diff --git a/src/vma2pbs.rs b/src/vma2pbs.rs
index 199cf50..35abdcd 100644
--- a/src/vma2pbs.rs
+++ b/src/vma2pbs.rs
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ fn handle_pbs_error(pbs_err: *mut c_char, function_name: &str) -> Result<(), Err
     bail!("{function_name} failed: {pbs_err_str}");
 }
 
-fn create_pbs_backup_task(args: BackupVmaToPbsArgs) -> Result<*mut ProxmoxBackupHandle, Error> {
+fn create_pbs_backup_task(args: &BackupVmaToPbsArgs) -> Result<*mut ProxmoxBackupHandle, Error> {
     println!("PBS repository: {}", args.pbs_repository);
     if let Some(ns) = &args.namespace {
         println!("PBS namespace: {}", ns);
@@ -65,22 +65,31 @@ fn create_pbs_backup_task(args: BackupVmaToPbsArgs) -> Result<*mut ProxmoxBackup
 
     let mut pbs_err: *mut c_char = ptr::null_mut();
 
-    let pbs_repository_cstr = CString::new(args.pbs_repository)?;
-    let ns_cstr = CString::new(args.namespace.unwrap_or("".to_string()))?;
-    let backup_id_cstr = CString::new(args.backup_id)?;
-    let pbs_password_cstr = CString::new(args.pbs_password)?;
-    let fingerprint_cstr = CString::new(args.fingerprint)?;
-    let keyfile_cstr = args.keyfile.map(|v| CString::new(v).unwrap());
+    let pbs_repository_cstr = CString::new(args.pbs_repository.as_str())?;
+    let ns_cstr = CString::new(args.namespace.as_deref().unwrap_or(""))?;
+    let backup_id_cstr = CString::new(args.backup_id.as_str())?;
+    let pbs_password_cstr = CString::new(args.pbs_password.as_str())?;
+    let fingerprint_cstr = CString::new(args.fingerprint.as_str())?;
+    let keyfile_cstr = args
+        .keyfile
+        .as_ref()
+        .map(|v| CString::new(v.as_str()).unwrap());
     let keyfile_ptr = keyfile_cstr
         .as_ref()
         .map(|v| v.as_ptr())
         .unwrap_or(ptr::null());
-    let key_password_cstr = args.key_password.map(|v| CString::new(v).unwrap());
+    let key_password_cstr = args
+        .key_password
+        .as_ref()
+        .map(|v| CString::new(v.as_str()).unwrap());
     let key_password_ptr = key_password_cstr
         .as_ref()
         .map(|v| v.as_ptr())
         .unwrap_or(ptr::null());
-    let master_keyfile_cstr = args.master_keyfile.map(|v| CString::new(v).unwrap());
+    let master_keyfile_cstr = args
+        .master_keyfile
+        .as_ref()
+        .map(|v| CString::new(v.as_str()).unwrap());
     let master_keyfile_ptr = master_keyfile_cstr
         .as_ref()
         .map(|v| v.as_ptr())
@@ -353,7 +362,7 @@ pub fn backup_vma_to_pbs(args: BackupVmaToPbsArgs) -> Result<(), Error> {
     };
     let vma_reader = VmaReader::new(vma_file)?;
 
-    let pbs = create_pbs_backup_task(args)?;
+    let pbs = create_pbs_backup_task(&args)?;
 
     defer! {
         proxmox_backup_disconnect(pbs);