diff --git a/source/blender/animrig/ANIM_rna.hh b/source/blender/animrig/ANIM_rna.hh
index d2fcb8f24f0..a22a5e6ea14 100644
--- a/source/blender/animrig/ANIM_rna.hh
+++ b/source/blender/animrig/ANIM_rna.hh
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
  * \brief Helper functions for animation to interact with the RNA system.
  */
 
+#include "BLI_string_ref.hh"
 #include "BLI_vector.hh"
 #include "DNA_action_types.h"
 #include "RNA_types.hh"
@@ -18,6 +19,6 @@ namespace blender::animrig {
 Vector<float> get_rna_values(PointerRNA *ptr, PropertyRNA *prop);
 
 /** Get the rna path for the given rotation mode. */
-std::string get_rotation_mode_path(eRotationModes rotation_mode);
+StringRef get_rotation_mode_path(eRotationModes rotation_mode);
 
 }  // namespace blender::animrig
diff --git a/source/blender/animrig/intern/anim_rna.cc b/source/blender/animrig/intern/anim_rna.cc
index 91393288928..2167b7a5e6f 100644
--- a/source/blender/animrig/intern/anim_rna.cc
+++ b/source/blender/animrig/intern/anim_rna.cc
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ Vector<float> get_rna_values(PointerRNA *ptr, PropertyRNA *prop)
   return values;
 }
 
-std::string get_rotation_mode_path(const eRotationModes rotation_mode)
+StringRef get_rotation_mode_path(const eRotationModes rotation_mode)
 {
   switch (rotation_mode) {
     case ROT_MODE_QUAT: