diff --git a/src/plugins/debugger/debuggerprotocol.h b/src/plugins/debugger/debuggerprotocol.h
index 46d0b38f8bc..57becd08e7b 100644
--- a/src/plugins/debugger/debuggerprotocol.h
+++ b/src/plugins/debugger/debuggerprotocol.h
@@ -118,7 +118,7 @@ public:
     QString readCString();
     QString readString(const std::function<bool(char)> &isValidChar);
 
-    QString buffer() const { return QString(from, to - from); }
+    QStringView buffer() const { return QStringView(from, to - from); }
     int remainingChars() const { return int(to - from); }
 
     void skipCommas();