diff --git a/src/menu/menu.h b/src/menu/menu.h
index aa4058f87..04ae7e3f7 100644
--- a/src/menu/menu.h
+++ b/src/menu/menu.h
@@ -418,7 +418,7 @@ public:
 
 class FPlayerNameBox : public FListMenuItemSelectable
 {
-	const char *mText;
+	FString mText;
 	FFont *mFont;
 	EColorRange mFontColor;
 	int mFrameSize;
@@ -447,7 +447,7 @@ public:
 class FValueTextItem : public FListMenuItemSelectable
 {
 	TArray<FString> mSelections;
-	const char *mText;
+	FString mText;
 	int mSelection;
 	FFont *mFont;
 	EColorRange mFontColor;
@@ -472,7 +472,7 @@ public:
 
 class FSliderItem : public FListMenuItemSelectable
 {
-	const char *mText;
+	FString mText;
 	FFont *mFont;
 	EColorRange mFontColor;
 	int mMinrange, mMaxrange;
@@ -539,7 +539,7 @@ public:
 class FOptionMenuItem : public FListMenuItem
 {
 protected:
-	char *mLabel;
+	FString mLabel;
 	bool mCentered;
 
 	void drawLabel(int indent, int y, EColorRange color, bool grayed = false);
@@ -548,7 +548,7 @@ public:
 	FOptionMenuItem(const char *text, FName action = NAME_None, bool center = false)
 		: FListMenuItem(0, 0, action)
 	{
-		mLabel = copystring(text);
+		mLabel = text;
 		mCentered = center;
 	}
 
diff --git a/src/menu/optionmenu.cpp b/src/menu/optionmenu.cpp
index f6633c76a..efea7d910 100644
--- a/src/menu/optionmenu.cpp
+++ b/src/menu/optionmenu.cpp
@@ -479,7 +479,6 @@ void DOptionMenu::Drawer ()
 
 FOptionMenuItem::~FOptionMenuItem()
 {
-	if (mLabel != NULL) delete [] mLabel;
 }
 
 int FOptionMenuItem::Draw(FOptionMenuDescriptor *desc, int y, int indent, bool selected)
@@ -507,14 +506,14 @@ int  FOptionMenuItem::GetIndent()
 	{
 		return 0;
 	}
-	const char *label = mLabel;
+	const char *label = mLabel.GetChars();
 	if (*label == '$') label = GStrings(label+1);
 	return SmallFont->StringWidth(label);
 }
 
 void FOptionMenuItem::drawLabel(int indent, int y, EColorRange color, bool grayed)
 {
-	const char *label = mLabel;
+	const char *label = mLabel.GetChars();
 	if (*label == '$') label = GStrings(label+1);
 
 	int overlay = grayed? MAKEARGB(96,48,0,0) : 0;
diff --git a/src/menu/optionmenuitems.h b/src/menu/optionmenuitems.h
index ec1ad5832..76718809e 100644
--- a/src/menu/optionmenuitems.h
+++ b/src/menu/optionmenuitems.h
@@ -131,7 +131,7 @@ public:
 			msg = GStrings(msg + 1);
 		}
 
-		const char *actionLabel = mLabel;
+		const char *actionLabel = mLabel.GetChars();
 		if (actionLabel != NULL)
 		{
 			if (*actionLabel == '$')
@@ -536,7 +536,7 @@ public:
 
 	int Draw(FOptionMenuDescriptor *desc, int y, int indent, bool selected)
 	{
-		const char *txt = mCurrent? mAltText.GetChars() : mLabel;
+		const char *txt = mCurrent? mAltText.GetChars() : mLabel.GetChars();
 		if (*txt == '$') txt = GStrings(txt + 1);
 		int w = SmallFont->StringWidth(txt) * CleanXfac_1;
 		int x = (screen->GetWidth() - w) / 2;
diff --git a/src/menu/playermenu.cpp b/src/menu/playermenu.cpp
index cf63283ba..ce542c2f2 100644
--- a/src/menu/playermenu.cpp
+++ b/src/menu/playermenu.cpp
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ EXTERN_CVAR (Bool, cl_run)
 FPlayerNameBox::FPlayerNameBox(int x, int y, int height, int frameofs, const char *text, FFont *font, EColorRange color, FName action)
 : FListMenuItemSelectable(x, y, height, action)
 {
-	mText = copystring(text);
+	mText = text;
 	mFont = font;
 	mFontColor = color;
 	mFrameSize = frameofs;
@@ -74,7 +74,6 @@ FPlayerNameBox::FPlayerNameBox(int x, int y, int height, int frameofs, const cha
 
 FPlayerNameBox::~FPlayerNameBox()
 {
-	if (mText != NULL) delete [] mText;
 }
 
 //=============================================================================
@@ -220,7 +219,7 @@ bool FPlayerNameBox::MenuEvent(int mkey, bool fromcontroller)
 FValueTextItem::FValueTextItem(int x, int y, int height, const char *text, FFont *font, EColorRange color, EColorRange valuecolor, FName action, FName values)
 : FListMenuItemSelectable(x, y, height, action)
 {
-	mText = copystring(text);
+	mText = text;
 	mFont = font;
 	mFontColor = color;
 	mFontColor2 = valuecolor;
@@ -240,7 +239,6 @@ FValueTextItem::FValueTextItem(int x, int y, int height, const char *text, FFont
 
 FValueTextItem::~FValueTextItem()
 {
-	if (mText != NULL) delete [] mText;
 }
 
 //=============================================================================
@@ -341,7 +339,7 @@ void FValueTextItem::Drawer(bool selected)
 FSliderItem::FSliderItem(int x, int y, int height, const char *text, FFont *font, EColorRange color, FName action, int min, int max, int step)
 : FListMenuItemSelectable(x, y, height, action)
 {
-	mText = copystring(text);
+	mText = text;
 	mFont = font;
 	mFontColor = color;
 	mSelection = 0;
@@ -352,7 +350,6 @@ FSliderItem::FSliderItem(int x, int y, int height, const char *text, FFont *font
 
 FSliderItem::~FSliderItem()
 {
-	if (mText != NULL) delete [] mText;
 }
 
 //=============================================================================