diff --git a/io.cpp b/io.cpp
index a48d9d3e..bc769f78 100644
--- a/io.cpp
+++ b/io.cpp
@@ -200,8 +200,8 @@ path_error::path_error (const std::experimental::filesystem::path &_path):
 
 
 //-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-const char*
+const std::experimental::filesystem::path&
 path_error::path (void) const noexcept
 {
-    return m_path.string ().c_str ();
+    return m_path;
 }
diff --git a/io.hpp b/io.hpp
index ff25d6c4..3fb61dac 100644
--- a/io.hpp
+++ b/io.hpp
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ namespace util {
     public:
         path_error (const std::experimental::filesystem::path &path);
 
-        const char* path (void) const noexcept;
+        const std::experimental::filesystem::path& path (void) const noexcept;
 
     private:
         const std::experimental::filesystem::path m_path;