diff --git a/src/base_media_base.h b/src/base_media_base.h
--- a/src/base_media_base.h
+++ b/src/base_media_base.h
@@ -31,9 +31,9 @@ struct MD5File {
 		CR_NO_FILE,  ///< The file did not exist
 	};
 
-	const char *filename;        ///< filename
+	std::string filename;        ///< filename
 	uint8 hash[16];              ///< md5 sum of the file
-	const char *missing_warning; ///< warning when this file is missing
+	std::string missing_warning; ///< warning when this file is missing
 	ChecksumResult check_result; ///< cached result of md5 check
 
 	ChecksumResult CheckMD5(Subdirectory subdir, size_t max_size) const;
@@ -73,11 +73,6 @@ struct BaseSet {
 	/** Free everything we allocated */
 	~BaseSet()
 	{
-		for (uint i = 0; i < NUM_FILES; i++) {
-			free(this->files[i].filename);
-			free(this->files[i].missing_warning);
-		}
-
 		delete this->next;
 	}
 
@@ -100,7 +95,7 @@ struct BaseSet {
 		return Tnum_files - this->valid_files;
 	}
 
-	bool FillSetDetails(IniFile *ini, const char *path, const char *full_filename, bool allow_empty_filename = true);
+	bool FillSetDetails(IniFile *ini, const std::string &path, const std::string &full_filename, bool allow_empty_filename = true);
 
 	/**
 	 * Get the description for the given ISO code.
@@ -147,7 +142,7 @@ struct BaseSet {
 	const char *GetTextfile(TextfileType type) const
 	{
 		for (uint i = 0; i < NUM_FILES; i++) {
-			const char *textfile = ::GetTextfile(type, BASESET_DIR, this->files[i].filename);
+			const char *textfile = ::GetTextfile(type, BASESET_DIR, this->files[i].filename.c_str());
 			if (textfile != nullptr) {
 				return textfile;
 			}
@@ -249,7 +244,7 @@ struct GraphicsSet : BaseSet<GraphicsSet
 	PaletteType palette;       ///< Palette of this graphics set
 	BlitterType blitter;       ///< Blitter of this graphics set
 
-	bool FillSetDetails(struct IniFile *ini, const char *path, const char *full_filename);
+	bool FillSetDetails(struct IniFile *ini, const std::string &path, const std::string &full_filename);
 
 	static MD5File::ChecksumResult CheckMD5(const MD5File *file, Subdirectory subdir);
 };
@@ -279,8 +274,8 @@ static const uint NUM_SONGS_AVAILABLE = 
 static const uint NUM_SONGS_PLAYLIST  = 32;
 
 /* Functions to read DOS music CAT files, similar to but not quite the same as sound effect CAT files */
-char *GetMusicCatEntryName(const char *filename, size_t entrynum);
-byte *GetMusicCatEntryData(const char *filename, size_t entrynum, size_t &entrylen);
+char *GetMusicCatEntryName(const std::string &filename, size_t entrynum);
+byte *GetMusicCatEntryData(const std::string &filename, size_t entrynum, size_t &entrylen);
 
 enum MusicTrackType {
 	MTT_STANDARDMIDI, ///< Standard MIDI file
@@ -291,7 +286,7 @@ enum MusicTrackType {
 struct MusicSongInfo {
 	std::string songname;    ///< name of song displayed in UI
 	byte tracknr;            ///< track number of song displayed in UI
-	const char *filename;    ///< file on disk containing song (when used in MusicSet class, this pointer is owned by MD5File object for the file)
+	std::string filename;    ///< file on disk containing song (when used in MusicSet class)
 	MusicTrackType filetype; ///< decoder required for song file
 	int cat_index;           ///< entry index in CAT file, for filetype==MTT_MPSMIDI
 	bool loop;               ///< song should play in a tight loop if possible, never ending
@@ -306,7 +301,7 @@ struct MusicSet : BaseSet<MusicSet, NUM_
 	/** Number of valid songs in set. */
 	byte num_available;
 
-	bool FillSetDetails(struct IniFile *ini, const char *path, const char *full_filename);
+	bool FillSetDetails(struct IniFile *ini, const std::string &path, const std::string &full_filename);
 };
 
 /** All data/functions related with replacing the base music */