diff --git a/auth/allow_all_authenticator.hh b/auth/allow_all_authenticator.hh
index ba344a151c..ded1a38e0e 100644
--- a/auth/allow_all_authenticator.hh
+++ b/auth/allow_all_authenticator.hh
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ public:
         return make_ready_future<>();
     }
 
-    virtual const sstring& qualified_java_name() const override {
+    virtual std::string_view qualified_java_name() const override {
         return allow_all_authenticator_name();
     }
 
diff --git a/auth/authenticator.hh b/auth/authenticator.hh
index d25da2d78a..f2b6c327aa 100644
--- a/auth/authenticator.hh
+++ b/auth/authenticator.hh
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ public:
     ///
     /// A fully-qualified (class with package) Java-like name for this implementation.
     ///
-    virtual const sstring& qualified_java_name() const = 0;
+    virtual std::string_view qualified_java_name() const = 0;
 
     virtual bool require_authentication() const = 0;
 
diff --git a/auth/password_authenticator.cc b/auth/password_authenticator.cc
index a4bcab6b0e..acfa29c592 100644
--- a/auth/password_authenticator.cc
+++ b/auth/password_authenticator.cc
@@ -197,7 +197,7 @@ db::consistency_level password_authenticator::consistency_for_user(std::string_v
     return db::consistency_level::LOCAL_ONE;
 }
 
-const sstring& password_authenticator::qualified_java_name() const {
+std::string_view password_authenticator::qualified_java_name() const {
     return password_authenticator_name();
 }
 
diff --git a/auth/password_authenticator.hh b/auth/password_authenticator.hh
index a1ceb9b244..4bd6c2e279 100644
--- a/auth/password_authenticator.hh
+++ b/auth/password_authenticator.hh
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ public:
 
     virtual future<> stop() override;
 
-    virtual const sstring& qualified_java_name() const override;
+    virtual std::string_view qualified_java_name() const override;
 
     virtual bool require_authentication() const override;
 
diff --git a/auth/transitional.cc b/auth/transitional.cc
index 00a8c3e9de..b817cedf44 100644
--- a/auth/transitional.cc
+++ b/auth/transitional.cc
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ public:
         return _authenticator->stop();
     }
 
-    virtual const sstring& qualified_java_name() const override {
+    virtual std::string_view qualified_java_name() const override {
         return transitional_authenticator_name();
     }