diff --git a/gfx/d3d/render_chain_cg.cpp b/gfx/d3d/render_chain_cg.cpp
index 17e39588ac..1aeab77b97 100644
--- a/gfx/d3d/render_chain_cg.cpp
+++ b/gfx/d3d/render_chain_cg.cpp
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@
 #include <retro_inline.h>
 #include <retro_miscellaneous.h>
 #include <compat/strl.h>
+#include <string/stdstring.h>
 
 #include "render_chain_driver.h"
 #include "../video_driver.h"
@@ -195,7 +196,7 @@ static INLINE CGparameter find_param_from_semantic(
 }
 
 static bool d3d9_cg_load_program(void *data,
-      void *fragment_data, void *vertex_data, const std::string &shader, bool path_is_file)
+      void *fragment_data, void *vertex_data, const char *shader, bool path_is_file)
 {
    char *listing_f            = NULL;
    char *listing_v            = NULL;
@@ -210,13 +211,13 @@ static bool d3d9_cg_load_program(void *data,
    RARCH_LOG("[D3D Cg]: Vertex profile: %s\n", cgGetProfileString(vertex_profile));
    RARCH_LOG("[D3D Cg]: Fragment profile: %s\n", cgGetProfileString(fragment_profile));
 
-   if (path_is_file && shader.length() > 0)
+   if (path_is_file && !string_is_empty(shader))
    {
       *fPrg = cgCreateProgramFromFile(cg_data->cgCtx, CG_SOURCE,
-            shader.c_str(), fragment_profile, "main_fragment", fragment_opts);
+            shader, fragment_profile, "main_fragment", fragment_opts);
       CG_D3D_SET_LISTING(cg_data, f);
       *vPrg = cgCreateProgramFromFile(cg_data->cgCtx, CG_SOURCE,
-            shader.c_str(), vertex_profile, "main_vertex", vertex_opts);
+            shader, vertex_profile, "main_vertex", vertex_opts);
       CG_D3D_SET_LISTING(cg_data, v);
    }
    else
@@ -895,7 +896,7 @@ static bool cg_d3d9_renderchain_init(void *data,
    if (!renderchain_create_first_pass(chain, info, fmt))
       return false;
    renderchain_log_info(chain, info);
-   if (!d3d9_cg_load_program(chain, &chain->fStock, &chain->vStock, "", false))
+   if (!d3d9_cg_load_program(chain, &chain->fStock, &chain->vStock, NULL, false))
       return false;
 
    return true;