diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index c2361092a..ad5b2ee10 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -64,4 +64,5 @@ package/x64
 tools/clang-format.exe
 /linux-crashes
 doc/site/
-directory.build.targets
\ No newline at end of file
+directory.build.targets
+_codeql_detected_source_root
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/windows/wslaservice/exe/WSLAVirtualMachine.cpp b/src/windows/wslaservice/exe/WSLAVirtualMachine.cpp
index d5fc55747..373326936 100644
--- a/src/windows/wslaservice/exe/WSLAVirtualMachine.cpp
+++ b/src/windows/wslaservice/exe/WSLAVirtualMachine.cpp
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ Module Name:
 #include "WSLAVirtualMachine.h"
 #include <format>
 #include <filesystem>
+#include <variant>
 #include "hcs_schema.h"
 #include "VirtioNetworking.h"
 #include "NatNetworking.h"
@@ -283,8 +284,8 @@ void WSLAVirtualMachine::Start()
 #endif
 
     // Initialize the boot VHDs.
-    std::pair<std::optional<ULONG>, std::optional<std::string>> rootVhd;
-    std::pair<std::optional<ULONG>, std::optional<std::string>> modulesVhd;
+    std::variant<ULONG, std::string> rootVhd;
+    std::variant<ULONG, std::string> modulesVhd;
     hcs::Scsi scsiController{};
     if (!FeatureEnabled(WslaFeatureFlagsPmemVhds))
     {
@@ -306,8 +307,8 @@ void WSLAVirtualMachine::Start()
             return lun;
         };
 
-        rootVhd.first = attachScsiDisk(m_settings.RootVhd.c_str());
-        modulesVhd.first = attachScsiDisk(kernelModulesPath.c_str());
+        rootVhd = attachScsiDisk(m_settings.RootVhd.c_str());
+        modulesVhd = attachScsiDisk(kernelModulesPath.c_str());
     }
     else
     {
@@ -326,8 +327,8 @@ void WSLAVirtualMachine::Start()
             return std::format("/dev/pmem{}", deviceId);
         };
 
-        rootVhd.second = attachPmemDisk(m_settings.RootVhd.c_str());
-        modulesVhd.second = attachPmemDisk(kernelModulesPath.c_str());
+        rootVhd = attachPmemDisk(m_settings.RootVhd.c_str());
+        modulesVhd = attachPmemDisk(kernelModulesPath.c_str());
         vmSettings.Devices.VirtualPMem = std::move(pmemController);
     }
 
@@ -398,16 +399,23 @@ void WSLAVirtualMachine::Start()
     ConfigureNetworking();
 
     // Configure mounts.
-    auto getVhdDevicePath = [&](const std::pair<std::optional<ULONG>, std::optional<std::string>>& vhd) {
-        WI_ASSERT(vhd.first.has_value() ^ vhd.second.has_value());
-        if (vhd.first.has_value())
+    auto getVhdDevicePath = [&](const std::variant<ULONG, std::string>& vhd) {
+        struct Visitor
         {
-            return GetVhdDevicePath(vhd.first.value());
-        }
-        else
-        {
-            return vhd.second.value();
-        }
+            WSLAVirtualMachine* vm;
+
+            std::string operator()(ULONG lun) const
+            {
+                return vm->GetVhdDevicePath(lun);
+            }
+
+            std::string operator()(const std::string& path) const
+            {
+                return path;
+            }
+        };
+
+        return std::visit(Visitor{this}, vhd);
     };
 
     Mount(m_initChannel, getVhdDevicePath(rootVhd).c_str(), "/mnt", m_settings.RootVhdType.c_str(), "ro", WSLAMountFlagsChroot | WSLAMountFlagsWriteableOverlayFs);