diff --git a/extras/tests/JsonVariant/as.cpp b/extras/tests/JsonVariant/as.cpp
index 2291c6b5..17f451ed 100644
--- a/extras/tests/JsonVariant/as.cpp
+++ b/extras/tests/JsonVariant/as.cpp
@@ -136,6 +136,7 @@ TEST_CASE("JsonVariant::as()") {
 
     REQUIRE(variant.as<long>() == 42L);
     REQUIRE(variant.as<JsonString>() == "42");
+    REQUIRE(variant.as<JsonString>().isStatic() == true);
   }
 
   SECTION("set(\"hello\")") {
@@ -158,6 +159,7 @@ TEST_CASE("JsonVariant::as()") {
     REQUIRE(variant.as<const char*>() == std::string("4.2"));
     REQUIRE(variant.as<std::string>() == std::string("4.2"));
     REQUIRE(variant.as<JsonString>() == "4.2");
+    REQUIRE(variant.as<JsonString>().isStatic() == false);
   }
 
   SECTION("set(\"true\")") {
diff --git a/src/ArduinoJson/Variant/ConverterImpl.hpp b/src/ArduinoJson/Variant/ConverterImpl.hpp
index 38e8f4b0..236ed612 100644
--- a/src/ArduinoJson/Variant/ConverterImpl.hpp
+++ b/src/ArduinoJson/Variant/ConverterImpl.hpp
@@ -120,7 +120,7 @@ struct Converter<const char*> {
 
   static const char* fromJson(VariantConstRef src) {
     const VariantData* data = getData(src);
-    return data ? data->asString() : 0;
+    return data ? data->asString().c_str() : 0;
   }
 
   static bool checkJson(VariantConstRef src) {
@@ -137,7 +137,7 @@ struct Converter<String> {
 
   static String fromJson(VariantConstRef src) {
     const VariantData* data = getData(src);
-    return data ? String(data->asString(), false) : 0;
+    return data ? data->asString() : 0;
   }
 
   static bool checkJson(VariantConstRef src) {
@@ -158,9 +158,9 @@ template <typename T>
 inline typename enable_if<IsWriteableString<T>::value>::type convertFromJson(
     VariantConstRef src, T& dst) {
   const VariantData* data = getData(src);
-  const char* cstr = data != 0 ? data->asString() : 0;
-  if (cstr)
-    dst = cstr;
+  String str = data != 0 ? data->asString() : 0;
+  if (str)
+    dst = str.c_str();
   else
     serializeJson(src, dst);
 }
diff --git a/src/ArduinoJson/Variant/VariantData.hpp b/src/ArduinoJson/Variant/VariantData.hpp
index 388b7e25..5627c51d 100644
--- a/src/ArduinoJson/Variant/VariantData.hpp
+++ b/src/ArduinoJson/Variant/VariantData.hpp
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 #include <ArduinoJson/Memory/MemoryPool.hpp>
 #include <ArduinoJson/Misc/SerializedValue.hpp>
 #include <ArduinoJson/Numbers/convertNumber.hpp>
+#include <ArduinoJson/Strings/String.hpp>
 #include <ArduinoJson/Strings/StringAdapters.hpp>
 #include <ArduinoJson/Variant/VariantContent.hpp>
 
@@ -76,7 +77,7 @@ class VariantData {
   template <typename T>
   T asFloat() const;
 
-  const char *asString() const;
+  String asString() const;
 
   bool asBoolean() const;
 
diff --git a/src/ArduinoJson/Variant/VariantImpl.hpp b/src/ArduinoJson/Variant/VariantImpl.hpp
index ea49a92f..e87557aa 100644
--- a/src/ArduinoJson/Variant/VariantImpl.hpp
+++ b/src/ArduinoJson/Variant/VariantImpl.hpp
@@ -70,11 +70,12 @@ inline T VariantData::asFloat() const {
   }
 }
 
-inline const char *VariantData::asString() const {
+inline String VariantData::asString() const {
   switch (type()) {
     case VALUE_IS_LINKED_STRING:
+      return String(_content.asString, true);
     case VALUE_IS_OWNED_STRING:
-      return _content.asString;
+      return String(_content.asString, false);
     default:
       return 0;
   }