diff --git a/include/ftxui/screen/string.hpp b/include/ftxui/screen/string.hpp
index 2d199bc..15849a4 100644
--- a/include/ftxui/screen/string.hpp
+++ b/include/ftxui/screen/string.hpp
@@ -21,8 +21,8 @@ int wstring_width_cjk(const std::wstring&);
 /// references toward a shared representation.
 class StringRef {
  public:
-  StringRef(std::wstring& ref);
   StringRef(std::wstring* ref);
+  StringRef(std::wstring ref);
   StringRef(const wchar_t* ref);
   StringRef(const char* ref);
 
@@ -38,8 +38,8 @@ class StringRef {
 /// references toward  shared representation.
 class ConstStringRef {
  public:
-  ConstStringRef(const std::wstring& ref);
   ConstStringRef(const std::wstring* ref);
+  ConstStringRef(std::wstring ref);
   ConstStringRef(const wchar_t* ref);
   ConstStringRef(const char* ref);
 
diff --git a/src/ftxui/screen/string.cpp b/src/ftxui/screen/string.cpp
index 7f13b6b..6b0ea92 100644
--- a/src/ftxui/screen/string.cpp
+++ b/src/ftxui/screen/string.cpp
@@ -25,8 +25,8 @@ std::wstring to_wstring(const std::string& s) {
 #pragma warning(pop)
 #endif
 
-StringRef::StringRef(std::wstring& ref) : borrowed_(&ref) {}
 StringRef::StringRef(std::wstring* ref) : borrowed_(ref) {}
+StringRef::StringRef(std::wstring ref) : owned_(std::move(ref)) {}
 StringRef::StringRef(const wchar_t* ref) : owned_(ref) {}
 StringRef::StringRef(const char* ref) : owned_(to_wstring(std::string(ref))) {}
 std::wstring& StringRef::operator*() {
@@ -36,8 +36,8 @@ std::wstring* StringRef::operator->() {
   return borrowed_ ? borrowed_ : &owned_;
 }
 
-ConstStringRef::ConstStringRef(const std::wstring& ref) : borrowed_(&ref) {}
 ConstStringRef::ConstStringRef(const std::wstring* ref) : borrowed_(ref) {}
+ConstStringRef::ConstStringRef(std::wstring ref) : owned_(std::move(ref)) {}
 ConstStringRef::ConstStringRef(const wchar_t* ref) : owned_(ref) {}
 ConstStringRef::ConstStringRef(const char* ref)
     : owned_(to_wstring(std::string(ref))) {}