diff --git a/commit.go b/commit.go
index 14795eea2..0f84db64e 100644
--- a/commit.go
+++ b/commit.go
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/containers/storage/pkg/stringid"
 	digest "github.com/opencontainers/go-digest"
 	"github.com/sirupsen/logrus"
+	"golang.org/x/exp/maps"
 )
 
 const (
@@ -325,7 +326,7 @@ func (b *Builder) Commit(ctx context.Context, dest types.ImageReference, options
 	logrus.Debugf("committing image with reference %q is allowed by policy", transports.ImageName(dest))
 
 	// If we need to scan the rootfs, do it now.
-	options.ExtraImageContent = copyStringStringMap(options.ExtraImageContent)
+	options.ExtraImageContent = maps.Clone(options.ExtraImageContent)
 	var extraImageContent, extraLocalContent map[string]string
 	if len(options.SBOMScanOptions) != 0 {
 		var scansDirectory string
@@ -339,9 +340,14 @@ func (b *Builder) Commit(ctx context.Context, dest types.ImageReference, options
 				}
 			}()
 		}
-		for k, v := range extraImageContent {
-			if _, set := options.ExtraImageContent[k]; !set {
-				options.ExtraImageContent[k] = v
+		if len(extraImageContent) > 0 {
+			if options.ExtraImageContent == nil {
+				options.ExtraImageContent = make(map[string]string, len(extraImageContent))
+			}
+			for k, v := range extraImageContent {
+				if _, set := options.ExtraImageContent[k]; !set {
+					options.ExtraImageContent[k] = v
+				}
 			}
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/config.go b/config.go
index 581e5cb03..7b00f9831 100644
--- a/config.go
+++ b/config.go
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/containers/storage/pkg/stringid"
 	ociv1 "github.com/opencontainers/image-spec/specs-go/v1"
 	"github.com/sirupsen/logrus"
+	"golang.org/x/exp/maps"
 	"golang.org/x/exp/slices"
 )
 
@@ -91,8 +92,13 @@ func (b *Builder) initConfig(ctx context.Context, img types.Image, sys *types.Sy
 			if err := json.Unmarshal(b.Manifest, &v1Manifest); err != nil {
 				return fmt.Errorf("parsing OCI manifest %q: %w", string(b.Manifest), err)
 			}
-			for k, v := range v1Manifest.Annotations {
-				b.ImageAnnotations[k] = v
+			if len(v1Manifest.Annotations) > 0 {
+				if b.ImageAnnotations == nil {
+					b.ImageAnnotations = make(map[string]string, len(v1Manifest.Annotations))
+				}
+				for k, v := range v1Manifest.Annotations {
+					b.ImageAnnotations[k] = v
+				}
 			}
 		}
 	}
@@ -158,7 +164,7 @@ func (b *Builder) setupLogger() {
 
 // Annotations returns a set of key-value pairs from the image's manifest.
 func (b *Builder) Annotations() map[string]string {
-	return copyStringStringMap(b.ImageAnnotations)
+	return maps.Clone(b.ImageAnnotations)
 }
 
 // SetAnnotation adds or overwrites a key's value from the image's manifest.
@@ -180,7 +186,7 @@ func (b *Builder) UnsetAnnotation(key string) {
 // ClearAnnotations removes all keys and their values from the image's
 // manifest.
 func (b *Builder) ClearAnnotations() {
-	b.ImageAnnotations = map[string]string{}
+	b.ImageAnnotations = nil
 }
 
 // CreatedBy returns a description of how this image was built.
@@ -223,7 +229,7 @@ func (b *Builder) SetOSVersion(version string) {
 // OSFeatures returns a list of OS features which the container, or a container
 // built using an image built from this container, depends on the OS supplying.
 func (b *Builder) OSFeatures() []string {
-	return copyStringSlice(b.OCIv1.OSFeatures)
+	return slices.Clone(b.OCIv1.OSFeatures)
 }
 
 // SetOSFeature adds a feature of the OS which the container, or a container
@@ -327,7 +333,7 @@ func (b *Builder) SetUser(spec string) {
 
 // OnBuild returns the OnBuild value from the container.
 func (b *Builder) OnBuild() []string {
-	return copyStringSlice(b.Docker.Config.OnBuild)
+	return slices.Clone(b.Docker.Config.OnBuild)
 }
 
 // ClearOnBuild removes all values from the OnBuild structure
@@ -363,7 +369,7 @@ func (b *Builder) SetWorkDir(there string) {
 // Shell returns the default shell for running commands in the
 // container, or in a container built using an image built from this container.
 func (b *Builder) Shell() []string {
-	return copyStringSlice(b.Docker.Config.Shell)
+	return slices.Clone(b.Docker.Config.Shell)
 }
 
