diff --git a/axum/src/routing/method_routing.rs b/axum/src/routing/method_routing.rs
index b4a86501..0e4f5ac6 100644
--- a/axum/src/routing/method_routing.rs
+++ b/axum/src/routing/method_routing.rs
@@ -1101,27 +1101,24 @@ where
         macro_rules! call {
             (
                 $req:expr,
-                $method:expr,
                 $method_variant:ident,
                 $svc:expr
             ) => {
-                if $method == Method::$method_variant {
+                if *req.method() == Method::$method_variant {
                     match $svc {
                         MethodEndpoint::None => {}
                         MethodEndpoint::Route(route) => {
-                            return route.clone().oneshot_inner($req);
+                            return route.clone().oneshot_inner_owned($req);
                         }
                         MethodEndpoint::BoxedHandler(handler) => {
-                            let mut route = handler.clone().into_route(state);
-                            return route.oneshot_inner($req);
+                            let route = handler.clone().into_route(state);
+                            return route.oneshot_inner_owned($req);
                         }
                     }
                 }
             };
         }
 
-        let method = req.method().clone();
-
         // written with a pattern match like this to ensure we call all routes
         let Self {
             get,
@@ -1137,16 +1134,16 @@ where
             allow_header,
         } = self;
 
-        call!(req, method, HEAD, head);
-        call!(req, method, HEAD, get);
-        call!(req, method, GET, get);
-        call!(req, method, POST, post);
-        call!(req, method, OPTIONS, options);
-        call!(req, method, PATCH, patch);
-        call!(req, method, PUT, put);
-        call!(req, method, DELETE, delete);
-        call!(req, method, TRACE, trace);
-        call!(req, method, CONNECT, connect);
+        call!(req, HEAD, head);
+        call!(req, HEAD, get);
+        call!(req, GET, get);
+        call!(req, POST, post);
+        call!(req, OPTIONS, options);
+        call!(req, PATCH, patch);
+        call!(req, PUT, put);
+        call!(req, DELETE, delete);
+        call!(req, TRACE, trace);
+        call!(req, CONNECT, connect);
 
         let future = fallback.clone().call_with_state(req, state);
 
diff --git a/axum/src/routing/route.rs b/axum/src/routing/route.rs
index 0953dfbc..1724c30a 100644
--- a/axum/src/routing/route.rs
+++ b/axum/src/routing/route.rs
@@ -47,6 +47,12 @@ impl<E> Route<E> {
         RouteFuture::new(method, self.0.clone().oneshot(req))
     }
 
+    /// Variant of [`Route::oneshot_inner`] that takes ownership of the route to avoid cloning.
+    pub(crate) fn oneshot_inner_owned(self, req: Request) -> RouteFuture<E> {
+        let method = req.method().clone();
+        RouteFuture::new(method, self.0.oneshot(req))
+    }
+
     pub(crate) fn layer<L, NewError>(self, layer: L) -> Route<NewError>
     where
         L: Layer<Route<E>> + Clone + Send + 'static,
diff --git a/axum/src/routing/tests/mod.rs b/axum/src/routing/tests/mod.rs
index c4e37179..a19c78f2 100644
--- a/axum/src/routing/tests/mod.rs
+++ b/axum/src/routing/tests/mod.rs
@@ -941,7 +941,7 @@ async fn state_isnt_cloned_too_much() {
 
     client.get("/").await;
 
-    assert_eq!(COUNT.load(Ordering::SeqCst), 4);
+    assert_eq!(COUNT.load(Ordering::SeqCst), 3);
 }
 
 #[crate::test]