diff --git a/src/csync/csync.cpp b/src/csync/csync.cpp
index 1b38fe0085..469ea19199 100644
--- a/src/csync/csync.cpp
+++ b/src/csync/csync.cpp
@@ -244,7 +244,7 @@ int csync_s::reinitialize() {
   renames.folder_renamed_to.clear();
 
   status = CSYNC_STATUS_INIT;
-  SAFE_FREE(error_string);
+  error_string.clear();
 
   rc = 0;
   return rc;
@@ -252,7 +252,6 @@ int csync_s::reinitialize() {
 
 csync_s::~csync_s() {
   SAFE_FREE(local.uri);
-  SAFE_FREE(error_string);
 }
 
 void *csync_get_userdata(CSYNC *ctx) {
@@ -298,11 +297,6 @@ CSYNC_STATUS csync_get_status(CSYNC *ctx) {
   return ctx->status_code;
 }
 
-const char *csync_get_status_string(CSYNC *ctx)
-{
-  return csync_vio_get_status_string(ctx);
-}
-
 void csync_request_abort(CSYNC *ctx)
 {
   if (ctx != NULL) {
diff --git a/src/csync/csync.h b/src/csync/csync.h
index c5454149e5..1969f104f9 100644
--- a/src/csync/csync.h
+++ b/src/csync/csync.h
@@ -307,15 +307,6 @@ int OCSYNC_EXPORT csync_walk_local_tree(CSYNC *ctx, const csync_treewalk_visit_f
  */
 int OCSYNC_EXPORT csync_walk_remote_tree(CSYNC *ctx, const csync_treewalk_visit_func &visitor);
 
-/**
- * @brief Get the csync status string.
- *
- * @param ctx            The csync context.
- *
- * @return               A const pointer to a string with more precise status info.
- */
-const char OCSYNC_EXPORT *csync_get_status_string(CSYNC *ctx);
-
 /**
  * @brief Aborts the current sync run as soon as possible. Can be called from another thread.
  *
diff --git a/src/csync/csync_private.h b/src/csync/csync_private.h
index 93f06f8405..f173a3fd4d 100644
--- a/src/csync/csync_private.h
+++ b/src/csync/csync_private.h
@@ -180,7 +180,10 @@ struct OCSYNC_EXPORT csync_s {
   /* csync error code */
   enum csync_status_codes_e status_code = CSYNC_STATUS_OK;
 
-  char *error_string = nullptr;
+  /* Some additional string information which is added to the error message corresponding to the error code in errno.
+   * Usually a filename
+   */
+  QString error_string;
 
   int status = CSYNC_STATUS_INIT;
   volatile bool abort = false;
diff --git a/src/csync/csync_update.cpp b/src/csync/csync_update.cpp
index c5213d2fa7..d9bde3acbb 100644
--- a/src/csync/csync_update.cpp
+++ b/src/csync/csync_update.cpp
@@ -677,7 +677,6 @@ int csync_ftw(CSYNC *ctx, const char *uri, csync_walker_fn fn,
           ctx->status_code = CSYNC_STATUS_ABORTED;
           goto error;
       }
-      int asp = 0;
       /* permission denied */
       ctx->status_code = csync_errno_to_status(errno, CSYNC_STATUS_OPENDIR_ERROR);
       if (errno == EACCES) {
@@ -686,8 +685,7 @@ int csync_ftw(CSYNC *ctx, const char *uri, csync_walker_fn fn,
               return 0;
           }
       } else if(errno == ENOENT) {
-          asp = asprintf( &ctx->error_string, "%s", uri);
-          ASSERT(asp >= 0);
+          ctx->error_string = QString::fromUtf8(uri);
       }
       // 403 Forbidden can be sent by the server if the file firewall is active.
       // A file or directory should be ignored and sync must continue. See #3490
@@ -718,7 +716,7 @@ int csync_ftw(CSYNC *ctx, const char *uri, csync_walker_fn fn,
     /* Conversion error */
     if (dirent->path.isEmpty() && !dirent->original_path.isEmpty()) {
         ctx->status_code = CSYNC_STATUS_INVALID_CHARACTERS;
-        ctx->error_string = c_strdup(dirent->original_path);
+        ctx->error_string = QString::fromUtf8(dirent->original_path);
         dirent->original_path.clear();
         goto error;
     }
diff --git a/src/csync/vio/csync_vio.cpp b/src/csync/vio/csync_vio.cpp
index 2975b560d3..88f75467a0 100644
--- a/src/csync/vio/csync_vio.cpp
+++ b/src/csync/vio/csync_vio.cpp
@@ -90,9 +90,3 @@ std::unique_ptr<csync_file_stat_t> csync_vio_readdir(CSYNC *ctx, csync_vio_handl
   return NULL;
 }
 
-char *csync_vio_get_status_string(CSYNC *ctx) {
-  if(ctx->error_string) {
-    return ctx->error_string;
-  }
-  return 0;
-}
diff --git a/src/csync/vio/csync_vio.h b/src/csync/vio/csync_vio.h
index 7d3a2e0b4e..007d068e86 100644
--- a/src/csync/vio/csync_vio.h
+++ b/src/csync/vio/csync_vio.h
@@ -35,8 +35,4 @@ typedef struct fhandle_s {
 csync_vio_handle_t *csync_vio_opendir(CSYNC *ctx, const char *name);
 int csync_vio_closedir(CSYNC *ctx, csync_vio_handle_t *dhandle);
 std::unique_ptr<csync_file_stat_t> csync_vio_readdir(CSYNC *ctx, csync_vio_handle_t *dhandle);
-
-char *csync_vio_get_status_string(CSYNC *ctx);
-
-
 #endif /* _CSYNC_VIO_H */
diff --git a/src/libsync/discoveryphase.cpp b/src/libsync/discoveryphase.cpp
index 1b9e227d6a..a08671ad3d 100644
--- a/src/libsync/discoveryphase.cpp
+++ b/src/libsync/discoveryphase.cpp
@@ -663,7 +663,7 @@ csync_vio_handle_t *DiscoveryJob::remote_vio_opendir_hook(const char *url,
             qCDebug(lcDiscovery) << directoryResult->code << "when opening" << url << "msg=" << directoryResult->msg;
             errno = directoryResult->code;
             // save the error string to the context
-            discoveryJob->_csync_ctx->error_string = qstrdup(directoryResult->msg.toUtf8().constData());
+            discoveryJob->_csync_ctx->error_string = directoryResult->msg;
             return NULL;
         }
 
diff --git a/src/libsync/syncengine.cpp b/src/libsync/syncengine.cpp
index e3cb90e662..05ad08777a 100644
--- a/src/libsync/syncengine.cpp
+++ b/src/libsync/syncengine.cpp
@@ -715,13 +715,13 @@ int SyncEngine::treewalkFile(csync_file_stat_t *file, csync_file_stat_t *other,
 void SyncEngine::handleSyncError(CSYNC *ctx, const char *state)
 {
     CSYNC_STATUS err = csync_get_status(ctx);
-    const char *errMsg = csync_get_status_string(ctx);
+    QString errMsg = ctx->error_string;
     QString errStr = csyncErrorToString(err);
-    if (errMsg) {
+    if (!errMsg.isEmpty()) {
         if (!errStr.endsWith(" ")) {
             errStr.append(" ");
         }
-        errStr += QString::fromUtf8(errMsg);
+        errStr += errMsg;
     }
     // Special handling CSYNC_STATUS_INVALID_CHARACTERS
     if (err == CSYNC_STATUS_INVALID_CHARACTERS) {