diff --git a/src/util/system.cpp b/src/util/system.cpp
index b0af7eb30b..9ecadeabce 100644
--- a/src/util/system.cpp
+++ b/src/util/system.cpp
@@ -420,7 +420,7 @@ std::optional<unsigned int> ArgsManager::GetArgFlags(const std::string& name) co
     return std::nullopt;
 }
 
-const fs::path& ArgsManager::GetBlocksDirPath() const
+const fs::path ArgsManager::GetBlocksDirPath() const
 {
     LOCK(cs_args);
     fs::path& path = m_cached_blocks_path;
@@ -445,7 +445,7 @@ const fs::path& ArgsManager::GetBlocksDirPath() const
     return path;
 }
 
-const fs::path& ArgsManager::GetDataDir(bool net_specific) const
+const fs::path ArgsManager::GetDataDir(bool net_specific) const
 {
     LOCK(cs_args);
     fs::path& path = net_specific ? m_cached_network_datadir_path : m_cached_datadir_path;
diff --git a/src/util/system.h b/src/util/system.h
index 1ae230d4f8..4ab1905459 100644
--- a/src/util/system.h
+++ b/src/util/system.h
@@ -288,7 +288,7 @@ protected:
      *
      * @return Blocks path which is network specific
      */
-    const fs::path& GetBlocksDirPath() const;
+    const fs::path GetBlocksDirPath() const;
 
     /**
      * Get data directory path
@@ -296,7 +296,7 @@ protected:
      * @return Absolute path on success, otherwise an empty path when a non-directory path would be returned
      * @post Returned directory path is created unless it is empty
      */
-    const fs::path& GetDataDirBase() const { return GetDataDir(false); }
+    const fs::path GetDataDirBase() const { return GetDataDir(false); }
 
     /**
      * Get data directory path with appended network identifier
@@ -304,7 +304,7 @@ protected:
      * @return Absolute path on success, otherwise an empty path when a non-directory path would be returned
      * @post Returned directory path is created unless it is empty
      */
-    const fs::path& GetDataDirNet() const { return GetDataDir(true); }
+    const fs::path GetDataDirNet() const { return GetDataDir(true); }
 
     fs::path GetBackupsDirPath();
 
@@ -483,7 +483,7 @@ private:
      * @return Absolute path on success, otherwise an empty path when a non-directory path would be returned
      * @post Returned directory path is created unless it is empty
      */
-    const fs::path& GetDataDir(bool net_specific) const;
+    const fs::path GetDataDir(bool net_specific) const;
 
     // Helper function for LogArgs().
     void logArgsPrefix(