diff --git a/dwarf_loader.c b/dwarf_loader.c
index 95673f8..48469a4 100644
--- a/dwarf_loader.c
+++ b/dwarf_loader.c
@@ -1059,7 +1059,7 @@ static struct function *function__new(Dwarf_Die *die, struct cu *cu)
 		ftype__init(&func->proto, die, cu);
 		lexblock__init(&func->lexblock, cu, die);
 		func->name	      = strings__add(strings, attr_string(die, DW_AT_name));
-		func->linkage_name    = strings__add(strings, attr_string(die, DW_AT_MIPS_linkage_name));
+		func->linkage_name    = strdup_attr_string(die, DW_AT_MIPS_linkage_name);
 		func->inlined	      = attr_numeric(die, DW_AT_inline);
 		func->declaration     = dwarf_hasattr(die, DW_AT_declaration);
 		func->external	      = dwarf_hasattr(die, DW_AT_external);
diff --git a/dwarves.h b/dwarves.h
index 9752c8d5..75d003d 100644
--- a/dwarves.h
+++ b/dwarves.h
@@ -807,7 +807,7 @@ struct function {
 	struct lexblock	 lexblock;
 	struct rb_node	 rb_node;
 	strings_t	 name;
-	strings_t	 linkage_name;
+	const char	 *linkage_name;
 	uint32_t	 cu_total_size_inline_expansions;
 	uint16_t	 cu_total_nr_inline_expansions;
 	uint8_t		 inlined:2;
@@ -854,10 +854,9 @@ static __pure inline int tag__is_function(const struct tag *tag)
 
 const char *function__name(struct function *func, const struct cu *cu);
 
-static inline const char *function__linkage_name(const struct function *func,
-						 const struct cu *cu)
+static inline const char *function__linkage_name(const struct function *func)
 {
-	return cu__string(cu, func->linkage_name);
+	return func->linkage_name;
 }
 
 size_t function__fprintf_stats(const struct tag *tag_func,
diff --git a/dwarves_fprintf.c b/dwarves_fprintf.c
index 9e76f51..37537ca 100644
--- a/dwarves_fprintf.c
+++ b/dwarves_fprintf.c
@@ -1349,7 +1349,7 @@ static size_t class__vtable_fprintf(struct class *class, const struct cu *cu,
 		printed += fprintf(fp, "%.*s   [%d] = %s(%s), \n",
 				   conf->indent, tabs, pos->vtable_entry,
 				   function__name(pos, cu),
-				   function__linkage_name(pos, cu));
+				   function__linkage_name(pos));
 	}
 
 	printed += fprintf(fp, "%.*s} */", conf->indent, tabs);
@@ -1936,8 +1936,7 @@ size_t tag__fprintf(struct tag *tag, const struct cu *cu,
 		const struct function *func = tag__function(tag);
 
 		if (func->linkage_name)
-			printed += fprintf(fp, " /* linkage=%s */",
-					   function__linkage_name(func, cu));
+			printed += fprintf(fp, " /* linkage=%s */", function__linkage_name(func));
 	}
 
 	if (pconf->expand_types)