diff --git a/src/nm-logging.c b/src/nm-logging.c
index 1a406625c..f6853d7b9 100644
--- a/src/nm-logging.c
+++ b/src/nm-logging.c
@@ -263,10 +263,10 @@ nm_logging_setup (const char  *level,
 	return TRUE;
 }
 
-char *
+const char *
 nm_logging_level_to_string (void)
 {
-	return g_strdup (level_names[log_level]);
+	return level_names[log_level];
 }
 
 const char *
diff --git a/src/nm-logging.h b/src/nm-logging.h
index 3eef7eb0c..fdc64de43 100644
--- a/src/nm-logging.h
+++ b/src/nm-logging.h
@@ -114,7 +114,7 @@ void _nm_log (const char *loc,
               const char *fmt,
               ...) __attribute__((__format__ (__printf__, 5, 6)));
 
-char *nm_logging_level_to_string (void);
+const char *nm_logging_level_to_string (void);
 char *nm_logging_domains_to_string (void);
 gboolean nm_logging_enabled (guint32 level, guint64 domain);
 
diff --git a/src/nm-manager.c b/src/nm-manager.c
index e0bb4dc9f..70af13521 100644
--- a/src/nm-manager.c
+++ b/src/nm-manager.c
@@ -4089,12 +4089,10 @@ impl_manager_set_logging (NMManager *manager,
 	}
 
 	if (nm_logging_setup (level, domains, NULL, &error)) {
-		char *new_level = nm_logging_level_to_string ();
 		char *new_domains = nm_logging_domains_to_string ();
 
 		nm_log_info (LOGD_CORE, "logging: level '%s' domains '%s'",
-		             new_level, new_domains);
-		g_free (new_level);
+		             nm_logging_level_to_string (), new_domains);
 		g_free (new_domains);
 	}
 
@@ -4111,7 +4109,7 @@ impl_manager_get_logging (NMManager *manager,
                           char **level,
                           char **domains)
 {
-	*level = nm_logging_level_to_string ();
+	*level = g_strdup (nm_logging_level_to_string ());
 	*domains = nm_logging_domains_to_string ();
 }