diff --git a/source/gui/CButton.cpp b/source/gui/CButton.cpp
index aafa70175d..ec33c6b9cf 100644
--- a/source/gui/CButton.cpp
+++ b/source/gui/CButton.cpp
@@ -104,11 +104,19 @@ void CButton::Draw()
 	CGUISpriteInstance *sprite, *sprite_over, *sprite_pressed, *sprite_disabled;
 	int cell_id;
 
-	GUI<CGUISpriteInstance>::GetSettingPointer(this, "sprite", sprite);
-	GUI<CGUISpriteInstance>::GetSettingPointer(this, "sprite_over", sprite_over);
-	GUI<CGUISpriteInstance>::GetSettingPointer(this, "sprite_pressed", sprite_pressed);
-	GUI<CGUISpriteInstance>::GetSettingPointer(this, "sprite_disabled", sprite_disabled);
-	GUI<int>::GetSetting(this, "cell_id", cell_id);
+	// Statically initialise some strings, so we don't have to do
+	// lots of allocation every time this function is called
+	static CStr strSprite("sprite");
+	static CStr strSpriteOver("sprite_over");
+	static CStr strSpritePressed("sprite_pressed");
+	static CStr strSpriteDisabled("sprite_disabled");
+	static CStr strCellId("cell_id");
+
+	GUI<CGUISpriteInstance>::GetSettingPointer(this, strSprite, sprite);
+	GUI<CGUISpriteInstance>::GetSettingPointer(this, strSpriteOver, sprite_over);
+	GUI<CGUISpriteInstance>::GetSettingPointer(this, strSpritePressed, sprite_pressed);
+	GUI<CGUISpriteInstance>::GetSettingPointer(this, strSpriteDisabled, sprite_disabled);
+	GUI<int>::GetSetting(this, strCellId, cell_id);
 
 	DrawButton(m_CachedActualSize,
 			   bz,
diff --git a/source/gui/GUIutil.h b/source/gui/GUIutil.h
index 6032a6e119..44642ca866 100644
--- a/source/gui/GUIutil.h
+++ b/source/gui/GUIutil.h
@@ -341,10 +341,16 @@ private:
 	 */
 	static bool CheckIfRestricted(int RR, IGUIObject *pObject)
 	{
+		// Statically initialise some strings, so we don't have to do
+		// lots of allocation every time this function is called
+		static CStr strHidden("hidden");
+		static CStr strEnabled("enabled");
+		static CStr strGhost("ghost");
+
 		if (RR & GUIRR_HIDDEN)
 		{
 			bool hidden;
-			GUI<bool>::GetSetting(pObject, "hidden", hidden);
+			GUI<bool>::GetSetting(pObject, strHidden, hidden);
 
 			if (hidden)
 				return true;
@@ -352,7 +358,7 @@ private:
 		if (RR & GUIRR_DISABLED)
 		{
 			bool enabled;
-			GUI<bool>::GetSetting(pObject, "enabled", enabled);
+			GUI<bool>::GetSetting(pObject, strEnabled, enabled);
 
 			if (!enabled)
 				return true;
@@ -360,7 +366,7 @@ private:
 		if (RR & GUIRR_GHOST)
 		{
 			bool ghost;
-			GUI<bool>::GetSetting(pObject, "ghost", ghost);
+			GUI<bool>::GetSetting(pObject, strGhost, ghost);
 
 			if (ghost)
 				return true;