diff --git a/src/vmime/component.cpp b/src/vmime/component.cpp
index 99c06548..e5e0370e 100644
--- a/src/vmime/component.cpp
+++ b/src/vmime/component.cpp
@@ -200,7 +200,7 @@ void component::parseImpl(
 }
 
 
-const string component::generate(
+string component::generate(
 	const size_t maxLineLength,
 	const size_t curLinePos
 ) const {
diff --git a/src/vmime/component.hpp b/src/vmime/component.hpp
index 40f87ff0..59acee0d 100644
--- a/src/vmime/component.hpp
+++ b/src/vmime/component.hpp
@@ -144,7 +144,7 @@ class VMIME_EXPORT component : public object {
 	  * @param curLinePos length of the current line in the output buffer
 	  * @return generated data
 	  */
-	virtual const string generate(
+	virtual string generate(
 		const size_t maxLineLength = lineLengthLimits::infinite,
 		const size_t curLinePos = 0
 	) const;
diff --git a/src/vmime/message.cpp b/src/vmime/message.cpp
index f034cdb5..9e6956d7 100644
--- a/src/vmime/message.cpp
+++ b/src/vmime/message.cpp
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ message::message() {
 }
 
 
-const string message::generate(
+string message::generate(
 	const size_t maxLineLength,
 	const size_t curLinePos
 ) const {
diff --git a/src/vmime/message.hpp b/src/vmime/message.hpp
index 1b97a5d7..53bc095a 100644
--- a/src/vmime/message.hpp
+++ b/src/vmime/message.hpp
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ class VMIME_EXPORT message : public bodyPart {
 
 	// Override default generate() functions so that we can change
 	// the default 'maxLineLength' value
-	const string generate(
+	string generate(
 		const size_t maxLineLength = generationContext::getDefaultContext().getMaxLineLength(),
 		const size_t curLinePos = 0
 	) const;
diff --git a/tests/parser/mailboxTest.cpp b/tests/parser/mailboxTest.cpp
index d1af23f2..19d5bf95 100644
--- a/tests/parser/mailboxTest.cpp
+++ b/tests/parser/mailboxTest.cpp
@@ -194,4 +194,12 @@ VMIME_TEST_SUITE_BEGIN(mailboxTest)
 
 	}
 
+	void testAPI() {
+
+		auto take_string_directly = [](vmime::string &&) {};
+		vmime::mailbox m;
+		take_string_directly(m.generate());
+
+	}
+
 VMIME_TEST_SUITE_END