diff --git a/src/output/Control.hxx b/src/output/Control.hxx
index 4d699fb3b..9b9996a87 100644
--- a/src/output/Control.hxx
+++ b/src/output/Control.hxx
@@ -269,8 +269,8 @@ public:
 	AudioOutputControl &operator=(const AudioOutputControl &) = delete;
 
 	[[gnu::pure]]
-	const char *GetName() const noexcept {
-		return name.c_str();
+	const auto &GetName() const noexcept {
+		return name;
 	}
 
 	[[gnu::pure]]
diff --git a/src/output/MultipleOutputs.cxx b/src/output/MultipleOutputs.cxx
index 5b97bddab..ddb577915 100644
--- a/src/output/MultipleOutputs.cxx
+++ b/src/output/MultipleOutputs.cxx
@@ -100,7 +100,8 @@ MultipleOutputs::Configure(EventLoop &event_loop, EventLoop &rt_event_loop,
 						&filter_factory);
 		if (HasName(output->GetName()))
 			throw FormatRuntimeError("output devices with identical "
-						 "names: %s", output->GetName());
+						 "names: %s",
+						 output->GetName().c_str());
 
 		outputs.emplace_back(std::move(output));
 	});
diff --git a/src/output/Thread.cxx b/src/output/Thread.cxx
index e19b66130..bbc370b7b 100644
--- a/src/output/Thread.cxx
+++ b/src/output/Thread.cxx
@@ -421,7 +421,7 @@ AudioOutputControl::InternalDrain() noexcept
 void
 AudioOutputControl::Task() noexcept
 {
-	FormatThreadName("output:%s", GetName());
+	FormatThreadName("output:%s", GetName().c_str());
 
 	try {
 		SetThreadRealtime();