diff --git a/core/jni/android/graphics/MinikinUtils.cpp b/core/jni/android/graphics/MinikinUtils.cpp
index 8bdbff43d379a..d1780d6526f53 100644
--- a/core/jni/android/graphics/MinikinUtils.cpp
+++ b/core/jni/android/graphics/MinikinUtils.cpp
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ FontStyle MinikinUtils::prepareMinikinPaint(MinikinPaint* minikinPaint, FontColl
     FontStyle resolved = resolvedFace->fStyle;
 
     /* Prepare minikin FontStyle */
-    std::string lang = paint->getTextLocale();
+    const std::string& lang = paint->getTextLocale();
     FontLanguage minikinLang(lang.c_str(), lang.size());
     FontVariant minikinVariant = (paint->getFontVariant() == VARIANT_ELEGANT) ? VARIANT_ELEGANT
             : VARIANT_COMPACT;
diff --git a/core/jni/android/graphics/Paint.h b/core/jni/android/graphics/Paint.h
index 1f82836d72bb6..6df22ff0964e3 100644
--- a/core/jni/android/graphics/Paint.h
+++ b/core/jni/android/graphics/Paint.h
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ public:
         mTextLocale = textLocale;
     }
 
-    std::string getTextLocale() const {
+    const std::string& getTextLocale() const {
         return mTextLocale;
     }