diff --git a/d2ast/d2ast.go b/d2ast/d2ast.go
index 464faf196..b0e9386e9 100644
--- a/d2ast/d2ast.go
+++ b/d2ast/d2ast.go
@@ -1080,6 +1080,13 @@ func (kp *KeyPath) IDA() (ida []String) {
 	return ida
 }
 
+func (kp *KeyPath) StringIDA() (ida []string) {
+	for _, el := range kp.Path {
+		ida = append(ida, el.Unbox().ScalarString())
+	}
+	return ida
+}
+
 func (kp *KeyPath) Copy() *KeyPath {
 	kp2 := *kp
 	kp2.Path = nil
diff --git a/d2cli/main.go b/d2cli/main.go
index df66926fa..eeefd6ae9 100644
--- a/d2cli/main.go
+++ b/d2cli/main.go
@@ -349,7 +349,7 @@ func Run(ctx context.Context, ms *xmain.State) (err error) {
 		if err != nil {
 			return xmain.UsageErrorf("invalid target: %s", *targetFlag)
 		}
-		boardPath = key.IDA()
+		boardPath = key.StringIDA()
 	}
 
 	ctx, cancel := timelib.WithTimeout(ctx, time.Minute*2)
diff --git a/d2compiler/compile.go b/d2compiler/compile.go
index 221bb9d67..be7150d1a 100644
--- a/d2compiler/compile.go
+++ b/d2compiler/compile.go
@@ -1230,11 +1230,7 @@ func (c *compiler) validateBoardLinks(g *d2graph.Graph) {
 			continue
 		}
 
-		formattedIDA := []string{}
-		for _, id := range linkKey.IDA() {
-			formattedIDA = append(formattedIDA, id.ScalarString())
-		}
-		if slices.Equal(formattedIDA, obj.Graph.IDA()) {
+		if slices.Equal(linkKey.StringIDA(), obj.Graph.IDA()) {
 			obj.Link = nil
 			continue
 		}
diff --git a/d2lsp/d2lsp.go b/d2lsp/d2lsp.go
index fbd2c4d75..eedcd6550 100644
--- a/d2lsp/d2lsp.go
+++ b/d2lsp/d2lsp.go
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ func GetRefRanges(path string, fs map[string]string, boardPath []string, key str
 	var f *d2ir.Field
 	if mk.Key != nil {
 		for _, p := range mk.Key.Path {
-			f = m.GetField(p.Unbox().ScalarString())
+			f = m.GetField(p.Unbox())
 			if f == nil {
 				return nil, nil, nil
 			}
diff --git a/e2etests-cli/testdata/TestCLI_E2E/internal_linked_pdf.exp.pdf b/e2etests-cli/testdata/TestCLI_E2E/internal_linked_pdf.exp.pdf
index 76279f245..b1ef566be 100644
Binary files a/e2etests-cli/testdata/TestCLI_E2E/internal_linked_pdf.exp.pdf and b/e2etests-cli/testdata/TestCLI_E2E/internal_linked_pdf.exp.pdf differ
diff --git a/e2etests-cli/testdata/TestCLI_E2E/no-nav-pdf.exp.pdf b/e2etests-cli/testdata/TestCLI_E2E/no-nav-pdf.exp.pdf
index 59fd3431a..5a6a7c364 100644
Binary files a/e2etests-cli/testdata/TestCLI_E2E/no-nav-pdf.exp.pdf and b/e2etests-cli/testdata/TestCLI_E2E/no-nav-pdf.exp.pdf differ
diff --git a/e2etests-cli/testdata/TestCLI_E2E/renamed-board.exp.pdf b/e2etests-cli/testdata/TestCLI_E2E/renamed-board.exp.pdf
index 9ab29298b..c520c51ab 100644
Binary files a/e2etests-cli/testdata/TestCLI_E2E/renamed-board.exp.pdf and b/e2etests-cli/testdata/TestCLI_E2E/renamed-board.exp.pdf differ
diff --git a/e2etests-cli/testdata/TestCLI_E2E/theme-pdf.exp.pdf b/e2etests-cli/testdata/TestCLI_E2E/theme-pdf.exp.pdf
index b062ef0bf..79e8b42da 100644
Binary files a/e2etests-cli/testdata/TestCLI_E2E/theme-pdf.exp.pdf and b/e2etests-cli/testdata/TestCLI_E2E/theme-pdf.exp.pdf differ