diff --git a/src/emucore/FSNode.cxx b/src/emucore/FSNode.cxx
index c5ff53c16..8fb46391c 100644
--- a/src/emucore/FSNode.cxx
+++ b/src/emucore/FSNode.cxx
@@ -86,14 +86,14 @@ bool FilesystemNode::getChildren(FSList& fslist, ListMode mode, bool hidden) con
 }
 
 // - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
-string FilesystemNode::getDisplayName() const
+const string& FilesystemNode::getDisplayName() const
 {
   assert(_realNode);
   return _realNode->getDisplayName();
 }
 
 // - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
-string FilesystemNode::getName() const
+const string& FilesystemNode::getName() const
 {
   assert(_realNode);
   return _realNode->getName();
@@ -122,7 +122,7 @@ FilesystemNode FilesystemNode::getParent() const
 }
 
 // - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
-string FilesystemNode::getPath() const
+const string& FilesystemNode::getPath() const
 {
   assert(_realNode);
   return _realNode->getPath();
diff --git a/src/emucore/FSNode.hxx b/src/emucore/FSNode.hxx
index e6396a6aa..ab8e56ac8 100644
--- a/src/emucore/FSNode.hxx
+++ b/src/emucore/FSNode.hxx
@@ -153,7 +153,7 @@ class FilesystemNode
      *
      * @return the display name
      */
-    virtual string getDisplayName() const;
+    virtual const string& getDisplayName() const;
 
     /**
      * Return a string representation of the name of the file. This is can be
@@ -163,7 +163,7 @@ class FilesystemNode
      *
      * @return the file name
      */
-    virtual string getName() const;
+    virtual const string& getName() const;
 
     /**
      * Return a string representation of the file which can be passed to fopen().
@@ -175,7 +175,7 @@ class FilesystemNode
      *
      * @return the 'path' represented by this filesystem node
      */
-    virtual string getPath() const;
+    virtual const string& getPath() const;
 
     /**
      * Return a string representation of the file which contains the '~'
@@ -288,7 +288,7 @@ class AbstractFilesystemNode
      *
      * @note By default, this method returns the value of getName().
      */
-    virtual string getDisplayName() const { return getName(); }
+    virtual const string& getDisplayName() const { return getName(); }
 
     /**
      * Returns the last component of the path pointed by this FilesystemNode.
@@ -299,12 +299,12 @@ class AbstractFilesystemNode
      *
      * @note This method is very architecture dependent, please check the concrete implementation for more information.
      */
-    virtual string getName() const = 0;
+    virtual const string& getName() const = 0;
 
     /**
      * Returns the 'path' of the current node, usable in fopen().
      */
-    virtual string getPath() const = 0;
+    virtual const string& getPath() const = 0;
 
     /**
      * Returns the 'path' of the current node, containing '~' and for archiving.
diff --git a/src/unix/FSNodePOSIX.cxx b/src/unix/FSNodePOSIX.cxx
index f6f1e5c63..debe301ab 100644
--- a/src/unix/FSNodePOSIX.cxx
+++ b/src/unix/FSNodePOSIX.cxx
@@ -59,9 +59,9 @@ class POSIXFilesystemNode : public AbstractFilesystemNode
     POSIXFilesystemNode(const string& path, bool verify);
 
     bool exists() const { return access(_path.c_str(), F_OK) == 0; }
-    string getDisplayName() const { return _displayName; }
-    string getName() const   { return _displayName; }
-    string getPath() const   { return _path; }
+    const string& getDisplayName() const { return _displayName; }
+    const string& getName() const   { return _displayName; }
+    const string& getPath() const   { return _path; }
     string getRelativePath() const;
     bool isDirectory() const { return _isDirectory; }
     bool isReadable() const  { return access(_path.c_str(), R_OK) == 0; }
diff --git a/src/win32/FSNodeWin32.cxx b/src/win32/FSNodeWin32.cxx
index 57853666a..08749feee 100644
--- a/src/win32/FSNodeWin32.cxx
+++ b/src/win32/FSNodeWin32.cxx
@@ -92,9 +92,9 @@ class WindowsFilesystemNode : public AbstractFilesystemNode
     WindowsFilesystemNode(const string& path);
 
     bool exists() const { return _access(_path.c_str(), F_OK) == 0; }
-    string getDisplayName() const { return _displayName; }
-    string getName() const   { return _displayName; }
-    string getPath() const   { return _path; }
+    const string& getDisplayName() const { return _displayName; }
+    const string& getName() const   { return _displayName; }
+    const string& getPath() const   { return _path; }
     string getRelativePath() const;
     bool isDirectory() const { return _isDirectory; }
     bool isReadable() const  { return _access(_path.c_str(), R_OK) == 0; }