diff --git a/eval/compiler/constant_folding.cc b/eval/compiler/constant_folding.cc
index 4a8d55c31..8e854a867 100644
--- a/eval/compiler/constant_folding.cc
+++ b/eval/compiler/constant_folding.cc
@@ -201,18 +201,18 @@ absl::Status ConstantFoldingExtension::OnPostVisit(PlannerContext& context,
     // This subexpression is already optimized out or suppressed.
     return absl::OkStatus();
   }
-  // copy string to managed handle if backed by the original program.
+  // Ensure that string constants are copied to the constant folding arena
   Value value;
   if (node.has_const_expr()) {
     CEL_ASSIGN_OR_RETURN(value,
                          ConvertConstant(node.const_expr(), state_.arena()));
   } else {
-    ExecutionFrame frame(subplan, empty_, context.options(), state_);
     state_.Reset();
     // Update stack size to accommodate sub expression.
     // This only results in a vector resize if the new maxsize is greater than
     // the current capacity.
     state_.value_stack().SetMaxSize(subplan.size());
+    ExecutionFrame frame(subplan, empty_, context.options(), state_);
 
     auto result = frame.Evaluate();
     // If this would be a runtime error, then don't adjust the program plan, but
diff --git a/eval/eval/evaluator_core.cc b/eval/eval/evaluator_core.cc
index 1d8e13b3f..7c963aebc 100644
--- a/eval/eval/evaluator_core.cc
+++ b/eval/eval/evaluator_core.cc
@@ -44,9 +44,13 @@
 namespace google::api::expr::runtime {
 
 void FlatExpressionEvaluatorState::Reset() {
+  if (!dirty_) {
+    return;
+  }
   value_stack_.Clear();
   iterator_stack_.Clear();
   comprehension_slots_.Reset();
+  dirty_ = false;
 }
 
 const ExpressionStep* ExecutionFrame::NextSlow() {
diff --git a/eval/eval/evaluator_core.h b/eval/eval/evaluator_core.h
index efb6e4461..b2b851e34 100644
--- a/eval/eval/evaluator_core.h
+++ b/eval/eval/evaluator_core.h
@@ -488,6 +488,7 @@ class FlatExpressionEvaluatorState {
         arena_(arena) {}
 
   void Reset();
+  void MarkDirty() { dirty_ = true; }
 
   EvaluatorStack& value_stack() { return value_stack_; }
 
@@ -527,6 +528,7 @@ class FlatExpressionEvaluatorState {
   const google::protobuf::DescriptorPool* absl_nonnull descriptor_pool_;
   google::protobuf::MessageFactory* absl_nullability_unknown message_factory_ = nullptr;
   google::protobuf::Arena* absl_nullability_unknown arena_ = nullptr;
+  bool dirty_ = false;
 };
 
 // Context needed for evaluation. This is sufficient for supporting
@@ -728,7 +730,9 @@ class ExecutionFrame : public ExecutionFrameBase {
         execution_path_(flat),
         value_stack_(&state.value_stack()),
         iterator_stack_(&state.iterator_stack()),
-        subexpressions_(&execution_path_, 1) {}
+        subexpressions_(&execution_path_, 1) {
+    state.MarkDirty();
+  }
 
   ExecutionFrame(
       absl::Span<const ExecutionPathView> subexpressions,
@@ -746,6 +750,7 @@ class ExecutionFrame : public ExecutionFrameBase {
         iterator_stack_(&state.iterator_stack()),
         subexpressions_(subexpressions) {
     ABSL_DCHECK(!subexpressions.empty());
+    state.MarkDirty();
   }
 
   // Returns next expression to evaluate.