diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/character.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/character.cpp
index 312a325cc1..1922a87dab 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/character.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/character.cpp
@@ -928,9 +928,9 @@ CharacterController::~CharacterController()
     }
 }
 
-void CharacterController::handleTextKey(const std::string &groupname, SceneUtil::TextKeyMap::ConstIterator key, const SceneUtil::TextKeyMap& map)
+void CharacterController::handleTextKey(std::string_view groupname, SceneUtil::TextKeyMap::ConstIterator key, const SceneUtil::TextKeyMap& map)
 {
-    const std::string &evt = key->second;
+    std::string_view evt = key->second;
 
     if(evt.compare(0, 7, "sound: ") == 0)
     {
@@ -942,7 +942,7 @@ void CharacterController::handleTextKey(const std::string &groupname, SceneUtil:
     auto& charClass = mPtr.getClass();
     if(evt.compare(0, 10, "soundgen: ") == 0)
     {
-        std::string soundgen = evt.substr(10);
+        std::string soundgen = std::string(evt.substr(10));
 
         // The event can optionally contain volume and pitch modifiers
         float volume=1.f, pitch=1.f;
@@ -1022,16 +1022,18 @@ void CharacterController::handleTextKey(const std::string &groupname, SceneUtil:
     {
         std::multimap<float, std::string>::const_iterator hitKey = key;
 
+        std::string hitKeyName = std::string(groupname) + ": hit";
+        std::string stopKeyName = std::string(groupname) + ": stop";
         // Not all animations have a hit key defined. If there is none, the hit happens with the start key.
         bool hasHitKey = false;
         while (hitKey != map.end())
         {
-            if (hitKey->second == groupname + ": hit")
+            if (hitKey->second == hitKeyName)
             {
                 hasHitKey = true;
                 break;
             }
-            if (hitKey->second == groupname + ": stop")
+            if (hitKey->second == stopKeyName)
                 break;
             ++hitKey;
         }
@@ -2658,7 +2660,7 @@ std::string CharacterController::getMovementBasedAttackType() const
     return "chop";
 }
 
-bool CharacterController::isRandomAttackAnimation(const std::string& group)
+bool CharacterController::isRandomAttackAnimation(std::string_view group)
 {
     return (group == "attack1" || group == "swimattack1" ||
             group == "attack2" || group == "swimattack2" ||
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/character.hpp b/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/character.hpp
index abbc04f8f9..ac53dd4d45 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/character.hpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/character.hpp
@@ -209,7 +209,7 @@ class CharacterController : public MWRender::Animation::TextKeyListener
     void updateIdleStormState(bool inwater) const;
 
     std::string chooseRandomAttackAnimation() const;
-    static bool isRandomAttackAnimation(const std::string& group);
+    static bool isRandomAttackAnimation(std::string_view group);
 
     bool isPersistentAnimPlaying() const;
 
@@ -246,7 +246,7 @@ public:
 
     const MWWorld::Ptr& getPtr() const { return mPtr; }
 
-    void handleTextKey(const std::string &groupname, SceneUtil::TextKeyMap::ConstIterator key, const SceneUtil::TextKeyMap& map) override;
+    void handleTextKey(std::string_view groupname, SceneUtil::TextKeyMap::ConstIterator key, const SceneUtil::TextKeyMap& map) override;
 
     // Be careful when to call this, see comment in Actors
     void updateContinuousVfx() const;
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwrender/animation.hpp b/apps/openmw/mwrender/animation.hpp
index 1bad0f8d95..ed1ddb78d2 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwrender/animation.hpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwrender/animation.hpp
@@ -149,7 +149,7 @@ public:
     class TextKeyListener
     {
     public:
-        virtual void handleTextKey(const std::string &groupname, SceneUtil::TextKeyMap::ConstIterator key,
+        virtual void handleTextKey(std::string_view groupname, SceneUtil::TextKeyMap::ConstIterator key,
                                    const SceneUtil::TextKeyMap& map) = 0;
 
         virtual ~TextKeyListener() = default;