 // SetShell sets the default shell for running
@@ -376,13 +382,13 @@ func (b *Builder) SetShell(shell []string) {
 		b.Logger.Warnf("SHELL is not supported for OCI image format, %s will be ignored. Must use `docker` format", shell)
 	}
 
-	b.Docker.Config.Shell = copyStringSlice(shell)
+	b.Docker.Config.Shell = slices.Clone(shell)
 }
 
 // Env returns a list of key-value pairs to be set when running commands in the
 // container, or in a container built using an image built from this container.
 func (b *Builder) Env() []string {
-	return copyStringSlice(b.OCIv1.Config.Env)
+	return slices.Clone(b.OCIv1.Config.Env)
 }
 
 // SetEnv adds or overwrites a value to the set of environment strings which
@@ -432,22 +438,22 @@ func (b *Builder) ClearEnv() {
 // set, to use when running a container built from an image built from this
 // container.
 func (b *Builder) Cmd() []string {
-	return copyStringSlice(b.OCIv1.Config.Cmd)
+	return slices.Clone(b.OCIv1.Config.Cmd)
 }
 
 // SetCmd sets the default command, or command parameters if an Entrypoint is
 // set, to use when running a container built from an image built from this
 // container.
 func (b *Builder) SetCmd(cmd []string) {
-	b.OCIv1.Config.Cmd = copyStringSlice(cmd)
-	b.Docker.Config.Cmd = copyStringSlice(cmd)
+	b.OCIv1.Config.Cmd = slices.Clone(cmd)
+	b.Docker.Config.Cmd = slices.Clone(cmd)
 }
 
 // Entrypoint returns the command to be run for containers built from images
 // built from this container.
 func (b *Builder) Entrypoint() []string {
 	if len(b.OCIv1.Config.Entrypoint) > 0 {
-		return copyStringSlice(b.OCIv1.Config.Entrypoint)
+		return slices.Clone(b.OCIv1.Config.Entrypoint)
 	}
 	return nil
 }
@@ -455,14 +461,14 @@ func (b *Builder) Entrypoint() []string {
 // SetEntrypoint sets the command to be run for in containers built from images
 // built from this container.
 func (b *Builder) SetEntrypoint(ep []string) {
-	b.OCIv1.Config.Entrypoint = copyStringSlice(ep)
-	b.Docker.Config.Entrypoint = copyStringSlice(ep)
+	b.OCIv1.Config.Entrypoint = slices.Clone(ep)
+	b.Docker.Config.Entrypoint = slices.Clone(ep)
 }
 
 // Labels returns a set of key-value pairs from the image's runtime
 // configuration.
 func (b *Builder) Labels() map[string]string {
-	return copyStringStringMap(b.OCIv1.Config.Labels)
+	return maps.Clone(b.OCIv1.Config.Labels)
 }
 
 // SetLabel adds or overwrites a key's value from the image's runtime
@@ -669,7 +675,7 @@ func (b *Builder) Healthcheck() *docker.HealthConfig {
 		return nil
 	}
 	return &docker.HealthConfig{
-		Test:        copyStringSlice(b.Docker.Config.Healthcheck.Test),
+		Test:        slices.Clone(b.Docker.Config.Healthcheck.Test),
 		Interval:    b.Docker.Config.Healthcheck.Interval,
 		Timeout:     b.Docker.Config.Healthcheck.Timeout,
 		StartPeriod: b.Docker.Config.Healthcheck.StartPeriod,
@@ -690,7 +696,7 @@ func (b *Builder) SetHealthcheck(config *docker.HealthConfig) {
 			b.Logger.Warnf("HEALTHCHECK is not supported for OCI image format and will be ignored. Must use `docker` format")
 		}
 		b.Docker.Config.Healthcheck = &docker.HealthConfig{
-			Test:        copyStringSlice(config.Test),
+			Test:        slices.Clone(config.Test),
 			Interval:    config.Interval,
 			Timeout:     config.Timeout,
 			StartPeriod: config.StartPeriod,
diff --git a/image.go b/image.go
index 5be726516..43ab73642 100644
--- a/image.go
+++ b/image.go
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ import (
 	specs "github.com/opencontainers/image-spec/specs-go"
 	v1 "github.com/opencontainers/image-spec/specs-go/v1"
 	"github.com/sirupsen/logrus"
+	"golang.org/x/exp/maps"
 )
 
