diff --git a/src/core/String.cpp b/src/core/String.cpp
index aea62f553a..d563715934 100644
--- a/src/core/String.cpp
+++ b/src/core/String.cpp
@@ -28,6 +28,12 @@ extern "C"
 
 namespace String
 {
+    std::string ToStd(const utf8 * str)
+    {
+        if (str == nullptr) return std::string();
+        else return std::string(str);
+    }
+
     bool IsNullOrEmpty(const utf8 * str)
     {
         return str == nullptr || str[0] == '\0';
diff --git a/src/core/String.hpp b/src/core/String.hpp
index 5a140dc1d2..ebd5840d5a 100644
--- a/src/core/String.hpp
+++ b/src/core/String.hpp
@@ -16,15 +16,15 @@
 
 #pragma once
 
-extern "C"
-{
-    #include "../common.h"
-}
+#include <string>
+#include "../common.h"
 
 namespace String
 {
     constexpr const utf8 * Empty = "";
 
+    std::string ToStd(const utf8 * str);
+
     bool   IsNullOrEmpty(const utf8 * str);
     bool   Equals(const utf8 * a, const utf8 * b, bool ignoreCase = false);
     bool   StartsWith(const utf8 * str, const utf8 * match, bool ignoreCase = false);
diff --git a/src/network/network.cpp b/src/network/network.cpp
index 0cbc5b4d73..18116754ba 100644
--- a/src/network/network.cpp
+++ b/src/network/network.cpp
@@ -298,11 +298,11 @@ bool Network::BeginServer(unsigned short port, const char* address)
 		return false;
 	}
 
-	ServerName = gConfigNetwork.server_name;
-	ServerDescription = gConfigNetwork.server_description;
-	ServerProviderName = gConfigNetwork.provider_name;
-	ServerProviderEmail = gConfigNetwork.provider_email;
-	ServerProviderWebsite = gConfigNetwork.provider_website;
+	ServerName = String::ToStd(gConfigNetwork.server_name);
+	ServerDescription = String::ToStd(gConfigNetwork.server_description);
+	ServerProviderName = String::ToStd(gConfigNetwork.provider_name);
+	ServerProviderEmail = String::ToStd(gConfigNetwork.provider_email);
+	ServerProviderWebsite = String::ToStd(gConfigNetwork.provider_website);
 
 	cheats_reset();
 	LoadGroups();