diff --git a/src/cluster/Backend.cc b/src/cluster/Backend.cc
index feb4a1df77..8a491e72be 100644
--- a/src/cluster/Backend.cc
+++ b/src/cluster/Backend.cc
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ bool Backend::DoPublishLogWrites(const zeek::logging::detail::LogWriteHeader& he
     return DoPublishLogWrites(header, log_serializer->Name(), buf);
 }
 
-bool Backend::ProcessEventMessage(const std::string_view& topic, const std::string_view& format,
+bool Backend::ProcessEventMessage(std::string_view topic, std::string_view format,
                                   const detail::byte_buffer_span payload) {
     if ( format != event_serializer->Name() ) {
         zeek::reporter->Error("ProcessEventMessage: Wrong format: %s vs %s", std::string{format}.c_str(),
@@ -120,7 +120,7 @@ bool Backend::ProcessEventMessage(const std::string_view& topic, const std::stri
     return true;
 }
 
-bool Backend::ProcessLogMessage(const std::string_view& format, detail::byte_buffer_span payload) {
+bool Backend::ProcessLogMessage(std::string_view format, detail::byte_buffer_span payload) {
     // We could also dynamically lookup the right de-serializer, but
     // for now assume we just receive what is configured.
     if ( format != log_serializer->Name() ) {
diff --git a/src/cluster/Backend.h b/src/cluster/Backend.h
index 55d2928736..df8edf01b3 100644
--- a/src/cluster/Backend.h
+++ b/src/cluster/Backend.h
@@ -150,13 +150,12 @@ protected:
     /**
      * Process an incoming event message.
      */
-    bool ProcessEventMessage(const std::string_view& topic, const std::string_view& format,
-                             detail::byte_buffer_span payload);
+    bool ProcessEventMessage(std::string_view topic, std::string_view format, detail::byte_buffer_span payload);
 
     /**
      * Process an incoming log message.
      */
-    bool ProcessLogMessage(const std::string_view& format, detail::byte_buffer_span payload);
+    bool ProcessLogMessage(std::string_view format, detail::byte_buffer_span payload);
 
 private:
     /**