diff --git a/src/crashlog.cpp b/src/crashlog.cpp
index 7c478e10cb..0f054d21e3 100644
--- a/src/crashlog.cpp
+++ b/src/crashlog.cpp
@@ -246,7 +246,7 @@ char *CrashLog::LogConfiguration(char *buffer, const char *last) const
 			BlitterFactory::GetCurrentBlitter() == nullptr ? "none" : BlitterFactory::GetCurrentBlitter()->GetName(),
 			BaseGraphics::GetUsedSet() == nullptr ? "none" : BaseGraphics::GetUsedSet()->name.c_str(),
 			BaseGraphics::GetUsedSet() == nullptr ? UINT32_MAX : BaseGraphics::GetUsedSet()->version,
-			_current_language == nullptr ? "none" : _current_language->file,
+			_current_language == nullptr ? "none" : _current_language->file.c_str(),
 			MusicDriver::GetInstance() == nullptr ? "none" : MusicDriver::GetInstance()->GetName(),
 			BaseMusic::GetUsedSet() == nullptr ? "none" : BaseMusic::GetUsedSet()->name.c_str(),
 			BaseMusic::GetUsedSet() == nullptr ? UINT32_MAX : BaseMusic::GetUsedSet()->version,
diff --git a/src/game/game_text.cpp b/src/game/game_text.cpp
index 5f44ff3ea0..9bd9003d73 100644
--- a/src/game/game_text.cpp
+++ b/src/game/game_text.cpp
@@ -403,7 +403,7 @@ void ReconsiderGameScriptLanguage()
 	if (_current_data == nullptr) return;
 
 	char temp[MAX_PATH];
-	strecpy(temp, _current_language->file, lastof(temp));
+	strecpy(temp, _current_language->file.c_str(), lastof(temp));
 
 	/* Remove the extension */
 	char *l = strrchr(temp, '.');
diff --git a/src/language.h b/src/language.h
index 7e1ed3bc47..a75fd375f6 100644
--- a/src/language.h
+++ b/src/language.h
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ static_assert(sizeof(LanguagePackHeader) % 4 == 0);
 
 /** Metadata about a single language. */
 struct LanguageMetadata : public LanguagePackHeader {
-	char file[MAX_PATH]; ///< Name of the file we read this data from.
+	std::string file; ///< Name of the file we read this data from.
 };
 
 /** Type for the list of language meta data. */
diff --git a/src/strings.cpp b/src/strings.cpp
index 2b396a016b..a0a1ff6e0b 100644
--- a/src/strings.cpp
+++ b/src/strings.cpp
@@ -2404,13 +2404,14 @@ static void GetLanguageList(const char *path)
 			if (extension == nullptr || strcmp(extension, ".lng") != 0) continue;
 
 			LanguageMetadata lmd;
-			seprintf(lmd.file, lastof(lmd.file), "%s%s", path, d_name.c_str());
+			lmd.file = path;
+			lmd.file += d_name;
 
 			/* Check whether the file is of the correct version */
-			if (!GetLanguageFileHeader(lmd.file, &lmd)) {
-				DEBUG(misc, 3, "%s is not a valid language file", lmd.file);
+			if (!GetLanguageFileHeader(lmd.file.c_str(), &lmd)) {
+				DEBUG(misc, 3, "%s is not a valid language file", lmd.file.c_str());
 			} else if (GetLanguage(lmd.newgrflangid) != nullptr) {
-				DEBUG(misc, 3, "%s's language ID is already known", lmd.file);
+				DEBUG(misc, 3, "%s's language ID is already known", lmd.file.c_str());
 			} else {
 				_languages.push_back(lmd);
 			}