diff --git a/packages/string-templates/src/helpers/index.ts b/packages/string-templates/src/helpers/index.ts
index e95ac9d2fd..595440ad55 100644
--- a/packages/string-templates/src/helpers/index.ts
+++ b/packages/string-templates/src/helpers/index.ts
@@ -51,11 +51,11 @@ const HELPERS = [
       if (value && (value as any).string) {
         value = (value as any).string
       }
-      let text = value
+      let text: any = value
       if (__opts && __opts.escapeNewlines) {
         text = value.replace(/\n/g, "\\n")
       }
-      text = new SafeString(text.replace(/&/g, "&")).toString()
+      text = new SafeString(text.replace(/&/g, "&"))
       if (text == null || typeof text !== "string") {
         return text
       }
diff --git a/packages/string-templates/test/helpers.spec.ts b/packages/string-templates/test/helpers.spec.ts
index efa6b0fdc3..f66eb9ef33 100644
--- a/packages/string-templates/test/helpers.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/string-templates/test/helpers.spec.ts
@@ -342,14 +342,14 @@ describe("Test the literal helper", () => {
   })
 
   it("should allow use of the literal specifier for an object", async () => {
-    const output = await processString(`{{literal a}}`, {
+    const output: any = await processString(`{{literal a}}`, {
       a: { b: 1 },
     })
     expect(output.b).toBe(1)
   })
 
   it("should allow use of the literal specifier for an object with dashes", async () => {
-    const output = await processString(`{{literal a}}`, {
+    const output: any = await processString(`{{literal a}}`, {
       a: { b: "i-have-dashes" },
     })
     expect(output.b).toBe("i-have-dashes")