diff --git a/server/TracyEvent.hpp b/server/TracyEvent.hpp
index cfc6edf3..31096c22 100644
--- a/server/TracyEvent.hpp
+++ b/server/TracyEvent.hpp
@@ -39,6 +39,18 @@ struct StringRef
     uint8_t active  : 1;
 };
 
+struct StringIdx
+{
+    StringIdx() : active( 0 ) {}
+    StringIdx( uint32_t idx )
+        : idx( idx )
+        , active( 1 )
+    {}
+
+    uint32_t idx    : 31;
+    uint32_t active : 1;
+};
+
 struct SourceLocation
 {
     StringRef name;
@@ -59,7 +71,7 @@ struct ZoneEvent
     int8_t cpu_start;
     int8_t cpu_end;
 
-    StringRef text;
+    StringIdx text;
     Vector<ZoneEvent*> child;
 };
 
diff --git a/server/TracyView.cpp b/server/TracyView.cpp
index f2499972..f3f7ef6a 100644
--- a/server/TracyView.cpp
+++ b/server/TracyView.cpp
@@ -686,7 +686,7 @@ void View::ProcessZoneText( const QueueZoneText& ev )
     auto it = m_pendingCustomStrings.find( ev.text );
     assert( it != m_pendingCustomStrings.end() );
     m_lock.lock();
-    zone->text = StringRef( StringRef::Idx, it->second.idx );
+    zone->text = StringIdx( it->second.idx );
     m_lock.unlock();
     m_pendingCustomStrings.erase( it );
 }
@@ -1403,6 +1403,12 @@ const char* View::GetString( const StringRef& ref ) const
     }
 }
 
+const char* View::GetString( const StringIdx& idx ) const
+{
+    assert( idx.active );
+    return m_stringData[idx.idx];
+}
+
 const char* View::GetThreadString( uint64_t id ) const
 {
     const auto it = m_threadNames.find( id );
diff --git a/server/TracyView.hpp b/server/TracyView.hpp
index 30f73836..9462157a 100644
--- a/server/TracyView.hpp
+++ b/server/TracyView.hpp
@@ -109,6 +109,7 @@ private:
     int64_t GetZoneEnd( const GpuEvent& ev ) const;
     const char* GetString( uint64_t ptr ) const;
     const char* GetString( const StringRef& ref ) const;
+    const char* GetString( const StringIdx& idx ) const;
     const char* GetThreadString( uint64_t id ) const;
     const SourceLocation& GetSourceLocation( int32_t srcloc ) const;