diff --git a/src/mergerfs_api.cpp b/src/mergerfs_api.cpp
index e4266c6d..aa689080 100644
--- a/src/mergerfs_api.cpp
+++ b/src/mergerfs_api.cpp
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ static
 int
 _lgetxattr(const std::string &input_path_,
            const std::string &key_,
-           std::string       &val_)
+           std::string       *val_)
 {
   std::string key;