diff --git a/crates/rune-modules/src/process.rs b/crates/rune-modules/src/process.rs
index 48e5d0c52..a10a7f770 100644
--- a/crates/rune-modules/src/process.rs
+++ b/crates/rune-modules/src/process.rs
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ impl Command {
     #[rune::function(instance)]
     fn args(&mut self, args: &[Value]) -> VmResult<()> {
         for arg in args {
-            self.inner.arg(&*vm_try!(arg.as_string()));
+            self.inner.arg(&*vm_try!(arg.borrow_string_ref()));
         }
 
         VmResult::Ok(())
diff --git a/crates/rune/src/runtime/value.rs b/crates/rune/src/runtime/value.rs
index 3c578c783..97c526216 100644
--- a/crates/rune/src/runtime/value.rs
+++ b/crates/rune/src/runtime/value.rs
@@ -976,8 +976,17 @@ impl Value {
     }
 
     /// Get the value as a string.
+    #[deprecated(
+        note = "For consistency with other methods, this has been renamed Value::borrow_string_ref"
+    )]
     #[inline]
     pub fn as_string(&self) -> Result<BorrowRef<'_, str>, RuntimeError> {
+        self.borrow_string_ref()
+    }
+
+    /// Borrow the value of a string as a reference.
+    #[inline]
+    pub fn borrow_string_ref(&self) -> Result<BorrowRef<'_, str>, RuntimeError> {
         let result = BorrowRef::try_map(self.inner.borrow_ref()?, |kind| match kind {
             ValueKind::String(string) => Some(string.as_str()),
             _ => None,
@@ -1335,19 +1344,26 @@ impl Value {
         VmResult::Ok(vm_try!(Future::from_value(value)))
     }
 
-    /// Try to coerce value into a typed value.
+    /// Try to coerce value into a typed reference.
     #[inline]
-    pub fn into_any<T>(self) -> Result<T, RuntimeError>
+    pub fn into_any_ref<T>(self) -> Result<Ref<T>, RuntimeError>
     where
         T: Any,
     {
-        let any = match self.inner.take()? {
-            ValueKind::Any(any) => any,
-            actual => return Err(RuntimeError::expected_any(actual.type_info())),
+        let result = Ref::try_map(self.into_kind_ref()?, |kind| match kind {
+            ValueKind::Any(any) => Some(any),
+            _ => None,
+        });
+
+        let any = match result {
+            Ok(any) => any,
+            Err(actual) => return Err(RuntimeError::expected_any(actual.type_info())),
         };
 
-        match any.downcast::<T>() {
-            Ok(any) => Ok(any),
+        let result = Ref::result_map(any, |any| any.downcast_borrow_ref());
+
+        match result {
+            Ok(value) => Ok(value),
             Err((AnyObjError::Cast, any)) => {
                 Err(RuntimeError::from(AccessErrorKind::UnexpectedType {
                     expected: any::type_name::<T>().into(),
@@ -1358,13 +1374,13 @@ impl Value {
         }
     }
 
-    /// Try to coerce value into a typed reference.
+    /// Try to coerce value into a typed mutable reference.
     #[inline]
-    pub fn into_any_ref<T>(self) -> Result<Ref<T>, RuntimeError>
+    pub fn into_any_mut<T>(self) -> Result<Mut<T>, RuntimeError>
     where
         T: Any,
     {
-        let result = Ref::try_map(self.into_kind_ref()?, |kind| match kind {
+        let result = Mut::try_map(self.into_kind_mut()?, |kind| match kind {
             ValueKind::Any(any) => Some(any),
             _ => None,
         });
@@ -1374,7 +1390,7 @@ impl Value {
             Err(actual) => return Err(RuntimeError::expected_any(actual.type_info())),
         };
 
-        let result = Ref::result_map(any, |any| any.downcast_borrow_ref());
+        let result = Mut::result_map(any, |any| any.downcast_borrow_mut());
 
         match result {
             Ok(value) => Ok(value),
@@ -1388,26 +1404,53 @@ impl Value {
         }
     }
 
-    /// Try to coerce value into a typed mutable reference.
+    /// Borrow the value as a typed reference.
     #[inline]
-    pub fn into_any_mut<T>(self) -> Result<Mut<T>, RuntimeError>
+    pub fn borrow_any_ref<T>(&self) -> Result<BorrowRef<'_, T>, RuntimeError>
     where
         T: Any,
     {
-        let result = Mut::try_map(self.into_kind_mut()?, |kind| match kind {
-            ValueKind::Any(any) => Some(any),
+        let result = BorrowRef::try_map(self.inner.borrow_ref()?, |kind| match kind {
+            ValueKind::Any(any) => any.downcast_borrow_ref().ok(),
             _ => None,
         });
 
-        let any = match result {
-            Ok(any) => any,
-            Err(actual) => return Err(RuntimeError::expected_any(actual.type_info())),
-        };
+        match result {
+            Ok(s) => Ok(s),
+            Err(actual) => Err(RuntimeError::expected_any(actual.type_info())),
+        }
+    }
 
-        let result = Mut::result_map(any, |any| any.downcast_borrow_mut());
+    /// Borrow the value as a mutable typed reference.
+    #[inline]
+    pub fn borrow_any_mut<T>(&self) -> Result<BorrowMut<'_, T>, RuntimeError>
+    where
+        T: Any,
+    {
+        let result = BorrowMut::try_map(self.inner.borrow_mut()?, |kind| match kind {
+            ValueKind::Any(any) => any.downcast_borrow_mut().ok(),
+            _ => None,
+        });
 
         match result {
-            Ok(value) => Ok(value),
+            Ok(s) => Ok(s),
+            Err(actual) => Err(RuntimeError::expected_any(actual.type_info())),
+        }
+    }
+
+    /// Try to coerce value into a typed value.
+    #[inline]
+    pub fn into_any<T>(self) -> Result<T, RuntimeError>
+    where
+        T: Any,
+    {
+        let any = match self.inner.take()? {
+            ValueKind::Any(any) => any,
+            actual => return Err(RuntimeError::expected_any(actual.type_info())),
+        };
+
+        match any.downcast::<T>() {
+            Ok(any) => Ok(any),
             Err((AnyObjError::Cast, any)) => {
                 Err(RuntimeError::from(AccessErrorKind::UnexpectedType {
                     expected: any::type_name::<T>().into(),