diff --git a/src/SMAPI/Framework/Content/AssetDataForImage.cs b/src/SMAPI/Framework/Content/AssetDataForImage.cs
index 98d6725a..46c2a22e 100644
--- a/src/SMAPI/Framework/Content/AssetDataForImage.cs
+++ b/src/SMAPI/Framework/Content/AssetDataForImage.cs
@@ -33,12 +33,12 @@ namespace StardewModdingAPI.Framework.Content
         /// <inheritdoc />
         public void PatchImage(IRawTextureData source, Rectangle? sourceArea = null, Rectangle? targetArea = null, PatchMode patchMode = PatchMode.Replace)
         {
-            this.GetPatchBounds(ref sourceArea, ref targetArea, source.Width, source.Height);
-
-            // validate source data
+            // nullcheck
             if (source == null)
                 throw new ArgumentNullException(nameof(source), "Can't patch from null source data.");
 
+            this.GetPatchBounds(ref sourceArea, ref targetArea, source.Width, source.Height);
+
             // get the pixels for the source area
             Color[] sourceData;
             {
@@ -59,7 +59,6 @@ namespace StardewModdingAPI.Framework.Content
 
                     for (int y = areaY, maxY = areaY + areaHeight; y < maxY; y++)
                     {
-                        // avoiding an variable that increments allows the processor to re-arrange here.
                         int sourceIndex = (y * source.Width) + areaX;
                         int targetIndex = (y - areaY) * areaWidth;
                         Array.Copy(source.Data, sourceIndex, sourceData, targetIndex, areaWidth);
@@ -77,13 +76,13 @@ namespace StardewModdingAPI.Framework.Content
         /// <inheritdoc />
         public void PatchImage(Texture2D source, Rectangle? sourceArea = null, Rectangle? targetArea = null, PatchMode patchMode = PatchMode.Replace)
         {
-            // validate
+            // nullcheck
             if (source == null)
                 throw new ArgumentNullException(nameof(source), "Can't patch from a null source texture.");
 
             this.GetPatchBounds(ref sourceArea, ref targetArea, source.Width, source.Height);
 
-            // validate source texture
+            // validate source bounds
             if (!source.Bounds.Contains(sourceArea.Value))
                 throw new ArgumentOutOfRangeException(nameof(sourceArea), "The source area is outside the bounds of the source texture.");
 
@@ -161,8 +160,8 @@ namespace StardewModdingAPI.Framework.Content
                 // merge pixels
                 for (int i = 0; i < pixelCount; i++)
                 {
-                    Color above = sourceData[i];
-                    Color below = mergedData[i];
+                    ref Color above = ref sourceData[i];
+                    ref Color below = ref mergedData[i];
 
                     // shortcut transparency
                     if (above.A < MinOpacity)
diff --git a/src/SMAPI/Framework/ContentManagers/ModContentManager.cs b/src/SMAPI/Framework/ContentManagers/ModContentManager.cs
index cc6f8372..dd30c225 100644
--- a/src/SMAPI/Framework/ContentManagers/ModContentManager.cs
+++ b/src/SMAPI/Framework/ContentManagers/ModContentManager.cs
@@ -1,9 +1,11 @@
 using System;
+using System.Buffers;
 using System.Diagnostics;
 using System.Diagnostics.CodeAnalysis;
 using System.Globalization;
 using System.IO;
 using System.Linq;
+using System.Runtime.CompilerServices;
 using BmFont;
 using Microsoft.Xna.Framework;
 using Microsoft.Xna.Framework.Content;
@@ -111,7 +113,7 @@ namespace StardewModdingAPI.Framework.ContentManagers
                 if (this.Coordinator.TryParseManagedAssetKey(assetName.Name, out string? contentManagerID, out IAssetName? relativePath))
                 {
                     if (contentManagerID != this.Name)
-                        throw this.GetLoadError(assetName, ContentLoadErrorType.AccessDenied, "can't load a different mod's managed asset key through this mod content manager.");
+                        this.ThrowLoadError(assetName, ContentLoadErrorType.AccessDenied, "can't load a different mod's managed asset key through this mod content manager.");
                     assetName = relativePath;
                 }
             }
@@ -123,7 +125,7 @@ namespace StardewModdingAPI.Framework.ContentManagers
                 // get file
                 FileInfo file = this.GetModFile<T>(assetName.Name);
                 if (!file.Exists)
-                    throw this.GetLoadError(assetName, ContentLoadErrorType.AssetDoesNotExist, "the specified path doesn't exist.");
+                    this.ThrowLoadError(assetName, ContentLoadErrorType.AssetDoesNotExist, "the specified path doesn't exist.");
 
