diff --git a/httpboot.c b/httpboot.c
index 3622e85..2d27e8e 100644
--- a/httpboot.c
+++ b/httpboot.c
@@ -743,14 +743,14 @@ httpboot_fetch_buffer (EFI_HANDLE image, VOID **buffer, UINT64 *buf_size)
 {
 	EFI_STATUS efi_status;
 	EFI_HANDLE nic;
-	CHAR8 *next_loader = NULL;
+	CHAR8 next_loader[sizeof DEFAULT_LOADER_CHAR];
 	CHAR8 *next_uri = NULL;
 	CHAR8 *hostname = NULL;
 
 	if (!uri)
 		return EFI_NOT_READY;
 
-	next_loader = translate_slashes(DEFAULT_LOADER_CHAR);
+	translate_slashes(next_loader, DEFAULT_LOADER_CHAR);
 
 	/* Create the URI for the next loader based on the original URI */
 	efi_status = generate_next_uri(uri, next_loader, &next_uri);
diff --git a/include/str.h b/include/str.h
index 9a74836..f73c621 100644
--- a/include/str.h
+++ b/include/str.h
@@ -45,21 +45,23 @@ strcata(CHAR8 *dest, const CHAR8 *src)
 static inline
 __attribute__((unused))
 CHAR8 *
-translate_slashes(char *str)
+translate_slashes(CHAR8 *out, const char *str)
 {
 	int i;
 	int j;
-	if (str == NULL)
-		return (CHAR8 *)str;
+	if (str == NULL || out == NULL)
+		return NULL;
 
 	for (i = 0, j = 0; str[i] != '\0'; i++, j++) {
 		if (str[i] == '\\') {
-			str[j] = '/';
+			out[j] = '/';
 			if (str[i+1] == '\\')
 				i++;
-		}
+		} else
+			out[j] = str[i];
 	}
-	return (CHAR8 *)str;
+	out[j] = '\0';
+	return out;
 }
 
 #endif /* SHIM_STR_H */
diff --git a/netboot.c b/netboot.c
index 58babfb..4922ef2 100644
--- a/netboot.c
+++ b/netboot.c
@@ -189,7 +189,9 @@ static BOOLEAN extract_tftp_info(CHAR8 *url)
 	CHAR8 *start, *end;
 	CHAR8 ip6str[40];
 	CHAR8 ip6inv[16];
-	CHAR8 *template = (CHAR8 *)translate_slashes(DEFAULT_LOADER_CHAR);
+	CHAR8 template[sizeof DEFAULT_LOADER_CHAR];
+
+	translate_slashes(template, DEFAULT_LOADER_CHAR);
 
 	// to check against str2ip6() errors
 	memset(ip6inv, 0, sizeof(ip6inv));
@@ -254,10 +256,14 @@ static EFI_STATUS parseDhcp6()
 
 static EFI_STATUS parseDhcp4()
 {
-	CHAR8 *template = (CHAR8 *)translate_slashes(DEFAULT_LOADER_CHAR);
-	INTN template_len = strlen(template) + 1;
+	CHAR8 template[sizeof DEFAULT_LOADER_CHAR];
+	INTN template_len;
+	UINTN template_ofs = 0;
 	EFI_PXE_BASE_CODE_DHCPV4_PACKET* pkt_v4 = (EFI_PXE_BASE_CODE_DHCPV4_PACKET *)&pxe->Mode->DhcpAck.Dhcpv4;
 
+	translate_slashes(template, DEFAULT_LOADER_CHAR);
+	template_len = strlen(template) + 1;
+
 	if(pxe->Mode->ProxyOfferReceived) {
 		/*
 		 * Proxy should not have precedence.  Check if DhcpAck
@@ -288,8 +294,8 @@ static EFI_STATUS parseDhcp4()
 			full_path[dir_len-1] = '\0';
 	}
 	if (dir_len == 0 && dir[0] != '/' && template[0] == '/')
-		template++;
-	strcata(full_path, template);
+		template_ofs++;
+	strcata(full_path, template + template_ofs);
 	memcpy(&tftp_addr.v4, pkt_v4->BootpSiAddr, 4);
 
 	return EFI_SUCCESS;