diff --git a/src/File.cc b/src/File.cc
index 4bef6712..ca3caf3a 100644
--- a/src/File.cc
+++ b/src/File.cc
@@ -294,14 +294,13 @@ std::string File::getCurrentDir()
 #endif // !__MINGW32__
 }
 
-const std::string& File::getPathSeparators()
+const char* File::getPathSeparators()
 {
 #ifdef __MINGW32__
-  static std::string s = "/\\";
+  return "/\\";
 #else // !__MINGW32__
-  static std::string s = "/";
+  return "/";
 #endif // !__MINGW32__
-  return s;
 }
 
 } // namespace aria2
diff --git a/src/File.h b/src/File.h
index 3a6ab846..d5489e72 100644
--- a/src/File.h
+++ b/src/File.h
@@ -119,8 +119,8 @@ public:
   // directory cannot be retrieved or its length is larger than 2048,
   // returns ".".
   static std::string getCurrentDir();
-  // Returns possible path separators for the underlining platform.
-  static const std::string& getPathSeparators();
+  // Returns possible path separators for the underlying platform.
+  static const char* getPathSeparators();
 };
 
 } // namespace aria2