diff --git a/sfizz/FilePool.cpp b/sfizz/FilePool.cpp
index 7b94c791..0e1c31a2 100644
--- a/sfizz/FilePool.cpp
+++ b/sfizz/FilePool.cpp
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ std::unique_ptr<AudioBuffer<T>> readFromFile(SndfileHandle& sndFile, int numFram
     return returnedBuffer;
 }
 
-absl::optional<sfz::FilePool::FileInformation> sfz::FilePool::getFileInformation(absl::string_view filename, uint32_t offset) noexcept
+absl::optional<sfz::FilePool::FileInformation> sfz::FilePool::getFileInformation(const std::string& filename, uint32_t offset) noexcept
 {
     std::filesystem::path file { rootDirectory / filename };
     if (!std::filesystem::exists(file))
@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@ absl::optional<sfz::FilePool::FileInformation> sfz::FilePool::getFileInformation
     return returnedValue;
 }
 
-void sfz::FilePool::enqueueLoading(Voice* voice, absl::string_view sample, int numFrames, unsigned ticket) noexcept
+void sfz::FilePool::enqueueLoading(Voice* voice, const std::string* sample, int numFrames, unsigned ticket) noexcept
 {
     if (!loadingQueue.try_enqueue({ voice, sample, numFrames, ticket })) {
         DBG("Problem enqueuing a file read for file " << sample);
@@ -122,10 +122,15 @@ void sfz::FilePool::loadingThread() noexcept
             continue;
         }
 
-        DBG("Background loading of: " << fileToLoad.sample);
-        std::filesystem::path file { rootDirectory / fileToLoad.sample };
+        if (fileToLoad.sample == nullptr) {
+            DBG("Background thread error: sample is null.");
+            continue;
+        }
+
+        DBG("Background loading of: " << *fileToLoad.sample);
+        std::filesystem::path file { rootDirectory / *fileToLoad.sample };
         if (!std::filesystem::exists(file)) {
-            DBG("Background thread: no file " << fileToLoad.sample << " exists.");
+            DBG("Background thread: no file " << *fileToLoad.sample << " exists.");
             continue;
         }
 
diff --git a/sfizz/FilePool.h b/sfizz/FilePool.h
index 15c599ed..fb30c353 100644
--- a/sfizz/FilePool.h
+++ b/sfizz/FilePool.h
@@ -56,14 +56,14 @@ public:
         double sampleRate { config::defaultSampleRate };
         std::shared_ptr<AudioBuffer<float>> preloadedData;
     };
-    absl::optional<FileInformation> getFileInformation(absl::string_view filename, uint32_t offset) noexcept;
-    void enqueueLoading(Voice* voice, absl::string_view sample, int numFrames, unsigned ticket) noexcept;
+    absl::optional<FileInformation> getFileInformation(const std::string& filename, uint32_t offset) noexcept;
+    void enqueueLoading(Voice* voice, const std::string* sample, int numFrames, unsigned ticket) noexcept;
     void clear();
 private:
     std::filesystem::path rootDirectory;
     struct FileLoadingInformation {
         Voice* voice;
-        absl::string_view sample;
+        const std::string* sample;
         int numFrames;
         unsigned ticket;
     };
diff --git a/sfizz/Synth.cpp b/sfizz/Synth.cpp
index d4851d4b..8ed2729a 100644
--- a/sfizz/Synth.cpp
+++ b/sfizz/Synth.cpp
@@ -151,7 +151,8 @@ void sfz::Synth::handleControlOpcodes(const std::vector<Opcode>& members)
             break;
         case hash("Default_path"): [[fallthrough]];
         case hash("default_path"): {
-            auto newPath = std::filesystem::path(member.value);
+            auto stringPath = std::string(member.value.begin(), member.value.end());
+            auto newPath = std::filesystem::path(stringPath);
             if (std::filesystem::exists(newPath))
                 rootDirectory = newPath;
             break;
@@ -349,7 +350,7 @@ void sfz::Synth::noteOn(int delay, int channel, int noteNumber, uint8_t velocity
             voice->startVoice(region, delay, channel, noteNumber, velocity, Voice::TriggerType::NoteOn);
             if (!region->isGenerator()) {
                 voice->expectFileData(fileTicket);
-                filePool.enqueueLoading(voice, region->sample, region->trueSampleEnd(), fileTicket++);
+                filePool.enqueueLoading(voice, &region->sample, region->trueSampleEnd(), fileTicket++);
             }
         }
     }
@@ -377,7 +378,7 @@ void sfz::Synth::noteOff(int delay, int channel, int noteNumber, uint8_t velocit
             voice->startVoice(region, delay, channel, noteNumber, replacedVelocity, Voice::TriggerType::NoteOff);
             if (!region->isGenerator()) {
                 voice->expectFileData(fileTicket);
-                filePool.enqueueLoading(voice, region->sample, region->trueSampleEnd(), fileTicket++);
+                filePool.enqueueLoading(voice, &region->sample, region->trueSampleEnd(), fileTicket++);
             }
         }
     }
@@ -402,7 +403,7 @@ void sfz::Synth::cc(int delay, int channel, int ccNumber, uint8_t ccValue) noexc
             voice->startVoice(region, delay, channel, ccNumber, ccValue, Voice::TriggerType::CC);
             if (!region->isGenerator()) {
                 voice->expectFileData(fileTicket);
-                filePool.enqueueLoading(voice, region->sample, region->trueSampleEnd(), fileTicket++);
+                filePool.enqueueLoading(voice, &region->sample, region->trueSampleEnd(), fileTicket++);
             }
         }
     }