diff --git a/src/apps/poorman/StatusSlider.cpp b/src/apps/poorman/StatusSlider.cpp
index 68aad6c08b..7a08d04823 100644
--- a/src/apps/poorman/StatusSlider.cpp
+++ b/src/apps/poorman/StatusSlider.cpp
@@ -25,5 +25,6 @@ StatusSlider::UpdateText() const
 {
 	fStr.Truncate(0);
 	fFormat.Format(fStr, Value());
-	return fStr.String();
+	strcpy(fPattern, fStr.String());
+	return fPattern;
 }
diff --git a/src/apps/poorman/StatusSlider.h b/src/apps/poorman/StatusSlider.h
index 1f3c53ff6a..69be9a074e 100644
--- a/src/apps/poorman/StatusSlider.h
+++ b/src/apps/poorman/StatusSlider.h
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ public:
 	virtual const char*	UpdateText() const;
 
 private:
+	mutable char			fPattern[256];
 	BMessageFormat			fFormat;
 	mutable	BString			fStr;
 };