diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwgui/cursor.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwgui/cursor.cpp
index 7c95e2fd11..1b6431f0fb 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwgui/cursor.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwgui/cursor.cpp
@@ -23,8 +23,8 @@ namespace MWGui
         MyGUI::xml::ElementEnumerator info = _node->getElementEnumerator();
         while (info.next("Property"))
         {
-            const std::string& key = info->findAttribute("key");
-            const std::string& value = info->findAttribute("value");
+            auto key = info->findAttribute("key");
+            auto value = info->findAttribute("value");
 
             if (key == "Point")
                 mPoint = MyGUI::IntPoint::parse(value);
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwgui/resourceskin.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwgui/resourceskin.cpp
index ea081dd17a..e527b15796 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwgui/resourceskin.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwgui/resourceskin.cpp
@@ -9,15 +9,15 @@ namespace MWGui
     void resizeSkin(MyGUI::xml::ElementPtr _node)
     {
         _node->setAttribute("type", "ResourceSkin");
-        const std::string size = _node->findAttribute("size");
+        auto size = _node->findAttribute("size");
         if (!size.empty())
             return;
 
-        const std::string textureName = _node->findAttribute("texture");
+        auto textureName = _node->findAttribute("texture");
         if (textureName.empty())
             return;
 
-        MyGUI::ITexture* texture = MyGUI::RenderManager::getInstance().getTexture(textureName);
+        MyGUI::ITexture* texture = MyGUI::RenderManager::getInstance().getTexture(std::string(textureName));
         if (!texture)
             return;
 
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ namespace MWGui
             if (basis->getName() != "BasisSkin")
                 continue;
 
-            const std::string basisSkinType = basis->findAttribute("type");
+            auto basisSkinType = basis->findAttribute("type");
             if (Misc::StringUtils::ciEqual(basisSkinType, "SimpleText"))
                 continue;
             bool isTileRect = Misc::StringUtils::ciEqual(basisSkinType, "TileRect");
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwgui/settingswindow.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwgui/settingswindow.cpp
index 2c405dcbd3..3c15826eae 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwgui/settingswindow.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwgui/settingswindow.cpp
@@ -242,13 +242,13 @@ namespace MWGui
 
     void SettingsWindow::updateSliderLabel(MyGUI::ScrollBar* scroller, const std::string& value)
     {
-        std::string labelWidgetName = scroller->getUserString("SettingLabelWidget");
+        auto labelWidgetName = scroller->getUserString("SettingLabelWidget");
         if (!labelWidgetName.empty())
         {
             MyGUI::TextBox* textBox;
             getWidget(textBox, labelWidgetName);
-            std::string labelCaption = scroller->getUserString("SettingLabelCaption");
-            labelCaption = Misc::StringUtils::format(labelCaption, value);
+            auto labelCaption = scroller->getUserString("SettingLabelCaption");
+            labelCaption = Misc::StringUtils::format(std::string(labelCaption), value);
             textBox->setCaptionWithReplacing(labelCaption);
         }
     }
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwgui/tooltips.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwgui/tooltips.cpp
index 6beee8d07b..323579317a 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwgui/tooltips.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwgui/tooltips.cpp
@@ -244,7 +244,7 @@ namespace MWGui
                             = store->get<ESM::Skill>().find(MWMechanics::getSpellSchool(spell, player))->mSchool;
                         info.text = "#{sSchool}: " + MyGUI::TextIterator::toTagsString(school->mName).asUTF8();
                     }
-                    const std::string& cost = focus->getUserString("SpellCost");
+                    auto cost = focus->getUserString("SpellCost");
                     if (!cost.empty() && cost != "0")
                         info.text
                             += MWGui::ToolTips::getValueString(MWMechanics::calcSpellCost(*spell), "#{sCastCost}");
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwgui/windowmanagerimp.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwgui/windowmanagerimp.cpp
index 9bcfb3e158..1da19cf64e 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwgui/windowmanagerimp.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwgui/windowmanagerimp.cpp
@@ -2186,7 +2186,7 @@ namespace MWGui
             ResourceImageSetPointerFix* imgSetPointer = resource->castType<ResourceImageSetPointerFix>(false);
             if (!imgSetPointer)
                 continue;
-            std::string tex_name = imgSetPointer->getImageSet()->getIndexInfo(0, 0).texture;
+            auto tex_name = imgSetPointer->getImageSet()->getIndexInfo(0, 0).texture;
 
             osg::ref_ptr<osg::Image> image = mResourceSystem->getImageManager()->getImage(tex_name);
 
diff --git a/components/fontloader/fontloader.cpp b/components/fontloader/fontloader.cpp
index 9434578220..da20413333 100644
--- a/components/fontloader/fontloader.cpp
+++ b/components/fontloader/fontloader.cpp
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ namespace
                 MyGUI::xml::ElementPtr sizeProperty = getProperty(layersIterator.current(), "Size");
                 if (sizeProperty != nullptr)
                 {
-                    std::string sizeValue = sizeProperty->findAttribute("value");
+                    auto sizeValue = sizeProperty->findAttribute("value");
                     if (!sizeValue.empty())
                         return MyGUI::IntSize::parse(sizeValue);
                 }
@@ -614,7 +614,7 @@ namespace Gui
         MyGUI::xml::ElementEnumerator resourceNode = _node->getElementEnumerator();
         while (resourceNode.next("Resource"))
         {
-            std::string type = resourceNode->findAttribute("type");
+            auto type = resourceNode->findAttribute("type");
 
