diff --git a/cli/cppcheckexecutor.cpp b/cli/cppcheckexecutor.cpp
index 48a5663ad..14b3cdeb7 100644
--- a/cli/cppcheckexecutor.cpp
+++ b/cli/cppcheckexecutor.cpp
@@ -1170,7 +1170,7 @@ bool CppCheckExecutor::tryLoadLibrary(Library& destination, const char* basepath
  * Execute a shell command and read the output from it. Returns true if command terminated successfully.
  */
 // cppcheck-suppress passedByValue
-bool CppCheckExecutor::executeCommand(std::string exe, std::vector<std::string> args, std::string redirect, std::string *output)
+bool CppCheckExecutor::executeCommand(std::string exe, std::vector<std::string> args, const std::string &redirect, std::string *output)
 {
     output->clear();
 
diff --git a/cli/cppcheckexecutor.h b/cli/cppcheckexecutor.h
index ca3a09aac..63d853598 100644
--- a/cli/cppcheckexecutor.h
+++ b/cli/cppcheckexecutor.h
@@ -111,7 +111,7 @@ public:
     /**
      * Execute a shell command and read the output from it. Returns true if command terminated successfully.
      */
-    static bool executeCommand(std::string exe, std::vector<std::string> args, std::string redirect, std::string *output);
+    static bool executeCommand(std::string exe, std::vector<std::string> args, const std::string &redirect, std::string *output);
 
 protected: