diff --git a/src/userregistry.cpp b/src/userregistry.cpp
index c6287faf99854f712bb9b877550836bc9be67f14..684db5609ce943a9170295bf73bdc524fef3a0a2 100644
--- a/src/userregistry.cpp
+++ b/src/userregistry.cpp
@@ -116,10 +116,10 @@ void UserRegistry::onPasswordInvalid(const Swift::JID &user) {
 	}
 }
 
-const std::string &UserRegistry::getUserPassword(const std::string &barejid) {
+const std::string UserRegistry::getUserPassword(const std::string &barejid) {
 	if (users.find(barejid) != users.end())
 		return users[barejid].password;
-	return empty;
+	return "";
 }
 
 }