diff --git a/include/wx/string.h b/include/wx/string.h
index 58a6ed7cd8..1ab7bd3446 100644
--- a/include/wx/string.h
+++ b/include/wx/string.h
@@ -1800,7 +1800,8 @@ public:
     // version for NUL-terminated data:
     static wxString From8BitData(const char *data)
       { return wxString(data); }
-    const char *To8BitData() const { return c_str(); }
+    const wxScopedCharBuffer To8BitData() const
+        { return wxScopedCharBuffer::CreateNonOwned(wx_str(), length()); }
 #endif // Unicode/ANSI
 
     // conversions with (possible) format conversions: have to return a
diff --git a/interface/wx/string.h b/interface/wx/string.h
index 74f34ad6da..a83d50811a 100644
--- a/interface/wx/string.h
+++ b/interface/wx/string.h
@@ -492,12 +492,7 @@ public:
 
         @see wxString::From8BitData()
     */
-    const char* To8BitData() const;
-
-    /**
-        @overload
-    */
-    const wxCharBuffer To8BitData() const;
+    const wxScopedCharBuffer To8BitData() const;
 
     /**
         Converts the string to an ASCII, 7-bit string in the form of