diff --git a/src/input/readers/ascii/Ascii.h b/src/input/readers/ascii/Ascii.h
index f30fe58c3d..5f3370971d 100644
--- a/src/input/readers/ascii/Ascii.h
+++ b/src/input/readers/ascii/Ascii.h
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ protected:
 	bool DoUpdate() override;
 	bool DoHeartbeat(double network_time, double current_time) override;
 
-	zeek::detail::Location* GetLocationInfo() const override { return read_location.get(); }
+	const zeek::detail::Location* GetLocationInfo() const override { return read_location.get(); }
 
 private:
 	bool ReadHeader(bool useCached);
diff --git a/src/threading/MsgThread.cc b/src/threading/MsgThread.cc
index 110e58f831..f8fceae59c 100644
--- a/src/threading/MsgThread.cc
+++ b/src/threading/MsgThread.cc
@@ -89,11 +89,11 @@ public:
 		INTERNAL_ERROR
 		};
 
-	ReporterMessage(Type arg_type, MsgThread* thread, const char* arg_msg)
+	ReporterMessage(Type arg_type, MsgThread* thread, std::string_view arg_msg)
 		: OutputMessage<MsgThread>("ReporterMessage", thread)
 		{
 		type = arg_type;
-		msg = util::copy_string(arg_msg);
+		msg = util::copy_string(arg_msg.data());
 		}
 
 	~ReporterMessage() override { delete[] msg; }
@@ -125,11 +125,11 @@ public:
 class DebugMessage final : public OutputMessage<MsgThread>
 	{
 public:
-	DebugMessage(DebugStream arg_stream, MsgThread* thread, const char* arg_msg)
+	DebugMessage(DebugStream arg_stream, MsgThread* thread, std::string_view arg_msg)
 		: OutputMessage<MsgThread>("DebugMessage", thread)
 		{
 		stream = arg_stream;
-		msg = util::copy_string(arg_msg);
+		msg = util::copy_string(arg_msg.data());
 		}
 
 	~DebugMessage() override { delete[] msg; }
@@ -341,7 +341,7 @@ void MsgThread::Finished()
 	SendOut(new detail::FinishedMessage(this));
 	}
 
-void MsgThread::Info(const char* msg)
+std::string MsgThread::BuildMsgWithLocation(const char* msg)
 	{
 	ODesc desc;
 
@@ -352,96 +352,48 @@ void MsgThread::Info(const char* msg)
 		}
 
 	desc.Add(msg);
-	SendOut(new detail::ReporterMessage(detail::ReporterMessage::INFO, this, desc.Description()));
+	return std::string(desc.Description());
+	}
+
+void MsgThread::Info(const char* msg)
+	{
+	SendOut(new detail::ReporterMessage(detail::ReporterMessage::INFO, this,
+	                                    BuildMsgWithLocation(msg)));
 	}
 
 void MsgThread::Warning(const char* msg)
 	{
-	ODesc desc;
-
-	if ( auto* location = GetLocationInfo() )
-		{
-		location->Describe(&desc);
-		desc.Add(": ");
-		}
-
-	desc.Add(msg);
-	SendOut(
-		new detail::ReporterMessage(detail::ReporterMessage::WARNING, this, desc.Description()));
+	SendOut(new detail::ReporterMessage(detail::ReporterMessage::WARNING, this,
+	                                    BuildMsgWithLocation(msg)));
 	}
 
 void MsgThread::Error(const char* msg)
 	{
-	ODesc desc;
-
-	if ( auto* location = GetLocationInfo() )
-		{
-		location->Describe(&desc);
-		desc.Add(": ");
-		}
-
-	desc.Add(msg);
-	SendOut(new detail::ReporterMessage(detail::ReporterMessage::ERROR, this, desc.Description()));
+	SendOut(new detail::ReporterMessage(detail::ReporterMessage::ERROR, this,
+	                                    BuildMsgWithLocation(msg)));
 	}
 
 void MsgThread::FatalError(const char* msg)
 	{
-	ODesc desc;
-
-	if ( auto* location = GetLocationInfo() )
-		{
-		location->Describe(&desc);
-		desc.Add(": ");
-		}
-
-	desc.Add(msg);
 	SendOut(new detail::ReporterMessage(detail::ReporterMessage::FATAL_ERROR, this,
-	                                    desc.Description()));
+	                                    BuildMsgWithLocation(msg)));
 	}
 
 void MsgThread::FatalErrorWithCore(const char* msg)
 	{
-	ODesc desc;
-
-	if ( auto* location = GetLocationInfo() )
-		{
-		location->Describe(&desc);
-		desc.Add(": ");
-		}
-
-	desc.Add(msg);
 	SendOut(new detail::ReporterMessage(detail::ReporterMessage::FATAL_ERROR_WITH_CORE, this,
-	                                    desc.Description()));
+	                                    BuildMsgWithLocation(msg)));
 	}
 
 void MsgThread::InternalWarning(const char* msg)
 	{
-	ODesc desc;
-
-	if ( auto* location = GetLocationInfo() )
-		{
-		location->Describe(&desc);
-		desc.Add(": ");
-		}
-
-	desc.Add(msg);
 	SendOut(new detail::ReporterMessage(detail::ReporterMessage::INTERNAL_WARNING, this,
-	                                    desc.Description()));
+	                                    BuildMsgWithLocation(msg)));
 	}
 
 void MsgThread::InternalError(const char* msg)
 	{
-	// This one aborts immediately.
-	ODesc desc;
-
-	if ( auto* location = GetLocationInfo() )
-		{
-		location->Describe(&desc);
-		desc.Add(": ");
-		}
-
-	desc.Add(msg);
-	fprintf(stderr, "internal error in thread: %s\n", desc.Description());
+	fprintf(stderr, "internal error in thread: %s\n", BuildMsgWithLocation(msg).c_str());
 	abort();
 	}
 
@@ -449,16 +401,7 @@ void MsgThread::InternalError(const char* msg)
 
 void MsgThread::Debug(DebugStream stream, const char* msg)
 	{
-	ODesc desc;
-
-	if ( auto* location = GetLocationInfo() )
-		{
-		location->Describe(&desc);
-		desc.Add(": ");
-		}
-
-	desc.Add(msg);
-	SendOut(new detail::DebugMessage(stream, this, desc.Description()));
+	SendOut(new detail::DebugMessage(stream, this, BuildMsgWithLocation(msg)));
 	}
 
 #endif
diff --git a/src/threading/MsgThread.h b/src/threading/MsgThread.h
index a14ca7c102..a846c20c68 100644
--- a/src/threading/MsgThread.h
+++ b/src/threading/MsgThread.h
@@ -289,7 +289,7 @@ protected:
 	 * @return A Location pointer containing the file location information,
 	 * or nullptr if nothing is available.
 	 */
-	virtual zeek::detail::Location* GetLocationInfo() const { return nullptr; }
+	virtual const zeek::detail::Location* GetLocationInfo() const { return nullptr; }
 
 private:
 	/**
@@ -353,6 +353,8 @@ private:
 	 */
 	void Finished();
 
+	std::string BuildMsgWithLocation(const char* msg);
+
 	Queue<BasicInputMessage*> queue_in;
 	Queue<BasicOutputMessage*> queue_out;