diff --git a/common/database.cpp b/common/database.cpp
index 20bbbc390..852b9fae5 100644
--- a/common/database.cpp
+++ b/common/database.cpp
@@ -2199,9 +2199,9 @@ int Database::GetInstanceID(uint32 char_id, uint32 zone_id) {
  * @return
  */
 bool Database::CopyCharacter(
-	std::string source_character_name,
-	std::string destination_character_name,
-	std::string destination_account_name
+	const std::string& source_character_name,
+	const std::string& destination_character_name,
+	const std::string& destination_account_name
 )
 {
 	auto results = QueryDatabase(
@@ -2213,6 +2213,7 @@ bool Database::CopyCharacter(
 
 	if (results.RowCount() == 0) {
 		LogError("No character found with name [{}]", source_character_name);
+		return false;
 	}
 
 	auto        row                 = results.begin();
@@ -2227,6 +2228,7 @@ bool Database::CopyCharacter(
 
 	if (results.RowCount() == 0) {
 		LogError("No account found with name [{}]", destination_account_name);
+		return false;
 	}
 
 	row = results.begin();
diff --git a/common/database.h b/common/database.h
index 3bd7f6ee4..41035aaeb 100644
--- a/common/database.h
+++ b/common/database.h
@@ -113,9 +113,9 @@ public:
 	bool SetMQDetectionFlag(const char *accountname, const char *charactername, const std::string &hacked, const char *zone);
 	bool UpdateName(const char *oldname, const char *newname);
 	bool CopyCharacter(
-		std::string source_character_name,
-		std::string destination_character_name,
-		std::string destination_account_name
+		const std::string& source_character_name,
+		const std::string& destination_character_name,
+		const std::string& destination_account_name
 	);
 
 	/* General Information Queries */