diff --git a/File.cpp b/File.cpp
index 0e54e38..e4caa25 100644
--- a/File.cpp
+++ b/File.cpp
@@ -82,9 +82,8 @@ namespace coreutils {
       return std::string(buffer, size);
    }
 
-   coreutils::ZString & File::asZString() {
-      zstring = ZString(buffer, size);
-      return zstring;
+   coreutils::ZString File::asZString() {
+      return ZString(buffer, size);
    }
 
    bool File::eof() {
diff --git a/File.h b/File.h
index f24502b..73f5e2f 100644
--- a/File.h
+++ b/File.h
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ namespace coreutils {
       void write(std::string data);
       void write(coreutils::ZString &data);
       std::string asString();
-      coreutils::ZString& asZString();
+      coreutils::ZString asZString();
       char *buffer;
       size_t size;
       bool eof();