diff --git a/src/RuleAction.cc b/src/RuleAction.cc
index d181c00b79..55ad354d85 100644
--- a/src/RuleAction.cc
+++ b/src/RuleAction.cc
@@ -69,12 +69,9 @@ void RuleActionEvent::PrintDebug() {
     fprintf(stderr, "	RuleActionEvent: |%s (%s)|\n", msg ? msg->CheckString() : "<none>", handler->Name());
 }
 
-RuleActionMIME::RuleActionMIME(const char* arg_mime, int arg_strength) {
-    mime = util::copy_string(arg_mime);
-    strength = arg_strength;
-}
+RuleActionMIME::RuleActionMIME(const char* arg_mime, int arg_strength) : mime(arg_mime), strength(arg_strength) {}
 
-void RuleActionMIME::PrintDebug() { fprintf(stderr, "	RuleActionMIME: |%s|\n", mime); }
+void RuleActionMIME::PrintDebug() { fprintf(stderr, "	RuleActionMIME: |%s|\n", mime.c_str()); }
 
 RuleActionAnalyzer::RuleActionAnalyzer(const char* arg_analyzer) {
     string str(arg_analyzer);
diff --git a/src/RuleAction.h b/src/RuleAction.h
index dab891d6fe..3d78c5be8a 100644
--- a/src/RuleAction.h
+++ b/src/RuleAction.h
@@ -46,18 +46,16 @@ class RuleActionMIME : public RuleAction {
 public:
     explicit RuleActionMIME(const char* arg_mime, int arg_strength = 0);
 
-    ~RuleActionMIME() override { delete[] mime; }
-
     void DoAction(const Rule* parent, RuleEndpointState* state, const u_char* data, int len) override {}
 
     void PrintDebug() override;
 
-    std::string GetMIME() const { return mime; }
+    const std::string& GetMIME() const { return mime; }
 
     int GetStrength() const { return strength; }
 
 private:
-    const char* mime;
+    std::string mime;
     int strength;
 };