diff --git a/core/linux-dist/main.cpp b/core/linux-dist/main.cpp
index b8b45beaa..64a46f5dc 100755
--- a/core/linux-dist/main.cpp
+++ b/core/linux-dist/main.cpp
@@ -138,7 +138,9 @@ void SetupInput()
 				size_needed = snprintf(NULL, 0, EVDEV_MAPPING_CONFIG_KEY, port+1) + 1;
 				evdev_config_key = (char*)malloc(size_needed);
 				sprintf(evdev_config_key, EVDEV_MAPPING_CONFIG_KEY, port+1);
-				const char* mapping = (cfgExists("input", evdev_config_key) == 2 ? cfgLoadStr("input", evdev_config_key, "").c_str() : NULL);
+
+				string tmp;
+				const char* mapping = (cfgExists("input", evdev_config_key) == 2 ? (tmp = cfgLoadStr("input", evdev_config_key, "")).c_str() : NULL);
 				free(evdev_config_key);
 
 				input_evdev_init(&evdev_controllers[port], evdev_device, mapping);