--- a/src/config.cpp
+++ b/src/config.cpp
@@ -78,6 +78,7 @@
 // makefile.
 char *get_config_location(bool write) {
 #ifdef LINUX
+	static char *config_path = NULL;
 	// Get the path to the config file
 	string tmp = get_tomatoes_dir() + "config.cfg";
 
@@ -90,8 +91,11 @@
 		}
 		fclose(ftest);
 	}
-
-	return (char*)tmp.c_str();
+       if (!config_path) {
+		config_path = new char[tmp.length()+1];
+		strcpy(config_path,tmp.c_str());
+	}
+	return config_path;
 #endif
 
 	// Return the CONFIG_DIR