diff --git a/src/qml/debugger/qqmldebugservice.cpp b/src/qml/debugger/qqmldebugservice.cpp
index b37a7335a0..a171c26ea7 100644
--- a/src/qml/debugger/qqmldebugservice.cpp
+++ b/src/qml/debugger/qqmldebugservice.cpp
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ QQmlDebugService::~QQmlDebugService()
         inst->removeService(this);
 }
 
-QString QQmlDebugService::name() const
+const QString &QQmlDebugService::name() const
 {
     Q_D(const QQmlDebugService);
     return d->name;
diff --git a/src/qml/debugger/qqmldebugservice_p.h b/src/qml/debugger/qqmldebugservice_p.h
index db4f1c1152..9e1ae6fda3 100644
--- a/src/qml/debugger/qqmldebugservice_p.h
+++ b/src/qml/debugger/qqmldebugservice_p.h
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ class Q_QML_PRIVATE_EXPORT QQmlDebugService : public QObject
 public:
     ~QQmlDebugService();
 
-    QString name() const;
+    const QString &name() const;
     float version() const;
 
     enum State { NotConnected, Unavailable, Enabled };