diff --git a/Database/Persist/TH.hs b/Database/Persist/TH.hs
--- a/Database/Persist/TH.hs
+++ b/Database/Persist/TH.hs
@@ -619,8 +619,12 @@
 instance Lift UniqueDef where
     lift (UniqueDef a b c) = [|UniqueDef $(lift a) $(lift b) $(lift c)|]
 
+pack' :: String -> Text
+pack' = pack
+{-# NOINLINE pack' #-}
+
 liftT :: Text -> Q Exp
-liftT t = [|pack $(lift (unpack t))|]
+liftT t = [|pack' $(lift (unpack t))|]
 
 liftTs :: [Text] -> Q Exp
 liftTs = fmap ListE . mapM liftT
diff --git a/persistent-template.cabal b/persistent-template.cabal
--- a/persistent-template.cabal
+++ b/persistent-template.cabal
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 name:            persistent-template
-version:         0.8.1.2
+version:         0.8.2
 license:         BSD3
 license-file:    LICENSE
 author:          Michael Snoyman <michael@snoyman.com>