diff --git a/core/load-git.cpp b/core/load-git.cpp
index 8818105cb..41c166aeb 100644
--- a/core/load-git.cpp
+++ b/core/load-git.cpp
@@ -181,10 +181,9 @@ static void parse_dive_gps(char *line, struct membuffer *, struct git_parser_sta
 		add_dive_to_dive_site(state->active_dive, ds);
 	} else {
 		if (dive_site_has_gps_location(ds) && !same_location(&ds->location, &location)) {
-			char *coords = printGPSCoordsC(&location);
+			std::string coords = printGPSCoordsC(&location);
 			// we have a dive site that already has GPS coordinates
-			ds->notes = add_to_string(ds->notes, translate("gettextFromC", "multiple GPS locations for this dive site; also %s\n"), coords);
-			free(coords);
+			ds->notes = add_to_string(ds->notes, translate("gettextFromC", "multiple GPS locations for this dive site; also %s\n"), coords.c_str());
 		}
 		ds->location = location;
 	}
diff --git a/core/parse-xml.cpp b/core/parse-xml.cpp
index eb2364003..d516ab5ec 100644
--- a/core/parse-xml.cpp
+++ b/core/parse-xml.cpp
@@ -1230,9 +1230,8 @@ static void gps_in_dive(const char *buffer, struct dive *dive, struct parser_sta
 			fprintf(stderr, "dive site uuid in dive, but gps location (%10.6f/%10.6f) different from dive location (%10.6f/%10.6f)\n",
 				ds->location.lat.udeg / 1000000.0, ds->location.lon.udeg / 1000000.0,
 				location.lat.udeg / 1000000.0, location.lon.udeg / 1000000.0);
-			char *coords = printGPSCoordsC(&location);
-			ds->notes = add_to_string(ds->notes, translate("gettextFromC", "multiple GPS locations for this dive site; also %s\n"), coords);
-			free(coords);
+			std::string coords = printGPSCoordsC(&location);
+			ds->notes = add_to_string(ds->notes, translate("gettextFromC", "multiple GPS locations for this dive site; also %s\n"), coords.c_str());
 		} else {
 			ds->location = location;
 		}
diff --git a/core/qthelper.cpp b/core/qthelper.cpp
index f1077a762..ab6ce5389 100644
--- a/core/qthelper.cpp
+++ b/core/qthelper.cpp
@@ -115,9 +115,9 @@ QString printGPSCoords(const location_t *location)
 	return result;
 }
 
-extern "C" char *printGPSCoordsC(const location_t *location)
+std::string printGPSCoordsC(const location_t *location)
 {
-	return copy_qstring(printGPSCoords(location));
+	return printGPSCoords(location).toStdString();
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/core/qthelper.h b/core/qthelper.h
index 12eb24f7d..0ad4254f1 100644
--- a/core/qthelper.h
+++ b/core/qthelper.h
@@ -93,6 +93,7 @@ QLocale getLocale();
 QVector<QPair<QString, int>> selectedDivesGasUsed();
 QString getUserAgent();
 QString printGPSCoords(const location_t *loc);
+std::string printGPSCoordsC(const location_t *loc);
 std::vector<int> get_cylinder_map_for_remove(int count, int n);
 std::vector<int> get_cylinder_map_for_add(int count, int n);
 
@@ -118,7 +119,6 @@ extern "C" {
 
 struct git_info;
 
-char *printGPSCoordsC(const location_t *loc);
 bool getProxyString(char **buffer);
 bool canReachCloudServer(struct git_info *);
 void updateWindowTitle();