diff --git a/spine-godot/spine_godot/SpineAnimation.cpp b/spine-godot/spine_godot/SpineAnimation.cpp
index c3236db8f..f8f6ad75f 100644
--- a/spine-godot/spine_godot/SpineAnimation.cpp
+++ b/spine-godot/spine_godot/SpineAnimation.cpp
@@ -47,7 +47,9 @@ void SpineAnimation::_bind_methods() {
 
 String SpineAnimation::get_name() {
 	SPINE_CHECK(get_spine_object(), "")
-	return get_spine_object()->getName().buffer();
+	String name;
+	name.parse_utf8(get_spine_object()->getName().buffer());
+	return name;
 }
 
 float SpineAnimation::get_duration() {
diff --git a/spine-godot/spine_godot/SpineAnimationTrack.cpp b/spine-godot/spine_godot/SpineAnimationTrack.cpp
index 39e7732b8..19f4cbf21 100644
--- a/spine-godot/spine_godot/SpineAnimationTrack.cpp
+++ b/spine-godot/spine_godot/SpineAnimationTrack.cpp
@@ -250,7 +250,9 @@ Ref<Animation> SpineAnimationTrack::create_animation(spine::Animation *animation
 
 	Ref<Animation> animation_ref;
 	INSTANTIATE(animation_ref);
-	animation_ref->set_name(String(animation->getName().buffer()) + (loop ? "" : "_looped"));
+	String name;
+	name.parse_utf8(animation.getName().buffer());
+	animation_ref->set_name(name + (loop ? "" : "_looped"));
 #if VERSION_MAJOR > 3
 	// animation_ref->set_loop(!loop);
 #else
@@ -260,7 +262,7 @@ Ref<Animation> SpineAnimationTrack::create_animation(spine::Animation *animation
 
 	animation_ref->add_track(Animation::TYPE_VALUE);
 	animation_ref->track_set_path(0, NodePath(".:animation_name"));
-	animation_ref->track_insert_key(0, 0, animation->getName().buffer());
+	animation_ref->track_insert_key(0, 0, name);
 
 	animation_ref->add_track(Animation::TYPE_VALUE);
 	animation_ref->track_set_path(1, NodePath(".:loop"));
@@ -298,7 +300,9 @@ void SpineAnimationTrack::update_animation_state(const Variant &variant_sprite)
 			}
 			auto current_entry = animation_state->getCurrent(track_index);
 			bool should_set_mix = mix_duration >= 0;
-			bool should_set_animation = !current_entry || (animation_name != current_entry->getAnimation()->getName().buffer() || current_entry->getLoop() != loop);
+			String other_name;
+			if (current_entry) other_name.parse_utf8(current_entry->getAnimation()->getName().buffer());
+			bool should_set_animation = !current_entry || (animation_name != other_name || current_entry->getLoop() != loop);
 
 			if (should_set_animation) {
 				if (!EMPTY(animation_name)) {
@@ -316,7 +320,7 @@ void SpineAnimationTrack::update_animation_state(const Variant &variant_sprite)
 
 					if (debug) print_line(String("Setting animation {0} with mix_duration {1} on track {2} on {3}").format(varray(animation_name, mix_duration, track_index, sprite->get_name())).utf8().ptr());
 				} else {
-					if (!current_entry || (String("<empty>") != current_entry->getAnimation()->getName().buffer())) {
+					if (!current_entry || (String("<empty>") != other_name)) {
 						auto entry = animation_state->setEmptyAnimation(track_index, should_set_mix ? mix_duration : 0);
 						entry->setTrackEnd(FLT_MAX);
 						if (debug) print_line(String("Setting empty animation with mix_duration {0} on track {1} on {2}").format(varray(mix_duration, track_index, sprite->get_name())).utf8().ptr());
@@ -423,7 +427,9 @@ void SpineAnimationTrack::update_animation_state(const Variant &variant_sprite)
 		if (animation_player->is_playing()) {
 			auto current_entry = animation_state->getCurrent(track_index);
 			bool should_set_mix = mix_duration >= 0;
-			bool should_set_animation = !current_entry || (animation_name != current_entry->getAnimation()->getName().buffer() || current_entry->getLoop() != loop) || animation_changed;
+			String other_name;
+			if (current_entry) other_name.parse_utf8(current_entry->getAnimation()->getName().buffer());
+			bool should_set_animation = !current_entry || (animation_name != other_name || current_entry->getLoop() != loop) || animation_changed;
 			animation_changed = false;
 
