diff --git a/services/surfaceflinger/SurfaceTracing.cpp b/services/surfaceflinger/SurfaceTracing.cpp
index f1c4347..db78f1d 100644
--- a/services/surfaceflinger/SurfaceTracing.cpp
+++ b/services/surfaceflinger/SurfaceTracing.cpp
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@
 
 void SurfaceTracing::notify(const char* where) {
     std::lock_guard<std::mutex> sfLock(mFlinger.mDrawingStateLock);
-    mWhere = strdup(where);
+    mWhere = where;
     mConditionalVariable.notify_one();
 }
 
diff --git a/services/surfaceflinger/SurfaceTracing.h b/services/surfaceflinger/SurfaceTracing.h
index a75ac61..9484480 100644
--- a/services/surfaceflinger/SurfaceTracing.h
+++ b/services/surfaceflinger/SurfaceTracing.h
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@
 
     const SurfaceFlinger& mFlinger;
 
-    char* mWhere;
+    const char* mWhere = "";
     status_t mLastErr = NO_ERROR;
     std::thread mThread;
     std::condition_variable mConditionalVariable;