diff --git a/netwerk/cache2/CacheEntry.cpp b/netwerk/cache2/CacheEntry.cpp
index 76a1c275a032..53759c00deb5 100644
--- a/netwerk/cache2/CacheEntry.cpp
+++ b/netwerk/cache2/CacheEntry.cpp
@@ -1052,16 +1052,15 @@ NS_IMETHODIMP CacheEntry::GetSecurityInfo(nsISupports * *aSecurityInfo)
 
   NS_ENSURE_SUCCESS(mFileStatus, NS_ERROR_NOT_AVAILABLE);
 
-  char const* info;
+  nsXPIDLCString info;
   nsCOMPtr<nsISupports> secInfo;
   nsresult rv;
 
-  rv = mFile->GetElement("security-info", &info);
+  rv = mFile->GetElement("security-info", getter_Copies(info));
   NS_ENSURE_SUCCESS(rv, rv);
 
   if (info) {
-    rv = NS_DeserializeObject(nsDependentCString(info),
-                              getter_AddRefs(secInfo));
+    rv = NS_DeserializeObject(info, getter_AddRefs(secInfo));
     NS_ENSURE_SUCCESS(rv, rv);
   }
 
@@ -1148,15 +1147,7 @@ NS_IMETHODIMP CacheEntry::GetMetaDataElement(const char * aKey, char * *aRetval)
 {
   NS_ENSURE_SUCCESS(mFileStatus, NS_ERROR_NOT_AVAILABLE);
 
-  const char *value;
-  nsresult rv = mFile->GetElement(aKey, &value);
-  NS_ENSURE_SUCCESS(rv, rv);
-
-  if (!value)
-    return NS_ERROR_NOT_AVAILABLE;
-
-  *aRetval = NS_strdup(value);
-  return NS_OK;
+  return mFile->GetElement(aKey, aRetval);
 }
 
 NS_IMETHODIMP CacheEntry::SetMetaDataElement(const char * aKey, const char * aValue)
diff --git a/netwerk/cache2/CacheFile.cpp b/netwerk/cache2/CacheFile.cpp
index f951cf2ae158..5c2f2e07aaef 100644
--- a/netwerk/cache2/CacheFile.cpp
+++ b/netwerk/cache2/CacheFile.cpp
@@ -775,13 +775,18 @@ CacheFile::ThrowMemoryCachedData()
 }
 
 nsresult
-CacheFile::GetElement(const char *aKey, const char **_retval)
+CacheFile::GetElement(const char *aKey, char **_retval)
 {
   CacheFileAutoLock lock(this);
   MOZ_ASSERT(mMetadata);
   NS_ENSURE_TRUE(mMetadata, NS_ERROR_UNEXPECTED);
 
-  *_retval = mMetadata->GetElement(aKey);
+  const char *value;
+  value = mMetadata->GetElement(aKey);
+  if (!value)
+    return NS_ERROR_NOT_AVAILABLE;
+
+  *_retval = NS_strdup(value);
   return NS_OK;
 }
 
diff --git a/netwerk/cache2/CacheFile.h b/netwerk/cache2/CacheFile.h
index 75fac399a913..0e6069ee641b 100644
--- a/netwerk/cache2/CacheFile.h
+++ b/netwerk/cache2/CacheFile.h
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ public:
   nsresult   ThrowMemoryCachedData();
 
   // metadata forwarders
-  nsresult GetElement(const char *aKey, const char **_retval);
+  nsresult GetElement(const char *aKey, char **_retval);
   nsresult SetElement(const char *aKey, const char *aValue);
   nsresult ElementsSize(uint32_t *_retval);
   nsresult SetExpirationTime(uint32_t aExpirationTime);