diff --git a/lldb/include/lldb/Target/TraceCursor.h b/lldb/include/lldb/Target/TraceCursor.h
--- a/lldb/include/lldb/Target/TraceCursor.h
+++ b/lldb/include/lldb/Target/TraceCursor.h
@@ -217,7 +217,7 @@
 
   /// \return
   ///     The error message the cursor is pointing at.
-  virtual const char *GetError() const = 0;
+  virtual llvm::StringRef GetError() const = 0;
 
   /// \return
   ///     Whether the cursor points to an event or not.
diff --git a/lldb/source/Plugins/Trace/intel-pt/DecodedThread.h b/lldb/source/Plugins/Trace/intel-pt/DecodedThread.h
--- a/lldb/source/Plugins/Trace/intel-pt/DecodedThread.h
+++ b/lldb/source/Plugins/Trace/intel-pt/DecodedThread.h
@@ -159,7 +159,7 @@
 
   /// \return
   ///   The error associated with a given trace item.
-  const char *GetErrorByIndex(uint64_t item_index) const;
+  llvm::StringRef GetErrorByIndex(uint64_t item_index) const;
 
   /// \return
   ///   The trace item kind given an item index.
@@ -275,7 +275,7 @@
     lldb::TraceEvent event;
 
     /// The string message of this item if it's an error
-    const char *error;
+    std::string error;
   };
 
   /// Create a new trace item.
diff --git a/lldb/source/Plugins/Trace/intel-pt/DecodedThread.cpp b/lldb/source/Plugins/Trace/intel-pt/DecodedThread.cpp
--- a/lldb/source/Plugins/Trace/intel-pt/DecodedThread.cpp
+++ b/lldb/source/Plugins/Trace/intel-pt/DecodedThread.cpp
@@ -186,14 +186,12 @@
 }
 
 void DecodedThread::AppendError(const IntelPTError &error) {
-  CreateNewTraceItem(lldb::eTraceItemKindError).error =
-      ConstString(error.message()).AsCString();
+  CreateNewTraceItem(lldb::eTraceItemKindError).error = error.message();
   m_error_stats.RecordError(/*fatal=*/false);
 }
 
 void DecodedThread::AppendCustomError(StringRef err, bool fatal) {
-  CreateNewTraceItem(lldb::eTraceItemKindError).error =
-      ConstString(err).AsCString();
+  CreateNewTraceItem(lldb::eTraceItemKindError).error = err.str();
   m_error_stats.RecordError(fatal);
 }
 
@@ -238,7 +236,9 @@
   return static_cast<lldb::TraceItemKind>(m_item_kinds[item_index]);
 }
 
-const char *DecodedThread::GetErrorByIndex(uint64_t item_index) const {
+llvm::StringRef DecodedThread::GetErrorByIndex(uint64_t item_index) const {
+  if (item_index >= m_item_data.size())
+    return llvm::StringRef();
   return m_item_data[item_index].error;
 }
 
diff --git a/lldb/source/Plugins/Trace/intel-pt/TraceCursorIntelPT.h b/lldb/source/Plugins/Trace/intel-pt/TraceCursorIntelPT.h
--- a/lldb/source/Plugins/Trace/intel-pt/TraceCursorIntelPT.h
+++ b/lldb/source/Plugins/Trace/intel-pt/TraceCursorIntelPT.h
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@
 
   bool HasValue() const override;
 
-  const char *GetError() const override;
+  llvm::StringRef GetError() const override;
 
   lldb::addr_t GetLoadAddress() const override;
 
diff --git a/lldb/source/Plugins/Trace/intel-pt/TraceCursorIntelPT.cpp b/lldb/source/Plugins/Trace/intel-pt/TraceCursorIntelPT.cpp
--- a/lldb/source/Plugins/Trace/intel-pt/TraceCursorIntelPT.cpp
+++ b/lldb/source/Plugins/Trace/intel-pt/TraceCursorIntelPT.cpp
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@
   return m_decoded_thread_sp->GetItemKindByIndex(m_pos);
 }
 
-const char *TraceCursorIntelPT::GetError() const {
+llvm::StringRef TraceCursorIntelPT::GetError() const {
   return m_decoded_thread_sp->GetErrorByIndex(m_pos);
 }