                 // load content
                 asset = file.Extension.ToLower() switch
@@ -141,7 +143,8 @@ namespace StardewModdingAPI.Framework.ContentManagers
                 if (ex is SContentLoadException)
                     throw;
 
-                throw this.GetLoadError(assetName, ContentLoadErrorType.Other, "an unexpected error occurred.", ex);
+                this.ThrowLoadError(assetName, ContentLoadErrorType.Other, "an unexpected error occurred.", ex);
+                return default;
             }
 
             // track & return asset
@@ -189,7 +192,7 @@ namespace StardewModdingAPI.Framework.ContentManagers
         private T LoadDataFile<T>(IAssetName assetName, FileInfo file)
         {
             if (!this.JsonHelper.ReadJsonFileIfExists(file.FullName, out T? asset))
-                throw this.GetLoadError(assetName, ContentLoadErrorType.InvalidData, "the JSON file is invalid."); // should never happen since we check for file existence before calling this method
+                this.ThrowLoadError(assetName, ContentLoadErrorType.InvalidData, "the JSON file is invalid."); // should never happen since we check for file existence before calling this method
 
             return asset;
         }
@@ -301,7 +304,7 @@ namespace StardewModdingAPI.Framework.ContentManagers
         private T LoadXnbFile<T>(IAssetName assetName)
         {
             if (typeof(IRawTextureData).IsAssignableFrom(typeof(T)))
-                throw this.GetLoadError(assetName, ContentLoadErrorType.Other, $"can't read XNB file as type {typeof(IRawTextureData)}; that type can only be read from a PNG file.");
+                this.ThrowLoadError(assetName, ContentLoadErrorType.Other, $"can't read XNB file as type {typeof(IRawTextureData)}; that type can only be read from a PNG file.");
 
             // the underlying content manager adds a .xnb extension implicitly, so
             // we need to strip it here to avoid trying to load a '.xnb.xnb' file.
@@ -326,7 +329,8 @@ namespace StardewModdingAPI.Framework.ContentManagers
         /// <param name="file">The file to load.</param>
         private T HandleUnknownFileType<T>(IAssetName assetName, FileInfo file)
         {
-            throw this.GetLoadError(assetName, ContentLoadErrorType.InvalidName, $"unknown file extension '{file.Extension}'; must be one of '.fnt', '.json', '.png', '.tbin', '.tmx', or '.xnb'.");
+            this.ThrowLoadError(assetName, ContentLoadErrorType.InvalidName, $"unknown file extension '{file.Extension}'; must be one of '.fnt', '.json', '.png', '.tbin', '.tmx', or '.xnb'.");
+            return default;
         }
 
         /// <summary>Assert that the asset type is compatible with one of the allowed types.</summary>
@@ -338,18 +342,20 @@ namespace StardewModdingAPI.Framework.ContentManagers
         private void AssertValidType<TAsset>(IAssetName assetName, FileInfo file, params Type[] validTypes)
         {
             if (!validTypes.Any(validType => validType.IsAssignableFrom(typeof(TAsset))))
-                throw this.GetLoadError(assetName, ContentLoadErrorType.InvalidData, $"can't read file with extension '{file.Extension}' as type '{typeof(TAsset)}'; must be type '{string.Join("' or '", validTypes.Select(p => p.FullName))}'.");
+                this.ThrowLoadError(assetName, ContentLoadErrorType.InvalidData, $"can't read file with extension '{file.Extension}' as type '{typeof(TAsset)}'; must be type '{string.Join("' or '", validTypes.Select(p => p.FullName))}'.");
         }
 
-        /// <summary>Get an error which indicates that an asset couldn't be loaded.</summary>
+        /// <summary>Throws an error which indicates that an asset couldn't be loaded.</summary>
         /// <param name="errorType">Why loading an asset through the content pipeline failed.</param>
         /// <param name="assetName">The asset name that failed to load.</param>
         /// <param name="reasonPhrase">The reason the file couldn't be loaded.</param>
         /// <param name="exception">The underlying exception, if applicable.</param>
+        [DoesNotReturn]
         [DebuggerStepThrough, DebuggerHidden]
-        private SContentLoadException GetLoadError(IAssetName assetName, ContentLoadErrorType errorType, string reasonPhrase, Exception? exception = null)
+        [MethodImpl(MethodImplOptions.NoInlining)]
+        private void ThrowLoadError(IAssetName assetName, ContentLoadErrorType errorType, string reasonPhrase, Exception? exception = null)
         {
-            return new(errorType, $"Failed loading asset '{assetName}' from {this.Name}: {reasonPhrase}", exception);
+            throw new SContentLoadException(errorType, $"Failed loading asset '{assetName}' from {this.Name}: {reasonPhrase}", exception);
         }
 
