diff --git a/include/mbgl/style/layer.hpp b/include/mbgl/style/layer.hpp
index 10176879c..61706d400 100644
--- a/include/mbgl/style/layer.hpp
+++ b/include/mbgl/style/layer.hpp
@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ public:
     }
 
     LayerType getType() const;
-    const std::string& getID() const;
+    std::string getID() const;
 
     // Visibility
     VisibilityType getVisibility() const;
diff --git a/include/mbgl/style/source.hpp b/include/mbgl/style/source.hpp
index d19dfd4e3..cec961945 100644
--- a/include/mbgl/style/source.hpp
+++ b/include/mbgl/style/source.hpp
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ public:
     }
 
     SourceType getType() const;
-    const std::string& getID() const;
+    std::string getID() const;
     optional<std::string> getAttribution() const;
 
     // Private implementation
diff --git a/src/mbgl/style/layer.cpp b/src/mbgl/style/layer.cpp
index fe51dd09c..142fe313c 100644
--- a/src/mbgl/style/layer.cpp
+++ b/src/mbgl/style/layer.cpp
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ LayerType Layer::getType() const {
     return baseImpl->type;
 }
 
-const std::string& Layer::getID() const {
+std::string Layer::getID() const {
     return baseImpl->id;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/mbgl/style/source.cpp b/src/mbgl/style/source.cpp
index 4fcebc837..e7701b8be 100644
--- a/src/mbgl/style/source.cpp
+++ b/src/mbgl/style/source.cpp
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ SourceType Source::getType() const {
     return baseImpl->type;
 }
 
-const std::string& Source::getID() const {
+std::string Source::getID() const {
     return baseImpl->id;
 }