diff --git a/src/libcamera/pipeline/rpi/common/rpi_stream.cpp b/src/libcamera/pipeline/rpi/common/rpi_stream.cpp
index 3690667e9aa6..b7e4130f5e56 100644
--- a/src/libcamera/pipeline/rpi/common/rpi_stream.cpp
+++ b/src/libcamera/pipeline/rpi/common/rpi_stream.cpp
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ V4L2VideoDevice *Stream::dev() const
 	return dev_.get();
 }
 
-std::string Stream::name() const
+const std::string &Stream::name() const
 {
 	return name_;
 }
diff --git a/src/libcamera/pipeline/rpi/common/rpi_stream.h b/src/libcamera/pipeline/rpi/common/rpi_stream.h
index 1aae674967e1..b8c74de35863 100644
--- a/src/libcamera/pipeline/rpi/common/rpi_stream.h
+++ b/src/libcamera/pipeline/rpi/common/rpi_stream.h
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ public:
 	}
 
 	V4L2VideoDevice *dev() const;
-	std::string name() const;
+	const std::string &name() const;
 	bool isImporter() const;
 	void resetBuffers();