diff --git a/gtk/gtkbuilderparser.c b/gtk/gtkbuilderparser.c
index 9a4b4062e2..6e42972e90 100644
--- a/gtk/gtkbuilderparser.c
+++ b/gtk/gtkbuilderparser.c
@@ -1015,19 +1015,19 @@ start_element (GMarkupParseContext *context,
 		   element_name);
 }
 
-gchar *
+const gchar *
 _gtk_builder_parser_translate (const gchar *domain,
 			       const gchar *context,
 			       const gchar *text)
 {
-  const char *s;
+  const gchar *s;
 
   if (context)
     s = g_dpgettext2 (domain, context, text);
   else
     s = g_dgettext (domain, text);
 
-  return g_strdup (s);
+  return s;
 }
 
 /* Called for close tags </foo> */
@@ -1128,15 +1128,14 @@ end_element (GMarkupParseContext *context,
 
           if (prop_info->translatable && prop_info->text->len)
             {
-	      prop_info->data = _gtk_builder_parser_translate (data->domain,
-							       prop_info->context,
-							       prop_info->text->str);
+              prop_info->data = g_strdup (_gtk_builder_parser_translate (data->domain,
+                                                                         prop_info->context,
+                                                                         prop_info->text->str));
               g_string_free (prop_info->text, TRUE);
             }
           else
             {
               prop_info->data = g_string_free (prop_info->text, FALSE);
-              
             }
 
           object_info->properties =
diff --git a/gtk/gtkbuilderprivate.h b/gtk/gtkbuilderprivate.h
index 9af96d9865..346459c678 100644
--- a/gtk/gtkbuilderprivate.h
+++ b/gtk/gtkbuilderprivate.h
@@ -148,9 +148,9 @@ gboolean  _gtk_builder_flags_from_string (GType       type,
 					  const char *string,
 					  guint      *value,
 					  GError    **error);
-gchar * _gtk_builder_parser_translate (const gchar *domain,
-				       const gchar *context,
-				       const gchar *text);
+const gchar * _gtk_builder_parser_translate (const gchar *domain,
+                                             const gchar *context,
+                                             const gchar *text);
 gchar *   _gtk_builder_get_resource_path (GtkBuilder *builder,
 					  const gchar *string);
 gchar *   _gtk_builder_get_absolute_filename (GtkBuilder *builder,
diff --git a/gtk/gtkcelllayout.c b/gtk/gtkcelllayout.c
index f9e0ce8d06..4f6425de8b 100644
--- a/gtk/gtkcelllayout.c
+++ b/gtk/gtkcelllayout.c
@@ -812,7 +812,7 @@ cell_packing_end_element (GMarkupParseContext *context,
       /* translate the string */
       if (parser_data->string->len && parser_data->translatable)
 	{
-	  gchar *translated;
+	  const gchar *translated;
 	  const gchar* domain;
 
 	  domain = gtk_builder_get_translation_domain (parser_data->builder);
diff --git a/gtk/gtkcomboboxtext.c b/gtk/gtkcomboboxtext.c
index e09f3ef3c4..3a3154b13b 100644
--- a/gtk/gtkcomboboxtext.c
+++ b/gtk/gtkcomboboxtext.c
@@ -234,7 +234,7 @@ item_end_element (GMarkupParseContext *context,
     {
       if (data->translatable)
 	{
-	  gchar *translated;
+	  const gchar *translated;
 
 	  /* FIXME: This will not use the domain set in the .ui file,
 	   * since the parser is not telling the builder about the domain.
diff --git a/gtk/gtkcontainer.c b/gtk/gtkcontainer.c
index 09bfffabd1..4a642df2af 100644
--- a/gtk/gtkcontainer.c
+++ b/gtk/gtkcontainer.c
@@ -664,8 +664,8 @@ attributes_end_element (GMarkupParseContext *context,
   /* translate the string */
   if (parser_data->string->len && parser_data->translatable)
     {
-      gchar *translated;
-      const gchar* domain;
+      const gchar *translated;
+      const gchar *domain;
 
       domain = gtk_builder_get_translation_domain (parser_data->builder);
 
diff --git a/gtk/gtkliststore.c b/gtk/gtkliststore.c
index 467bac0f15..11dae3f923 100644
--- a/gtk/gtkliststore.c
+++ b/gtk/gtkliststore.c
@@ -2555,9 +2555,9 @@ list_store_text (GMarkupParseContext *context,
        * since the parser is not telling the builder about the domain.
        * However, it will work for gtk_builder_set_translation_domain() calls.
        */
-      translated = _gtk_builder_parser_translate (data->domain,
-						  info->context,
-						  string);
+      translated = g_strdup (_gtk_builder_parser_translate (data->domain,
+                                                            info->context,
+                                                            string));
       g_free (string);
       string = translated;
     }
diff --git a/gtk/gtkscale.c b/gtk/gtkscale.c
index 4f739d8079..6abd82e1c6 100644
--- a/gtk/gtkscale.c
+++ b/gtk/gtkscale.c
@@ -1880,7 +1880,7 @@ gtk_scale_buildable_custom_finished (GtkBuildable *buildable,
   if (strcmp (tagname, "marks") == 0)
     {
       GSList *m;
-      gchar *markup;
+      const gchar *markup;
 
       marks_data = (MarksSubparserData *)user_data;
 
diff --git a/gtk/gtkwidget.c b/gtk/gtkwidget.c
index f2f239f050..f32dab1f49 100644
--- a/gtk/gtkwidget.c
+++ b/gtk/gtkwidget.c
@@ -13522,7 +13522,7 @@ gtk_widget_buildable_custom_finished (GtkBuildable *buildable,
 
 	          if (i < n_actions)
                     {
-                      gchar *description;
+                      const gchar *description;
 
                       if (action_data->translatable && action_data->description->len)
                         description = _gtk_builder_parser_translate (gtk_builder_get_translation_domain (builder),