diff --git a/db/commitlog/commitlog.cc b/db/commitlog/commitlog.cc
index c9334a657e..e88de49277 100644
--- a/db/commitlog/commitlog.cc
+++ b/db/commitlog/commitlog.cc
@@ -132,8 +132,8 @@ db::commitlog::descriptor::descriptor(std::pair<uint64_t, uint32_t> p)
         : descriptor(p.first, p.second) {
 }
 
-db::commitlog::descriptor::descriptor(sstring filename)
-        : descriptor([filename]() {
+db::commitlog::descriptor::descriptor(const sstring& filename)
+        : descriptor([&filename] () {
             std::smatch m;
             // match both legacy and new version of commitlogs Ex: CommitLog-12345.log and CommitLog-4-12345.log.
                 std::regex rx("(?:.*/)?" + FILENAME_PREFIX + "((\\d+)(" + SEPARATOR + "\\d+)?)" + FILENAME_EXTENSION);
diff --git a/db/commitlog/commitlog.hh b/db/commitlog/commitlog.hh
index d02c60bf1e..c7946210ba 100644
--- a/db/commitlog/commitlog.hh
+++ b/db/commitlog/commitlog.hh
@@ -139,7 +139,7 @@ public:
         descriptor(const descriptor&) = default;
         descriptor(segment_id_type i, uint32_t v = 1);
         descriptor(replay_position p);
-        descriptor(sstring filename);
+        descriptor(const sstring& filename);
 
         sstring filename() const;
         operator replay_position() const;