diff --git a/clientgui/BOINCBaseView.cpp b/clientgui/BOINCBaseView.cpp
index 0c641592ca..4337afccba 100644
--- a/clientgui/BOINCBaseView.cpp
+++ b/clientgui/BOINCBaseView.cpp
@@ -913,11 +913,11 @@ void CBOINCBaseView::AppendColumn(int){
 }
 
 
-void CBOINCBaseView::append_to_status(wxString& existing, const wxChar* additional) {
+void CBOINCBaseView::append_to_status(wxString& existing, const wxString& additional) {
     if (existing.size() == 0) {
         existing = additional;
     } else {
-        existing = existing + wxT(", ") + additional;
+        existing += wxT(", ") + additional;
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/clientgui/BOINCBaseView.h b/clientgui/BOINCBaseView.h
index 811fecbb1d..c7b4fb93fe 100644
--- a/clientgui/BOINCBaseView.h
+++ b/clientgui/BOINCBaseView.h
@@ -193,7 +193,7 @@ protected:
     bool                    _EnsureLastItemVisible();
     virtual bool            EnsureLastItemVisible();
 
-    static  void            append_to_status(wxString& existing, const wxChar* additional);
+    static  void            append_to_status(wxString& existing, const wxString& additional);
     static  wxString        HtmlEntityEncode(wxString strRaw);
     static  wxString        HtmlEntityDecode(wxString strRaw);
 
diff --git a/clientgui/MainDocument.cpp b/clientgui/MainDocument.cpp
index 0c94e5e792..7070807488 100644
--- a/clientgui/MainDocument.cpp
+++ b/clientgui/MainDocument.cpp
@@ -274,7 +274,7 @@ bool CNetworkConnection::IsComputerNameLocal(const wxString& strMachine) {
 
 
 int CNetworkConnection::SetComputer(
-    const wxChar* szComputer, const int iPort, const wxChar* szPassword,
+    const wxString& szComputer, const int iPort, const wxString& szPassword,
     const bool bUseDefaultPassword
 ) {
     m_strNewComputerName.Empty();
@@ -642,7 +642,7 @@ int CMainDocument::ResetState() {
 }
 
 
-int CMainDocument::Connect(const wxChar* szComputer, int iPort, const wxChar* szComputerPassword, const bool bDisconnect, const bool bUseDefaultPassword) {
+int CMainDocument::Connect(const wxString& szComputer, int iPort, const wxString& szComputerPassword, const bool bDisconnect, const bool bUseDefaultPassword) {
     if (IsComputerNameLocal(szComputer)) {
         // Restart client if not already running
         m_pClientManager->AutoRestart();
@@ -688,7 +688,7 @@ int CMainDocument::GetConnectingComputerName(wxString& strMachine) {
 }
 
 
-bool CMainDocument::IsComputerNameLocal(const wxString strMachine) {
+bool CMainDocument::IsComputerNameLocal(const wxString& strMachine) {
     return m_pNetworkConnection->IsComputerNameLocal(strMachine);
 }
 
diff --git a/clientgui/MainDocument.h b/clientgui/MainDocument.h
index 3b885718a9..90c10b5d9d 100644
--- a/clientgui/MainDocument.h
+++ b/clientgui/MainDocument.h
@@ -75,8 +75,7 @@ public:
     bool           IsComputerNameLocal(const wxString& strMachine);
     int            GetLocalPassword(wxString& strPassword);
     int SetComputer(
-        const wxChar* szComputer, const int iPort, const wxChar* szPassword,
-        const bool bUseDefaultPassword
+        const wxString& szComputer, const int iPort, const wxString& szPassword, const bool bUseDefaultPassword
     );
     void           SetStateError();
     void           SetStateErrorAuthentication();
@@ -134,9 +133,9 @@ public:
     int                         ResetState();
 
     int                         Connect(
-                                    const wxChar* szComputer,
+                                    const wxString& szComputer,
                                     const int iPort,
-                                    const wxChar* szComputerPassword = wxEmptyString,
+                                    const wxString& szComputerPassword = wxEmptyString,
                                     const bool bDisconnect = FALSE,
                                     const bool bUseDefaultPassword = FALSE
                                 );
@@ -152,7 +151,7 @@ public:
     int                         GetConnectedComputerName(wxString& strMachine);
     int                         GetConnectedComputerVersion(wxString& strVersion);
     int                         GetConnectingComputerName(wxString& strMachine);
-    bool                        IsComputerNameLocal(const wxString strMachine);
+    bool                        IsComputerNameLocal(const wxString& strMachine);
     bool                        IsConnected();
     bool                        IsReconnecting();