         /// <summary>Get a file from the mod folder.</summary>
@@ -384,12 +390,14 @@ namespace StardewModdingAPI.Framework.ContentManagers
         private Texture2D PremultiplyTransparency(Texture2D texture)
         {
             // premultiply pixels
-            Color[] data = GC.AllocateUninitializedArray<Color>(texture.Width * texture.Height);
-            texture.GetData(data);
+            int count = texture.Width * texture.Height;
+            Color[] data = ArrayPool<Color>.Shared.Rent(count);
+            texture.GetData(data, 0, count);
+
             bool changed = false;
-            for (int i = 0; i < data.Length; i++)
+            for (int i = 0; i < count; i++)
             {
-                Color pixel = data[i];
+                ref Color pixel = ref data[i];
                 if (pixel.A is (byte.MinValue or byte.MaxValue))
                     continue; // no need to change fully transparent/opaque pixels
 
@@ -398,8 +406,10 @@ namespace StardewModdingAPI.Framework.ContentManagers
             }
 
             if (changed)
-                texture.SetData(data);
+                texture.SetData(data, 0, count);
 
+            // return
+            ArrayPool<Color>.Shared.Return(data);
             return texture;
         }
 
diff --git a/src/SMAPI/Framework/ModLoading/AssemblyLoader.cs b/src/SMAPI/Framework/ModLoading/AssemblyLoader.cs
index 01037870..ae08d972 100644
--- a/src/SMAPI/Framework/ModLoading/AssemblyLoader.cs
+++ b/src/SMAPI/Framework/ModLoading/AssemblyLoader.cs
@@ -221,7 +221,7 @@ namespace StardewModdingAPI.Framework.ModLoading
         /// </remarks>
         public static Assembly? ResolveAssembly(string name)
         {
-            string shortName = name.Split(new[] { ',' }, 2).First(); // get simple name (without version and culture)
+            string shortName = name.Split(',', 2).First(); // get simple name (without version and culture)
             return AppDomain.CurrentDomain
                 .GetAssemblies()
                 .FirstOrDefault(p => p.GetName().Name == shortName);
diff --git a/src/SMAPI/Framework/Monitor.cs b/src/SMAPI/Framework/Monitor.cs
index 8ba175e6..d33bf259 100644
--- a/src/SMAPI/Framework/Monitor.cs
+++ b/src/SMAPI/Framework/Monitor.cs
@@ -27,10 +27,13 @@ namespace StardewModdingAPI.Framework
         /// <summary>The maximum length of the <see cref="LogLevel"/> values.</summary>
         private static readonly int MaxLevelLength = (from level in Enum.GetValues<LogLevel>() select level.ToString().Length).Max();
 
+        /// <summary>A mapping of console log levels to their string form.</summary>
         private static readonly Dictionary<ConsoleLogLevel, string> LogStrings = Enum.GetValues<ConsoleLogLevel>().ToDictionary(k => k, v => v.ToString().ToUpper().PadRight(MaxLevelLength));
 
+        private readonly record struct LogOnceCacheEntry(string message, LogLevel level);
+
         /// <summary>A cache of messages that should only be logged once.</summary>
-        private readonly HashSet<string> LogOnceCache = new();
+        private readonly HashSet<LogOnceCacheEntry> LogOnceCache = new();
 
         /// <summary>Get the screen ID that should be logged to distinguish between players in split-screen mode, if any.</summary>
         private readonly Func<int?> GetScreenIdForLog;
@@ -86,7 +89,7 @@ namespace StardewModdingAPI.Framework
         /// <inheritdoc />
         public void LogOnce(string message, LogLevel level = LogLevel.Trace)
         {
-            if (this.LogOnceCache.Add($"{message}|{level}"))
+            if (this.LogOnceCache.Add(new LogOnceCacheEntry(message, level)))
                 this.LogImpl(this.Source, message, (ConsoleLogLevel)level);
         }