             if (Misc::StringUtils::ciEqual(type, "ResourceLayout"))
             {
diff --git a/components/myguiplatform/myguidatamanager.cpp b/components/myguiplatform/myguidatamanager.cpp
index 8e34e0c2fe..76ad3ac66a 100644
--- a/components/myguiplatform/myguidatamanager.cpp
+++ b/components/myguiplatform/myguidatamanager.cpp
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ namespace osgMyGUI
         throw std::runtime_error("DataManager::getDataListNames is not implemented - VFS is used");
     }
 
-    const std::string& DataManager::getDataPath(const std::string& name) const
+    std::string DataManager::getDataPath(const std::string& name) const
     {
         static std::string result;
         result.clear();
diff --git a/components/myguiplatform/myguidatamanager.hpp b/components/myguiplatform/myguidatamanager.hpp
index 40dc6c3705..5b392177b7 100644
--- a/components/myguiplatform/myguidatamanager.hpp
+++ b/components/myguiplatform/myguidatamanager.hpp
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ namespace osgMyGUI
             @param _name Resource name.
             @return Return full path to specified data.
         */
-        const std::string& getDataPath(const std::string& _name) const override;
+        std::string getDataPath(const std::string& _name) const override;
 
     private:
         std::filesystem::path mResourcePath;
diff --git a/components/myguiplatform/myguiloglistener.hpp b/components/myguiplatform/myguiloglistener.hpp
index 1af63a397f..3aeda9747b 100644
--- a/components/myguiplatform/myguiloglistener.hpp
+++ b/components/myguiplatform/myguiloglistener.hpp
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ namespace osgMyGUI
         void flush() override;
 
         void log(const std::string& _section, MyGUI::LogLevel _level, const struct tm* _time,
-            const std::string& _message, const char* _file, int _line) override;
+            const std::string& _message, const char* _file, int _line);
 
     private:
         std::ofstream mStream;
diff --git a/components/myguiplatform/scalinglayer.cpp b/components/myguiplatform/scalinglayer.cpp
index fbd2f594c7..c04134bfad 100644
--- a/components/myguiplatform/scalinglayer.cpp
+++ b/components/myguiplatform/scalinglayer.cpp
@@ -123,8 +123,8 @@ namespace osgMyGUI
         {
             if (info->getName() == "Property")
             {
-                const std::string& key = info->findAttribute("key");
-                const std::string& value = info->findAttribute("value");
+                auto key = info->findAttribute("key");
+                auto value = info->findAttribute("value");
 
                 if (key == "Size")
                 {
diff --git a/components/widgets/box.cpp b/components/widgets/box.cpp
index 642721b807..2d81152b3a 100644
--- a/components/widgets/box.cpp
+++ b/components/widgets/box.cpp
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ namespace Gui
         notifySizeChange(this);
     }
 
-    void AutoSizedTextBox::setPropertyOverride(const std::string& _key, const std::string& _value)
+    void AutoSizedTextBox::setPropertyOverride(std::string_view _key, const std::string_view _value)
     {
         if (_key == "ExpandDirection")
         {
@@ -103,7 +103,7 @@ namespace Gui
         setEditStatic(true);
     }
 
-    void AutoSizedEditBox::setPropertyOverride(const std::string& _key, const std::string& _value)
+    void AutoSizedEditBox::setPropertyOverride(std::string_view _key, const std::string_view _value)
     {
         if (_key == "ExpandDirection")
         {
@@ -136,7 +136,7 @@ namespace Gui
         notifySizeChange(this);
     }
 
-    void AutoSizedButton::setPropertyOverride(const std::string& _key, const std::string& _value)
+    void AutoSizedButton::setPropertyOverride(std::string_view _key, const std::string_view _value)
     {
         if (_key == "ExpandDirection")
         {
@@ -147,6 +147,7 @@ namespace Gui
             Gui::Button::setPropertyOverride(_key, _value);
         }
     }
+
     Box::Box()
         : mSpacing(4)
         , mPadding(0)
@@ -159,7 +160,7 @@ namespace Gui
         align();
     }
 
-    bool Box::_setPropertyImpl(const std::string& _key, const std::string& _value)
+    bool Box::_setPropertyImpl(std::string_view _key, const std::string_view _value)
     {
         if (_key == "Spacing")
             mSpacing = MyGUI::utility::parseValue<int>(_value);
@@ -260,7 +261,7 @@ namespace Gui
         }
     }
 
-    void HBox::setPropertyOverride(const std::string& _key, const std::string& _value)
+    void HBox::setPropertyOverride(std::string_view _key, const std::string_view _value)
     {
         if (!Box::_setPropertyImpl(_key, _value))
             MyGUI::Widget::setPropertyOverride(_key, _value);
@@ -415,7 +416,7 @@ namespace Gui
         }
     }
 
