diff --git a/include/sta/PathGroup.hh b/include/sta/PathGroup.hh
index 4d6d90dd..58bb84d9 100644
--- a/include/sta/PathGroup.hh
+++ b/include/sta/PathGroup.hh
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ public:
                                        float min_slack,
                                        float max_slack,
                                        const StaState *sta);
-  const char *name() const { return name_.c_str(); }
+  const std::string &name() const { return name_; }
   const MinMax *minMax() const { return min_max_;}
   const PathEndSeq &pathEnds() const { return path_ends_; }
   void insert(PathEnd *path_end);
diff --git a/search/ReportPath.cc b/search/ReportPath.cc
index 33fb3689..bf6d83fe 100644
--- a/search/ReportPath.cc
+++ b/search/ReportPath.cc
@@ -406,7 +406,7 @@ ReportPath::reportEndpointHeader(const PathEnd *end,
       : "max_delay/setup";
     report_->reportLine("%s group %s",
                         setup_hold,
-                        group->name());
+                        group->name().c_str());
     reportBlankLine();
     reportEndHeader();
   }
@@ -1079,11 +1079,17 @@ ReportPath::reportJson(const PathEnd *end,
 {
   std::string result;
   result += "{\n";
-  stringAppend(result, "  \"type\": \"%s\",\n", end->typeName());
-  stringAppend(result, "  \"path_group\": \"%s\",\n",
-               end->pathGroup()->name());
-  stringAppend(result, "  \"path_type\": \"%s\",\n",
-               end->minMax(this)->to_string().c_str());
+  result += "  \"type\": \"";
+  result += end->typeName();
+  result += "\",\n";
+
+  result += "  \"path_group\": \"";
+  result += end->pathGroup()->name();
+  result += "\",\n";
+
+  result += "  \"path_type\": \"";
+  result += end->minMax(this)->to_string();
+  result += "\",\n";  
 
   PathExpanded expanded(end->path(), this);
   const Pin *startpoint = expanded.startPath()->vertex(this)->pin();
@@ -1269,7 +1275,7 @@ ReportPath::reportSlackOnly(const PathEnd *end) const
 {
   std::string line;
   const EarlyLate *early_late = end->pathEarlyLate(this);
-  reportDescription(end->pathGroup()->name(), line);
+  reportDescription(end->pathGroup()->name().c_str(), line);
   if (end->isUnconstrained())
     reportSpaceFieldDelay(end->dataArrivalTimeOffset(this), early_late, line);
   else