t, z_dropper_handler_t)
 OWNED_FUNCTIONS_CLOSURE(z_owned_closure_owned_reply_t, closure_owned_reply, z_owned_reply_handler_t,
                         z_dropper_handler_t)
-OWNED_FUNCTIONS_CLOSURE(z_owned_closure_hello_t, closure_hello, z_owned_hello_handler_t, z_dropper_handler_t)
+OWNED_FUNCTIONS_CLOSURE(z_owned_closure_hello_t, closure_hello, z_loaned_hello_handler_t, z_dropper_handler_t)
 OWNED_FUNCTIONS_CLOSURE(z_owned_closure_zid_t, closure_zid, z_id_handler_t, z_dropper_handler_t)
 
 /************* Primitives **************/
 typedef struct __z_hello_handler_wrapper_t {
-    z_owned_hello_handler_t user_call;
+    z_loaned_hello_handler_t user_call;
     void *ctx;
 } __z_hello_handler_wrapper_t;
 
 void __z_hello_handler(_z_hello_t *hello, __z_hello_handler_wrapper_t *wrapped_ctx) {
-    z_owned_hello_t ohello = {._val = hello};
-    wrapped_ctx->user_call(&ohello, wrapped_ctx->ctx);
+    wrapped_ctx->user_call(hello, wrapped_ctx->ctx);
 }
 
 int8_t z_scout(z_owned_scouting_config_t *config, z_owned_closure_hello_t *callback) {
diff --git a/src/net/primitives.c b/src/net/primitives.c
index c0392e806..35476ccf0 100644
--- a/src/net/primitives.c
+++ b/src/net/primitives.c
@@ -44,7 +44,8 @@ void _z_scout(const z_what_t what, const _z_id_t zid, const char *locator, const
     while (hellos != NULL) {
         _z_hello_t *hello = NULL;
         hellos = _z_hello_list_pop(hellos, &hello);
-        (*callback)(hello, arg_call);  // callback takes ownership of hello
+        (*callback)(hello, arg_call);
+        _z_hello_free(&hello);
     }
 
     if (dropper != NULL) {
diff --git a/tests/z_api_alignment_test.c b/tests/z_api_alignment_test.c
index c63dce561..8ed72b264 100644
--- a/tests/z_api_alignment_test.c
+++ b/tests/z_api_alignment_test.c
@@ -53,11 +53,11 @@ void zid_handler(const z_id_t *id, void *arg) {
 }
 
 volatile unsigned int hellos = 0;
-void hello_handler(z_owned_hello_t *hello, void *arg) {
+void hello_handler(const z_loaned_hello_t *hello, void *arg) {
+    (void)hello;
     (void)(arg);
     printf("%s\n", __func__);
     hellos++;
-    z_drop(hello);
 }
 
 volatile unsigned int queries = 0;