diff --git a/zone/bot_database.cpp b/zone/bot_database.cpp
index 3ae90b68b..f43bde970 100644
--- a/zone/bot_database.cpp
+++ b/zone/bot_database.cpp
@@ -2367,7 +2367,7 @@ const uint8 BotDatabase::GetBotLevelByID(const uint32 bot_id)
 	return e.bot_id ? e.level : 0;
 }
 
-const std::string& BotDatabase::GetBotNameByID(const uint32 bot_id)
+const std::string BotDatabase::GetBotNameByID(const uint32 bot_id)
 {
 	const auto& e = BotDataRepository::FindOne(database, bot_id);
 
diff --git a/zone/bot_database.h b/zone/bot_database.h
index 0a03fa60e..5758a5bf1 100644
--- a/zone/bot_database.h
+++ b/zone/bot_database.h
@@ -164,7 +164,7 @@ public:
 	const uint8 GetBotGenderByID(const uint32 bot_id);
 	std::vector<uint32> GetBotIDsByCharacterID(const uint32 character_id, uint8 class_id = Class::None);
 	const uint8 GetBotLevelByID(const uint32 bot_id);
-	const std::string& GetBotNameByID(const uint32 bot_id);
+	const std::string GetBotNameByID(const uint32 bot_id);
 	const uint16 GetBotRaceByID(const uint32 bot_id);
 
 	class fail {