diff --git a/VMX/Common.pm b/VMX/Common.pm
index ca1c370..2f90452 100644
--- a/VMX/Common.pm
+++ b/VMX/Common.pm
@@ -79,9 +79,10 @@ sub ar1el
  ##
 sub trim
 {
-    $_[0] =~ s/^\s+//so;
-    $_[0] =~ s/\s+$//so;
-    $_[0];
+    $_ = $_[0];
+    s/^\s+//so;
+    s/\s+$//so;
+    $_;
 }
 
 ##