diff --git a/lib/token.cpp b/lib/token.cpp
index 12ab3f97b..3ed697c31 100644
--- a/lib/token.cpp
+++ b/lib/token.cpp
@@ -39,7 +39,6 @@ Token::Token(Token **t) :
     _link(0),
     _scope(0),
     _function(0), // Initialize whole union
-    _str(""),
     _varId(0),
     _fileIndex(0),
     _linenr(0),
@@ -48,13 +47,14 @@ Token::Token(Token **t) :
     _flags(0),
     _astOperand1(nullptr),
     _astOperand2(nullptr),
-    _astParent(nullptr)
+    _astParent(nullptr),
+    _originalName(nullptr)
 {
 }
 
 Token::~Token()
 {
-
+    delete _originalName;
 }
 
 void Token::update_property_info()
@@ -174,7 +174,10 @@ void Token::deleteThis()
         _scope = _next->_scope;
         _function = _next->_function;
         _variable = _next->_variable;
-        _originalName = _next->_originalName;
+        if (_next->_originalName) {
+            _originalName = _next->_originalName;
+            _next->_originalName = nullptr;
+        }
         values = _next->values;
         if (_link)
             _link->link(this);
@@ -191,7 +194,10 @@ void Token::deleteThis()
         _scope = _previous->_scope;
         _function = _previous->_function;
         _variable = _previous->_variable;
-        _originalName = _previous->_originalName;
+        if (_previous->_originalName) {
+            _originalName = _previous->_originalName;
+            _previous->_originalName = nullptr;
+        }
         values = _previous->values;
         if (_link)
             _link->link(this);
@@ -931,7 +937,8 @@ void Token::insertToken(const std::string &tokenStr, const std::string &original
     else
         newToken = new Token(tokensBack);
     newToken->str(tokenStr);
-    newToken->_originalName = originalNameStr;
+    if (!originalNameStr.empty())
+        newToken->originalName(originalNameStr);
     newToken->_linenr = _linenr;
     newToken->_fileIndex = _fileIndex;
     newToken->_progressValue = _progressValue;
diff --git a/lib/token.h b/lib/token.h
index 45666725a..5bb7a2d3d 100644
--- a/lib/token.h
+++ b/lib/token.h
@@ -620,7 +620,7 @@ public:
      * @return the original name.
      */
     const std::string & originalName() const {
-        return _originalName;
+        return _originalName ? *_originalName : emptyString;
     }
 
     /**
@@ -628,7 +628,10 @@ public:
      */
     template<typename T>
     void originalName(T&& name) {
-        _originalName = name;
+        if (!_originalName)
+            _originalName = new std::string(name);
+        else
+            *_originalName = name;
     }
 
     /** Values of token */
@@ -687,6 +690,7 @@ private:
      */
     static int firstWordLen(const char *str);
 
+    std::string _str;
 
     Token *_next;
     Token *_previous;
@@ -699,7 +703,6 @@ private:
         const Variable *_variable;
     };
 
-    std::string _str;
     unsigned int _varId;
     unsigned int _fileIndex;
     unsigned int _linenr;
@@ -761,7 +764,7 @@ private:
     Token *_astParent;
 
     // original name like size_t
-    std::string _originalName;
+    std::string* _originalName;
 
 public:
     void astOperand1(Token *tok);
diff --git a/lib/tokenlist.cpp b/lib/tokenlist.cpp
index 668566cb1..2a4357724 100644
--- a/lib/tokenlist.cpp
+++ b/lib/tokenlist.cpp
@@ -165,7 +165,8 @@ void TokenList::addtoken(const Token * tok, const unsigned int lineno, const uns
         _front = new Token(&_back);
         _back = _front;
         _back->str(tok->str());
-        _back->originalName(tok->originalName());
+        if (!tok->originalName().empty())
+            _back->originalName(tok->originalName());
     }
 
     _back->linenr(lineno);