diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwbase/windowmanager.hpp b/apps/openmw/mwbase/windowmanager.hpp
index 8ea9e5cefe..d1daa101db 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwbase/windowmanager.hpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwbase/windowmanager.hpp
@@ -213,7 +213,7 @@ namespace MWBase
              * @param id Identifier for the GMST setting, e.g. "aName"
              * @param default Default value if the GMST setting cannot be used.
              */
-            virtual const std::string &getGameSettingString(const std::string &id, const std::string &default_) = 0;
+            virtual std::string getGameSettingString(const std::string &id, const std::string &default_) = 0;
 
             virtual void processChangedSettings(const Settings::CategorySettingVector& changed) = 0;
 
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwgui/windowmanagerimp.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwgui/windowmanagerimp.cpp
index 87a2bc4401..2b592e2ca2 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwgui/windowmanagerimp.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwgui/windowmanagerimp.cpp
@@ -520,9 +520,9 @@ int WindowManager::readPressedButton ()
     return mMessageBoxManager->readPressedButton();
 }
 
-const std::string &WindowManager::getGameSettingString(const std::string &id, const std::string &default_)
+std::string WindowManager::getGameSettingString(const std::string &id, const std::string &default_)
 {
-    const ESM::GameSetting *setting = MWBase::Environment::get().getWorld()->getStore().gameSettings.find(id);
+    const ESM::GameSetting *setting = MWBase::Environment::get().getWorld()->getStore().gameSettings.search(id);
     if (setting && setting->mType == ESM::VT_String)
         return setting->getString();
     return default_;
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwgui/windowmanagerimp.hpp b/apps/openmw/mwgui/windowmanagerimp.hpp
index e30e110d35..f67559ccdd 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwgui/windowmanagerimp.hpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwgui/windowmanagerimp.hpp
@@ -196,7 +196,7 @@ namespace MWGui
      * @param id Identifier for the GMST setting, e.g. "aName"
      * @param default Default value if the GMST setting cannot be used.
      */
-    virtual const std::string &getGameSettingString(const std::string &id, const std::string &default_);
+    virtual std::string getGameSettingString(const std::string &id, const std::string &default_);
 
     virtual void processChangedSettings(const Settings::CategorySettingVector& changed);