diff --git a/eek/eek-renderer.c b/eek/eek-renderer.c
index 9a9f3a98..7d2aa981 100644
--- a/eek/eek-renderer.c
+++ b/eek/eek-renderer.c
@@ -276,14 +276,12 @@ calculate_font_size_key_callback (EekElement *element, gpointer user_data)
     gdouble size;
     EekSymbol *symbol;
     EekBounds bounds;
-    gchar *label = NULL;
+    gchar *label = "M";
 
     symbol = eek_key_get_symbol (EEK_KEY(element));
     if (symbol &&
         eek_symbol_get_category (symbol) == EEK_SYMBOL_CATEGORY_LETTER)
         label = eek_symbol_get_label (symbol);
-    if (!label)
-        label = g_strdup ("M");
 
     base_font = pango_context_get_font_description (priv->pcontext);
     font = pango_font_description_copy (base_font);
@@ -296,7 +294,6 @@ calculate_font_size_key_callback (EekElement *element, gpointer user_data)
     pango_font_description_free (font);
 
     pango_layout_set_text (layout, label, -1);
-    g_free (label);
 
     pango_layout_get_extents (layout, NULL, &extents);
     g_object_unref (layout);
@@ -495,7 +492,6 @@ eek_renderer_real_render_key_label (EekRenderer *self,
     pango_font_description_set_size (font, size * priv->scale * scale);
     pango_layout_set_font_description (layout, font);
     pango_layout_set_text (layout, label, -1);
-    g_free (label);
     pango_layout_set_width (layout,
                             PANGO_SCALE * bounds.width * priv->scale * scale);
     pango_layout_set_ellipsize (layout, PANGO_ELLIPSIZE_END);
diff --git a/eek/eek-symbol.c b/eek/eek-symbol.c
index 78f16077..b53b610c 100644
--- a/eek/eek-symbol.c
+++ b/eek/eek-symbol.c
@@ -277,7 +277,7 @@ eek_symbol_set_label (EekSymbol   *symbol,
     priv->label = g_strdup (label);
 }
 
-gchar *
+G_CONST_RETURN gchar *
 eek_symbol_get_label (EekSymbol *symbol)
 {
     EekSymbolPrivate *priv;
@@ -287,7 +287,7 @@ eek_symbol_get_label (EekSymbol *symbol)
     priv = EEK_SYMBOL_GET_PRIVATE(symbol);
     if (priv->label == NULL || *priv->label == '\0')
         return NULL;
-    return g_strdup (priv->label);
+    return priv->label;
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/eek/eek-symbol.h b/eek/eek-symbol.h
index 24fd8f1b..5ff4d852 100644
--- a/eek/eek-symbol.h
+++ b/eek/eek-symbol.h
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@ void                  eek_symbol_set_name      (EekSymbol        *symbol,
 G_CONST_RETURN gchar *eek_symbol_get_name      (EekSymbol        *symbol);
 void                  eek_symbol_set_label     (EekSymbol        *symbol,
                                                 const gchar      *label);
-gchar                *eek_symbol_get_label     (EekSymbol        *symbol);
+G_CONST_RETURN gchar *eek_symbol_get_label     (EekSymbol        *symbol);
 void                  eek_symbol_set_category  (EekSymbol        *symbol,
                                                 EekSymbolCategory category);
 EekSymbolCategory     eek_symbol_get_category  (EekSymbol        *symbol);