diff --git a/vowpalwabbit/feature_group.h b/vowpalwabbit/feature_group.h
index 9aaf90f04c9..3aaecc85782 100644
--- a/vowpalwabbit/feature_group.h
+++ b/vowpalwabbit/feature_group.h
@@ -326,7 +326,7 @@ struct features {
   { copy_array(values, src.values);
     copy_array(indicies, src.indicies);
     free_space_names(0);
-    copy_array(space_names, src.space_names);
+    copy_array_no_memcpy(space_names, src.space_names);
     sum_feat_sq = src.sum_feat_sq;
   }
 };
diff --git a/vowpalwabbit/v_array.h b/vowpalwabbit/v_array.h
index cf3daeac974..18034df30d3 100644
--- a/vowpalwabbit/v_array.h
+++ b/vowpalwabbit/v_array.h
@@ -168,6 +168,13 @@ template<class T> void copy_array(v_array<T>& dst, const v_array<T>& src)
   push_many(dst, src._begin, src.size());
 }
 
+// use to copy arrays of types with non-trivial copy constructors, such as shared_ptr
+template<class T> void copy_array_no_memcpy(v_array<T>& dst, const v_array<T>& src)
+{ dst.erase();
+  for (T*item = src._begin; item != src._end; ++item)
+    dst.push_back(*item);
+}
+
 template<class T> void copy_array(v_array<T>& dst, const v_array<T>& src, T(*copy_item)(T&))
 { dst.erase();
   for (T*item = src._begin; item != src._end; ++item)