diff --git a/src/ebusd/network.cpp b/src/ebusd/network.cpp
index 56795f20..b4ec6239 100644
--- a/src/ebusd/network.cpp
+++ b/src/ebusd/network.cpp
@@ -168,7 +168,8 @@ void Connection::run() {
 
         // wait for result
         logDebug(lf_network, "[%05d] wait for result", getID());
-        string result = message.getResult();
+        string result;
+        message.getResult(&result);
 
         if (!m_socket->isValid()) {
           break;
diff --git a/src/ebusd/network.h b/src/ebusd/network.h
index a2c0ae6d..00971b39 100644
--- a/src/ebusd/network.h
+++ b/src/ebusd/network.h
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ class NetMessage {
    * Constructor.
    * @param isHttp whether this is a HTTP message.
    */
-  explicit NetMessage(const bool isHttp)
+  explicit NetMessage(bool isHttp)
     : m_isHttp(isHttp), m_resultSet(false), m_disconnect(false), m_listening(false), m_listenSince(0) {
     pthread_mutex_init(&m_mutex, NULL);
     pthread_cond_init(&m_cond, NULL);
@@ -88,19 +88,19 @@ class NetMessage {
    * Return the request string.
    * @return the request string.
    */
-  string getRequest() const { return m_request; }
+  const string& getRequest() const { return m_request; }
 
   /**
    * Return the current user name.
    * @return the current user name.
    */
-  string getUser() const { return m_user; }
+  const string& getUser() const { return m_user; }
 
   /**
    * Wait for the result being set and return the result string.
-   * @return the result string.
+   * @param result the variable in which to store the result string.
    */
-  string getResult() {
+  void getResult(string* result) {
     pthread_mutex_lock(&m_mutex);
 
     while (!m_resultSet) {
@@ -110,12 +110,10 @@ class NetMessage {
       }
     }
     m_request.clear();
-    string result = m_result;
+    *result = m_result;
     m_result.clear();
     m_resultSet = false;
     pthread_mutex_unlock(&m_mutex);
-
-    return result;
   }
 
   /**
@@ -126,8 +124,7 @@ class NetMessage {
    * @param listenUntil the end time to which to updates were added (exclusive).
    * @param disconnect true when the client shall be disconnected.
    */
-  void setResult(const string result, const string user, const bool listening, const time_t listenUntil,
-      const bool disconnect) {
+  void setResult(const string& result, const string& user, bool listening, time_t listenUntil, bool disconnect) {
     pthread_mutex_lock(&m_mutex);
     m_result = result;
     m_user = user;
@@ -144,7 +141,12 @@ class NetMessage {
    * @param listenSince set to the start time from which to add updates (inclusive).
    * @return whether the client is in listening mode.
    */
-  bool isListening(time_t* listenSince=NULL) { if (listenSince) { *listenSince = m_listenSince; } return m_listening; }
+  bool isListening(time_t* listenSince = NULL) {
+    if (listenSince) {
+      *listenSince = m_listenSince;
+    }
+    return m_listening;
+  }
 
   /**
    * Return whether the client shall be disconnected.