diff --git a/include/OperationDetail.h b/include/OperationDetail.h
index bf898dff..722975c4 100644
--- a/include/OperationDetail.h
+++ b/include/OperationDetail.h
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ public:
 	void set_success_and_capture_errors( bool success );
 	OperationDetailStatus get_status() const ;
 	void set_treepath( const Glib::ustring & treepath ) ;
-	Glib::ustring get_treepath() const ;
+	const Glib::ustring& get_treepath() const;
 	Glib::ustring get_elapsed_time() const ;
 	
 	void add_child( const OperationDetail & operationdetail ) ;
diff --git a/src/OperationDetail.cc b/src/OperationDetail.cc
index 89c15dc3..7447d90c 100644
--- a/src/OperationDetail.cc
+++ b/src/OperationDetail.cc
@@ -125,7 +125,8 @@ void OperationDetail::set_treepath( const Glib::ustring & treepath )
 	this ->treepath = treepath ;
 }
 
-Glib::ustring OperationDetail::get_treepath() const
+
+const Glib::ustring& OperationDetail::get_treepath() const
 {
 	return treepath ;
 }