diff --git a/source/frontends/ncurses/resources.cpp b/source/frontends/ncurses/resources.cpp
index fbc6796a..fb359079 100644
--- a/source/frontends/ncurses/resources.cpp
+++ b/source/frontends/ncurses/resources.cpp
@@ -6,13 +6,13 @@
 
 #include "Log.h"
 
-HRSRC FindResource(void *, const std::string & filename, const char *)
+HRSRC FindResource(void *, const char * filename, const char *)
 {
   HRSRC result;
 
-  if (!filename.empty())
+  if (filename)
   {
-    const std::string path = "resource/" + filename;
+    const std::string path = std::string("resource/") + filename;
 
     int fd = open(path.c_str(), O_RDONLY);
 
@@ -31,15 +31,15 @@ HRSRC FindResource(void *, const std::string & filename, const char *)
 
   if (result.data.empty())
   {
-    LogFileOutput("FindResource: could not load resource %s\n", filename.c_str());
+    LogFileOutput("FindResource: could not load resource %s\n", filename);
   }
 
   return result;
 }
 
-HBITMAP LoadBitmap(HINSTANCE hInstance, const std::string & filename)
+HBITMAP LoadBitmap(HINSTANCE hInstance, const char * filename)
 {
-  LogFileOutput("LoadBitmap: not loading resource %s\n", filename.c_str());
+  LogFileOutput("LoadBitmap: not loading resource %s\n", filename);
   return nullptr;
 }
 
diff --git a/source/frontends/qapple/qresources.cpp b/source/frontends/qapple/qresources.cpp
index c82ae5ed..abfa7c09 100644
--- a/source/frontends/qapple/qresources.cpp
+++ b/source/frontends/qapple/qresources.cpp
@@ -5,13 +5,13 @@
 
 #include "Log.h"
 
-HRSRC FindResource(void *, const std::string & filename, const char *)
+HRSRC FindResource(void *, const char * filename, const char *)
 {
     HRSRC result;
 
-    if (!filename.empty())
+    if (filename)
     {
-        const std::string path = ":/resources/" + filename;
+        const std::string path = std::string(":/resources/") + filename;
 
         QFile res(QString::fromStdString(path));
         if (res.exists() && res.open(QIODevice::ReadOnly))
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ HRSRC FindResource(void *, const std::string & filename, const char *)
 
     if (result.data.empty())
     {
-          LogFileOutput("FindResource: could not load resource %s\n", filename.c_str());
+          LogFileOutput("FindResource: could not load resource %s\n", filename);
     }
 
     return result;
@@ -34,20 +34,20 @@ struct CBITMAP : public CHANDLE
     QImage image;
 };
 
-HBITMAP LoadBitmap(HINSTANCE hInstance, const std::string & filename)
+HBITMAP LoadBitmap(HINSTANCE hInstance, const char * filename)
 {
     Q_UNUSED(hInstance)
 
     QImage image;
-    if (!filename.empty())
+    if (filename)
     {
-        const std::string path = ":/resources/" + filename + ".BMP";
+        const std::string path = std::string(":/resources/") + filename + ".BMP";
         image = QImage(QString::fromStdString(path));
     }
 
     if (image.isNull())
     {
-        LogFileOutput("LoadBitmap: could not load resource %s\n", filename.c_str());
+        LogFileOutput("LoadBitmap: could not load resource %s\n", filename);
         return nullptr;
     }
     else
diff --git a/source/linux/interface.h b/source/linux/interface.h
index 6e1261db..2975820f 100644
--- a/source/linux/interface.h
+++ b/source/linux/interface.h
@@ -9,10 +9,10 @@
 
 // Resources
 
-HRSRC FindResource(void *, const std::string & filename, const char *);
+HRSRC FindResource(void *, const char * filename, const char *);
 
 // Bitmap
-HBITMAP LoadBitmap(HINSTANCE hInstance, const std::string & filename);
+HBITMAP LoadBitmap(HINSTANCE hInstance, const char * filename);
 LONG GetBitmapBits(HBITMAP hbit, LONG cb, LPVOID lpvBits);
 
 
diff --git a/source/linux/windows/bitmap.h b/source/linux/windows/bitmap.h
index f90050f9..46b1620f 100644
--- a/source/linux/windows/bitmap.h
+++ b/source/linux/windows/bitmap.h
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ typedef HANDLE HBITMAP;
 typedef HANDLE HGDIOBJ;
 
 // Bitmap
-HBITMAP LoadBitmap(HINSTANCE hInstance, const std::string & filename);
+HBITMAP LoadBitmap(HINSTANCE hInstance, const char * filename);
 LONG GetBitmapBits(HBITMAP hbit, LONG cb, LPVOID lpvBits);
 
 BOOL DeleteObject(HGDIOBJ ho);
diff --git a/source/linux/windows/resources.cpp b/source/linux/windows/resources.cpp
index d1266216..086a55a1 100644
--- a/source/linux/windows/resources.cpp
+++ b/source/linux/windows/resources.cpp
@@ -2,9 +2,6 @@
 #include "../resource/resource.h"
 #include "Log.h"
 
-// forward declared
-HRSRC FindResource(void *, const std::string & filename, const char *);
-
 const char * MAKEINTRESOURCE(int x)
 {
   switch (x)
diff --git a/source/linux/windows/resources.h b/source/linux/windows/resources.h
index 9d37c5fc..95dd57fd 100644
--- a/source/linux/windows/resources.h
+++ b/source/linux/windows/resources.h
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ struct HRSRC : public CHANDLE
 };
 
 const char * MAKEINTRESOURCE(int x);
-HRSRC FindResource(void *, const std::string & filename, const char *);
+HRSRC FindResource(void *, const char * filename, const char *);
 DWORD SizeofResource(void *, const HRSRC &);
 HGLOBAL LoadResource(void *, HRSRC &);
 BYTE * LockResource(HGLOBAL);
diff --git a/test/TestCPU6502/dummy.cpp b/test/TestCPU6502/dummy.cpp
index cdf9e1d4..4e051223 100644
--- a/test/TestCPU6502/dummy.cpp
+++ b/test/TestCPU6502/dummy.cpp
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ void unregisterSoundBuffer(IDirectSoundBuffer * buffer)
 
 // Resources
 
-HRSRC FindResource(void *, const std::string & filename, const char *)
+HRSRC FindResource(void *, const char * filename, const char *)
 {
   return HRSRC();
 }
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ int MessageBox(HWND, const char * text, const char * caption, UINT type) { retur
 
 // Bitmap
 
-HBITMAP LoadBitmap(HINSTANCE hInstance, const std::string & filename)
+HBITMAP LoadBitmap(HINSTANCE hInstance, const char * filename)
 {
   return nullptr;
 }