diff --git a/module/Base/Utility.cpp b/module/Base/Utility.cpp
index bcd87ddd..9ce7a8ce 100644
--- a/module/Base/Utility.cpp
+++ b/module/Base/Utility.cpp
@@ -298,6 +298,14 @@ String & NullString()
     return s;
 }
 
+// ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+String & StringRef(const SQChar * str)
+{
+    static String s;
+    s.assign(str);
+    return s;
+}
+
 // ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 CSStr ConvNum< Int8 >::ToStr(Int8 v)
 {
diff --git a/module/Base/Utility.hpp b/module/Base/Utility.hpp
index e7123435..779429f4 100644
--- a/module/Base/Utility.hpp
+++ b/module/Base/Utility.hpp
@@ -137,6 +137,11 @@ Function & NullFunction();
 */
 String & NullString();
 
+/* ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+ * Retrieve a reference to a static string with a specific value.
+*/
+String & StringRef(const SQChar * str);
+
 /* ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  * Compute the next power of two for the specified number.
 */
diff --git a/module/Core.cpp b/module/Core.cpp
index 63d7a0d5..6dc8d89f 100644
--- a/module/Core.cpp
+++ b/module/Core.cpp
@@ -581,21 +581,21 @@ void Core::EnableNullEntities()
 }
 
 // ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-CSStr Core::GetOption(CSStr name) const
+const String & Core::GetOption(const String & name) const
 {
     auto elem = m_Options.find(name);
-    return (elem == m_Options.end()) ? _SC("") : elem->second.c_str();
+    return (elem == m_Options.end()) ? NullString() : elem->second;
 }
 
 // ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-CSStr Core::GetOption(CSStr name, CSStr value) const
+const String & Core::GetOption(const String & name, const String & value) const
 {
     auto elem = m_Options.find(name);
-    return (elem == m_Options.end()) ? value : elem->second.c_str();
+    return (elem == m_Options.end()) ? value : elem->second;
 }
 
 // ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-void Core::SetOption(CSStr name, CSStr value)
+void Core::SetOption(const String & name, const String & value)
 {
     m_Options[name] = value;
 }
diff --git a/module/Core.hpp b/module/Core.hpp
index f9371198..0fc736c9 100644
--- a/module/Core.hpp
+++ b/module/Core.hpp
@@ -811,17 +811,17 @@ public:
     /* --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      * Retrieve the value of the specified option.
     */
-    CSStr GetOption(CSStr name) const;
+    const String & GetOption(const String & name) const;
 
     /* --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      * Retrieve the value of the specified option or the fall back value if it doesn't exist.
     */
-    CSStr GetOption(CSStr name, CSStr value) const;
+    const String & GetOption(const String & name, const String & value) const;
 
     /* --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      * Modify the value of the specified option.
     */
-    void SetOption(CSStr name, CSStr value);
+    void SetOption(const String & name, const String & value);
 
     /* --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      * Retrieve the script source associated with a certain path in the scripts list.
diff --git a/module/Core/Funcs.inc b/module/Core/Funcs.inc
index be12ac10..9f179901 100644
--- a/module/Core/Funcs.inc
+++ b/module/Core/Funcs.inc
@@ -145,21 +145,21 @@ static void SqSetAreasEnabled(bool toggle)
 }
 
 // ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-static CSStr SqGetOption(CSStr name)
+static const String & SqGetOption(StackStrF & name)
 {
-    return Core::Get().GetOption(name);
+    return Core::Get().GetOption(String(name.mPtr, name.mLen));
 }
 
 // ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-static CSStr SqGetOptionOr(CSStr name, CSStr value)
+static const String & SqGetOptionOr(StackStrF & name, StackStrF & value)
 {
-    return Core::Get().GetOption(name, value);
+    return Core::Get().GetOption(String(name.mPtr, name.mLen), StringRef(value.mPtr));
 }
 
 // ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-static void SqSetOption(CSStr name, CSStr value)
+static void SqSetOption(StackStrF & name, StackStrF & value)
 {
-    return Core::Get().SetOption(name, value);
+    Core::Get().SetOption(String(name.mPtr, name.mLen), String(value.mPtr, value.mLen));
 }
 
 // ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------