 const (
@@ -1102,7 +1103,7 @@ func (b *Builder) makeContainerImageRef(options CommitOptions) (*containerImageR
 		postEmptyLayers:       b.AppendedEmptyLayers,
 		overrideChanges:       options.OverrideChanges,
 		overrideConfig:        options.OverrideConfig,
-		extraImageContent:     copyStringStringMap(options.ExtraImageContent),
+		extraImageContent:     maps.Clone(options.ExtraImageContent),
 	}
 	return ref, nil
 }
diff --git a/imagebuildah/build.go b/imagebuildah/build.go
index 04ed9194b..6568710fd 100644
--- a/imagebuildah/build.go
+++ b/imagebuildah/build.go
@@ -70,6 +70,9 @@ func BuildDockerfiles(ctx context.Context, store storage.Store, options define.B
 	if options.CommonBuildOpts == nil {
 		options.CommonBuildOpts = &define.CommonBuildOptions{}
 	}
+	if options.Args == nil {
+		options.Args = make(map[string]string)
+	}
 	if err := parse.Volumes(options.CommonBuildOpts.Volumes); err != nil {
 		return "", nil, fmt.Errorf("validating volumes: %w", err)
 	}
diff --git a/imagebuildah/executor.go b/imagebuildah/executor.go
index b87d0493f..5dcd1e509 100644
--- a/imagebuildah/executor.go
+++ b/imagebuildah/executor.go
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/openshift/imagebuilder"
 	"github.com/openshift/imagebuilder/dockerfile/parser"
 	"github.com/sirupsen/logrus"
+	"golang.org/x/exp/slices"
 	"golang.org/x/sync/semaphore"
 )
 
@@ -267,9 +268,9 @@ func newExecutor(logger *logrus.Logger, logPrefix string, store storage.Store, o
 		defaultMountsFilePath:                   options.DefaultMountsFilePath,
 		iidfile:                                 options.IIDFile,
 		squash:                                  options.Squash,
-		labels:                                  append([]string{}, options.Labels...),
-		layerLabels:                             append([]string{}, options.LayerLabels...),
-		annotations:                             append([]string{}, options.Annotations...),
+		labels:                                  slices.Clone(options.Labels),
+		layerLabels:                             slices.Clone(options.LayerLabels),
+		annotations:                             slices.Clone(options.Annotations),
 		layers:                                  options.Layers,
 		noHostname:                              options.CommonBuildOpts.NoHostname,
 		noHosts:                                 options.CommonBuildOpts.NoHosts,
@@ -306,12 +307,12 @@ func newExecutor(logger *logrus.Logger, logPrefix string, store storage.Store, o
 		secrets:                                 secrets,
 		sshsources:                              sshsources,
 		logPrefix:                               logPrefix,
-		unsetEnvs:                               append([]string{}, options.UnsetEnvs...),
-		unsetLabels:                             append([]string{}, options.UnsetLabels...),
+		unsetEnvs:                               slices.Clone(options.UnsetEnvs),
+		unsetLabels:                             slices.Clone(options.UnsetLabels),
 		buildOutput:                             options.BuildOutput,
 		osVersion:                               options.OSVersion,
-		osFeatures:                              append([]string{}, options.OSFeatures...),
-		envs:                                    append([]string{}, options.Envs...),
+		osFeatures:                              slices.Clone(options.OSFeatures),
+		envs:                                    slices.Clone(options.Envs),
 		confidentialWorkload:                    options.ConfidentialWorkload,
 		sbomScanOptions:                         options.SBOMScanOptions,
 		cdiConfigDir:                            options.CDIConfigDir,
diff --git a/import.go b/import.go
index 1829a2e50..60a8e01d1 100644
--- a/import.go
+++ b/import.go
@@ -97,7 +97,6 @@ func importBuilderDataFromImage(ctx context.Context, store storage.Store, system
 		FromImageDigest:  imageDigest,
 		Container:        containerName,
 		ContainerID:      containerID,
-		ImageAnnotations: map[string]string{},
 		ImageCreatedBy:   "",
 		NamespaceOptions: defaultNamespaceOptions,
 		IDMappingOptions: define.IDMappingOptions{
diff --git a/internal/config/convert.go b/internal/config/convert.go
index 7287c6718..151723807 100644
--- a/internal/config/convert.go
+++ b/internal/config/convert.go
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 package config
 
