diff --git a/configspec/manager.py b/configspec/manager.py
index 9e20f7d..4e00706 100644
--- a/configspec/manager.py
+++ b/configspec/manager.py
@@ -161,7 +161,7 @@ class ConfigManager():
             conf_spec: (ConfigSpecification) Optional config specification to validate against.
 
         Returns:
-            dict: A deepcopy of the validated config bundle.
+            dict: The validated config bundle.
 
         Raises:
             InvalidConfigError: If the canfig source fails validation, or a matching config
@@ -184,7 +184,7 @@ class ConfigManager():
             raise
 
         self.root_config[bundle_name] = bundle_source
-        return deepcopy(bundle_source)
+        return self.root_config[bundle_name]
 
     def validate_bundles(self, bundle_names=None):
         """
@@ -197,7 +197,7 @@ class ConfigManager():
                 ConfigManager.
 
         Returns:
-            dict: A dict of deepcopied config bundles, with keys matching those passed in
+            dict: A dict of the config bundles, with keys matching those passed in
                 ``bundle_names``.
         """
         if bundle_names is None:
@@ -227,7 +227,7 @@ class ConfigManager():
             bundle_name: (str) Name of the config bundle to find.
 
         Returns:
-            dict: A deepcopy of the validated config bundle.
+            dict: The validated config bundle.
         """
 
         if bundle_name not in self.root_config:
@@ -245,7 +245,7 @@ class ConfigManager():
             bundle_names: A list of config bundle names to get.
 
         Returns:
-            dict: A dict of validated config bundles, with keys matching those passed in
+            dict: A dict of the validated config bundles, with keys matching those passed in
                 ``bundle_names``.
         """
         if bundle_names is None: