diff --git a/src/OpenFOAM/db/dictionary/dictionary.C b/src/OpenFOAM/db/dictionary/dictionary.C
index 6c4697e7ed..d5815133b5 100644
--- a/src/OpenFOAM/db/dictionary/dictionary.C
+++ b/src/OpenFOAM/db/dictionary/dictionary.C
@@ -28,7 +28,6 @@ License
 #include "dictionaryEntry.H"
 #include "regExp.H"
 #include "OSHA1stream.H"
-#include "DynamicList.H"
 
 /* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Static Member Data  * * * * * * * * * * * * * */
 
@@ -214,22 +213,20 @@ Foam::SHA1Digest Foam::dictionary::digest() const
 
 Foam::tokenList Foam::dictionary::tokens() const
 {
-    // Serialize dictionary into a string
+    // Serialize dictionary entries into a string
     OStringStream os;
-    write(os, false);
 
-    IStringStream is(os.str());
-
-    DynamicList<token> tokens;
-
-    // Parse string as tokens
-    token tok;
-    while (is.read(tok))
+    // Process entries
+    forAllConstIter(parent_type, *this, iter)
     {
-        tokens.append(std::move(tok));
+        os << *iter;
     }
 
-    return tokenList(tokens.xfer());
+    // String re-parsed as a list of tokens
+    return static_cast<tokenList>
+    (
+        ITstream("tokens", os.str(), os.format(), os.version())
+    );
 }
 
 
diff --git a/src/OpenFOAM/db/dictionary/primitiveEntry/primitiveEntry.C b/src/OpenFOAM/db/dictionary/primitiveEntry/primitiveEntry.C
index 76a0c482c4..1202375bd1 100644
--- a/src/OpenFOAM/db/dictionary/primitiveEntry/primitiveEntry.C
+++ b/src/OpenFOAM/db/dictionary/primitiveEntry/primitiveEntry.C
@@ -30,24 +30,23 @@ License
 
 // * * * * * * * * * * * * * Private Member Functions  * * * * * * * * * * * //
 
-void Foam::primitiveEntry::appendTokenList(const UList<token>& varTokens)
+void Foam::primitiveEntry::appendTokenList(const UList<token>& toks)
 {
-    for (const token& tok : varTokens)
+    for (const token& tok : toks)
     {
-        newElmt(tokenIndex()++) = tok;  // append copy
+        newElmt(tokenIndex()++) = tok;  // copy append
     }
 }
 
 
-void Foam::primitiveEntry::appendTokensFromString(const string& input)
+void Foam::primitiveEntry::appendTokenList(List<token>&& toks)
 {
-    IStringStream is(input);
-
-    token tok;
-    while (!is.read(tok).bad() && tok.good())
+    for (token& tok : toks)
     {
-        newElmt(tokenIndex()++) = std::move(tok);
+        newElmt(tokenIndex()++) = std::move(tok);  // move append
     }
+
+    toks.clear();
 }
 
 
@@ -97,13 +96,16 @@ bool Foam::primitiveEntry::expandVariable
             return false;
         }
 
-        // Split input string into a stream of tokens and append to list
-        appendTokensFromString(str);
+        // String parsed as a list of tokens
+        ITstream its("env", str);
+        appendTokenList(std::move(static_cast<tokenList&>(its)));
     }
     else if (eptr->isDict())
     {
         // Found dictionary entry
-        appendTokenList(eptr->dict().tokens());
+
+        tokenList toks(eptr->dict().tokens().xfer());
+        appendTokenList(std::move(toks));
     }
     else
     {
diff --git a/src/OpenFOAM/db/dictionary/primitiveEntry/primitiveEntry.H b/src/OpenFOAM/db/dictionary/primitiveEntry/primitiveEntry.H
index 59c2a75734..c035f4451a 100644
--- a/src/OpenFOAM/db/dictionary/primitiveEntry/primitiveEntry.H
+++ b/src/OpenFOAM/db/dictionary/primitiveEntry/primitiveEntry.H
@@ -73,14 +73,13 @@ class primitiveEntry
             Istream& is
         );
 
-        //- Append the given tokens at the current tokenIndex
+        //- Copy append the given tokens at the current tokenIndex
         //  No filtering on the tokens.
-        void appendTokenList(const UList<token>& varTokens);
+        void appendTokenList(const UList<token>& toks);
 
-        //- Split input string into a stream of tokens and append at the
-        //- current tokenIndex.
+        //- Move append the given tokens at the current tokenIndex
         //  No filtering on the tokens.
-        void appendTokensFromString(const string& input);
+        void appendTokenList(List<token>&& toks);
 
 
         //- Expand the given variable.