-    void VBox::setPropertyOverride(const std::string& _key, const std::string& _value)
+    void VBox::setPropertyOverride(std::string_view _key, const std::string_view _value)
     {
         if (!Box::_setPropertyImpl(_key, _value))
             MyGUI::Widget::setPropertyOverride(_key, _value);
diff --git a/components/widgets/box.hpp b/components/widgets/box.hpp
index b5fcc8e9b6..699009c21f 100644
--- a/components/widgets/box.hpp
+++ b/components/widgets/box.hpp
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ namespace Gui
         void setCaption(const MyGUI::UString& _value) override;
 
     protected:
-        void setPropertyOverride(const std::string& _key, const std::string& _value) override;
+        void setPropertyOverride(std::string_view _key, std::string_view _value) override;
         std::string mFontSize;
     };
 
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ namespace Gui
         void initialiseOverride() override;
 
     protected:
-        void setPropertyOverride(const std::string& _key, const std::string& _value) override;
+        void setPropertyOverride(std::string_view _key, const std::string_view _value) override;
         int getWidth();
         std::string mFontSize;
         bool mShrink = false;
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ namespace Gui
         void setCaption(const MyGUI::UString& _value) override;
 
     protected:
-        void setPropertyOverride(const std::string& _key, const std::string& _value) override;
+        void setPropertyOverride(std::string_view _key, const std::string_view _value) override;
         std::string mFontSize;
     };
 
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ namespace Gui
     protected:
         virtual void align() = 0;
 
-        virtual bool _setPropertyImpl(const std::string& _key, const std::string& _value);
+        virtual bool _setPropertyImpl(std::string_view _key, std::string_view _value);
 
         int mSpacing; // how much space to put between elements
 
@@ -137,7 +137,7 @@ namespace Gui
         void align() override;
         MyGUI::IntSize getRequestedSize() override;
 
-        void setPropertyOverride(const std::string& _key, const std::string& _value) override;
+        void setPropertyOverride(std::string_view _key, std::string_view _value) override;
 
         void onWidgetCreated(MyGUI::Widget* _widget) override;
     };
@@ -156,7 +156,7 @@ namespace Gui
         void align() override;
         MyGUI::IntSize getRequestedSize() override;
 
-        void setPropertyOverride(const std::string& _key, const std::string& _value) override;
+        void setPropertyOverride(std::string_view _key, std::string_view _value);
 
         void onWidgetCreated(MyGUI::Widget* _widget) override;
     };
diff --git a/components/widgets/imagebutton.cpp b/components/widgets/imagebutton.cpp
index 0eb193aea3..79df471733 100644
--- a/components/widgets/imagebutton.cpp
+++ b/components/widgets/imagebutton.cpp
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ namespace Gui
         updateImage();
     }
 
-    void ImageButton::setPropertyOverride(const std::string& _key, const std::string& _value)
+    void ImageButton::setPropertyOverride(std::string_view _key, const std::string_view _value)
     {
         if (_key == "ImageHighlighted")
             mImageHighlighted = _value;
@@ -56,6 +56,7 @@ namespace Gui
         else
             ImageBox::setPropertyOverride(_key, _value);
     }
+
     void ImageButton::onMouseSetFocus(Widget* _old)
     {
         mMouseFocus = true;
diff --git a/components/widgets/imagebutton.hpp b/components/widgets/imagebutton.hpp
index 923f168ba4..90b5e6339e 100644
--- a/components/widgets/imagebutton.hpp
+++ b/components/widgets/imagebutton.hpp
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ namespace Gui
         static bool sDefaultNeedKeyFocus;
 
     protected:
-        void setPropertyOverride(const std::string& _key, const std::string& _value) override;
+        void setPropertyOverride(std::string_view _key, std::string_view _value) override;
         void onMouseLostFocus(MyGUI::Widget* _new) override;
         void onMouseSetFocus(MyGUI::Widget* _old) override;
         void onMouseButtonPressed(int _left, int _top, MyGUI::MouseButton _id) override;
diff --git a/components/widgets/list.cpp b/components/widgets/list.cpp
index b4784299a5..7ccd3e6313 100644
--- a/components/widgets/list.cpp
+++ b/components/widgets/list.cpp
@@ -107,7 +107,7 @@ namespace Gui
         mScrollView->setViewOffset(MyGUI::IntPoint(0, -viewPosition));
     }
 
-    void MWList::setPropertyOverride(const std::string& _key, const std::string& _value)
+    void MWList::setPropertyOverride(std::string_view _key, const std::string_view _value)
     {
         if (_key == "ListItemSkin")
             mListItemSkin = _value;
diff --git a/components/widgets/list.hpp b/components/widgets/list.hpp
index 88368e0794..3d5e320cf7 100644
--- a/components/widgets/list.hpp
+++ b/components/widgets/list.hpp
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ namespace Gui
 
         void scrollToTop();
 
-        void setPropertyOverride(const std::string& _key, const std::string& _value) override;
+        void setPropertyOverride(std::string_view _key, std::string_view _value) override;
 
     protected:
         void initialiseOverride() override;