diff --git a/src/fsfw_hal/linux/i2c/I2cComIF.cpp b/src/fsfw_hal/linux/i2c/I2cComIF.cpp
index d66e91de..10e493e5 100644
--- a/src/fsfw_hal/linux/i2c/I2cComIF.cpp
+++ b/src/fsfw_hal/linux/i2c/I2cComIF.cpp
@@ -66,8 +66,7 @@ ReturnValue_t I2cComIF::initializeInterface(CookieIF* cookie) {
 
 ReturnValue_t I2cComIF::sendMessage(CookieIF* cookie, const uint8_t* sendData, size_t sendLen) {
   ReturnValue_t result;
-  int fd;
-  std::string deviceFile;
+  int fd = 0;
 
   if (sendData == nullptr) {
 #if FSFW_CPP_OSTREAM_ENABLED == 1
@@ -98,7 +97,7 @@ ReturnValue_t I2cComIF::sendMessage(CookieIF* cookie, const uint8_t* sendData, s
     return returnvalue::FAILED;
   }
 
-  deviceFile = i2cCookie->getDeviceFile();
+  const auto& deviceFile = i2cCookie->getDeviceFile();
   UnixFileGuard fileHelper(deviceFile, &fd, O_RDWR, "I2cComIF::sendMessage");
   if (fileHelper.getOpenResult() != returnvalue::OK) {
     return fileHelper.getOpenResult();
@@ -132,7 +131,6 @@ ReturnValue_t I2cComIF::getSendSuccess(CookieIF* cookie) { return returnvalue::O
 ReturnValue_t I2cComIF::requestReceiveMessage(CookieIF* cookie, size_t requestLen) {
   ReturnValue_t result;
   int fd;
-  std::string deviceFile;
 
   if (requestLen == 0) {
     return returnvalue::OK;
@@ -157,7 +155,7 @@ ReturnValue_t I2cComIF::requestReceiveMessage(CookieIF* cookie, size_t requestLe
   }
   i2cDeviceMapIter->second.replyLen = 0;
 
-  deviceFile = i2cCookie->getDeviceFile();
+  auto& deviceFile = i2cCookie->getDeviceFile();
   UnixFileGuard fileHelper(deviceFile, &fd, O_RDWR, "I2cComIF::requestReceiveMessage");
   if (fileHelper.getOpenResult() != returnvalue::OK) {
     return fileHelper.getOpenResult();