 import (
+	"slices"
+
 	"github.com/containers/image/v5/manifest"
 	dockerclient "github.com/fsouza/go-dockerclient"
 )
@@ -41,17 +43,17 @@ func Schema2ConfigFromGoDockerclientConfig(config *dockerclient.Config) *manifes
 		Tty:             config.Tty,
 		OpenStdin:       config.OpenStdin,
 		StdinOnce:       config.StdinOnce,
-		Env:             append([]string{}, config.Env...),
-		Cmd:             append([]string{}, config.Cmd...),
+		Env:             slices.Clone(config.Env),
+		Cmd:             slices.Clone(config.Cmd),
 		Healthcheck:     overrideHealthCheck,
 		ArgsEscaped:     config.ArgsEscaped,
 		Image:           config.Image,
 		Volumes:         volumes,
 		WorkingDir:      config.WorkingDir,
-		Entrypoint:      append([]string{}, config.Entrypoint...),
+		Entrypoint:      slices.Clone(config.Entrypoint),
 		NetworkDisabled: config.NetworkDisabled,
 		MacAddress:      config.MacAddress,
-		OnBuild:         append([]string{}, config.OnBuild...),
+		OnBuild:         slices.Clone(config.OnBuild),
 		Labels:          labels,
 		StopSignal:      config.StopSignal,
 		Shell:           config.Shell,
diff --git a/new.go b/new.go
index 216821657..c07921684 100644
--- a/new.go
+++ b/new.go
@@ -21,6 +21,8 @@ import (
 	v1 "github.com/opencontainers/image-spec/specs-go/v1"
 	"github.com/openshift/imagebuilder"
 	"github.com/sirupsen/logrus"
+	"golang.org/x/exp/maps"
+	"golang.org/x/exp/slices"
 )
 
 const (
@@ -313,10 +315,10 @@ func newBuilder(ctx context.Context, store storage.Store, options BuilderOptions
 			UIDMap:         uidmap,
 			GIDMap:         gidmap,
 		},
-		Capabilities:     copyStringSlice(options.Capabilities),
+		Capabilities:     slices.Clone(options.Capabilities),
 		CommonBuildOpts:  options.CommonBuildOpts,
 		TopLayer:         topLayer,
-		Args:             copyStringStringMap(options.Args),
+		Args:             maps.Clone(options.Args),
 		Format:           options.Format,
 		TempVolumes:      map[string]bool{},
 		Devices:          options.Devices,
diff --git a/run_common.go b/run_common.go
index f4f9de60c..ad775b39a 100644
--- a/run_common.go
+++ b/run_common.go
@@ -53,6 +53,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/opencontainers/runtime-tools/generate"
 	"github.com/opencontainers/selinux/go-selinux/label"
 	"github.com/sirupsen/logrus"
+	"golang.org/x/exp/slices"
 	"golang.org/x/sys/unix"
 	"golang.org/x/term"
 )
@@ -540,7 +541,7 @@ func runUsingRuntime(options RunOptions, configureNetwork bool, moreCreateArgs [
 		}
 	}
 
-	runtimeArgs := options.Args[:]
+	runtimeArgs := slices.Clone(options.Args)
 	if options.CgroupManager == config.SystemdCgroupsManager {
 		runtimeArgs = append(runtimeArgs, "--systemd-cgroup")
 	}
diff --git a/tests/conformance/conformance_test.go b/tests/conformance/conformance_test.go
index 2c5a55802..360931bfa 100644
--- a/tests/conformance/conformance_test.go
+++ b/tests/conformance/conformance_test.go
@@ -51,6 +51,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/sirupsen/logrus"
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
+	"golang.org/x/exp/slices"
 )
 
 const (
@@ -1239,11 +1240,7 @@ func compareJSON(a, b map[string]interface{}, skip []string) (missKeys, leftKeys
 		}
 	}
 
-	replace := func(slice []string) []string {
-		return append([]string{}, slice...)
-	}
-
-	return replace(missKeys), replace(leftKeys), replace(diffKeys), isSame
+	return slices.Clone(missKeys), slices.Clone(leftKeys), slices.Clone(diffKeys), isSame
 }
 
 // configCompareResult summarizes the output of compareJSON for display
diff --git a/util.go b/util.go
index ddc97cc6e..c4218a642 100644
--- a/util.go
+++ b/util.go
@@ -28,20 +28,6 @@ func InitReexec() bool {
 	return reexec.Init()
 }
 
-func copyStringStringMap(m map[string]string) map[string]string {
-	n := map[string]string{}
-	for k, v := range m {
-		n[k] = v
-	}
-	return n
-}
-
-func copyStringSlice(s []string) []string {
-	t := make([]string, len(s))
-	copy(t, s)
-	return t
-}
-
 func copyHistory(history []v1.History) []v1.History {
 	if len(history) == 0 {
 		return nil