 			if (should_set_animation) {
@@ -442,7 +448,7 @@ void SpineAnimationTrack::update_animation_state(const Variant &variant_sprite)
 
 					if (debug) print_line(String("Setting animation {0} with mix_duration {1} on track {2} on {3}").format(varray(animation_name, mix_duration, track_index, sprite->get_name())).utf8().ptr());
 				} else {
-					if (!current_entry || (String("<empty>") != current_entry->getAnimation()->getName().buffer())) {
+					if (!current_entry || (String("<empty>") != other_name)) {
 						auto entry = animation_state->setEmptyAnimation(track_index, should_set_mix ? mix_duration : 0);
 						entry->setTrackEnd(FLT_MAX);
 						if (debug) print_line(String("Setting empty animation with mix_duration {0} on track {1} on {2}").format(varray(mix_duration, track_index, sprite->get_name())).utf8().ptr());
diff --git a/spine-godot/spine_godot/SpineAttachment.cpp b/spine-godot/spine_godot/SpineAttachment.cpp
index df9684ab1..283a7f7bf 100644
--- a/spine-godot/spine_godot/SpineAttachment.cpp
+++ b/spine-godot/spine_godot/SpineAttachment.cpp
@@ -41,7 +41,9 @@ SpineAttachment::~SpineAttachment() {
 
 String SpineAttachment::get_attachment_name() {
 	SPINE_CHECK(get_spine_object(), "")
-	return get_spine_object()->getName().buffer();
+	String name;
+	name.parse_utf8(get_spine_object()->getName().buffer());
+	return name;
 }
 
 Ref<SpineAttachment> SpineAttachment::copy() {
diff --git a/spine-godot/spine_godot/SpineBoneData.cpp b/spine-godot/spine_godot/SpineBoneData.cpp
index 49456c89c..b5ab4aa4a 100644
--- a/spine-godot/spine_godot/SpineBoneData.cpp
+++ b/spine-godot/spine_godot/SpineBoneData.cpp
@@ -68,7 +68,9 @@ int SpineBoneData::get_index() {
 
 String SpineBoneData::get_bone_name() {
 	SPINE_CHECK(get_spine_object(), "")
-	return get_spine_object()->getName().buffer();
+	String name;
+	name.parse_utf8(get_spine_object()->getName().buffer());
+	return name;
 }
 
 Ref<SpineBoneData> SpineBoneData::get_parent() {
diff --git a/spine-godot/spine_godot/SpineConstraintData.cpp b/spine-godot/spine_godot/SpineConstraintData.cpp
index 744ad7bcd..f602cc00d 100644
--- a/spine-godot/spine_godot/SpineConstraintData.cpp
+++ b/spine-godot/spine_godot/SpineConstraintData.cpp
@@ -41,7 +41,9 @@ void SpineConstraintData::_bind_methods() {
 
 String SpineConstraintData::get_constraint_name() {
 	SPINE_CHECK(get_spine_object(), "")
-	return get_spine_object()->getName().buffer();
+	String name;
+	name.parse_utf8(get_spine_object()->getName().buffer());
+	return name;
 }
 
 int SpineConstraintData::get_order() {
diff --git a/spine-godot/spine_godot/SpineEventData.cpp b/spine-godot/spine_godot/SpineEventData.cpp
index cd30495e5..201a98c90 100644
--- a/spine-godot/spine_godot/SpineEventData.cpp
+++ b/spine-godot/spine_godot/SpineEventData.cpp
@@ -48,7 +48,9 @@ void SpineEventData::_bind_methods() {
 
 String SpineEventData::get_event_name() {
 	SPINE_CHECK(get_spine_object(), "")
-	return get_spine_object()->getName().buffer();
+	String name;
+	name.parse_utf8(get_spine_object()->getName().buffer());
+	return name;
 }
 
 int SpineEventData::get_int_value() {
diff --git a/spine-godot/spine_godot/SpineSkeletonDataResource.cpp b/spine-godot/spine_godot/SpineSkeletonDataResource.cpp
index a36623961..d0f3c9e64 100644
--- a/spine-godot/spine_godot/SpineSkeletonDataResource.cpp
+++ b/spine-godot/spine_godot/SpineSkeletonDataResource.cpp
@@ -627,7 +627,9 @@ SpineSkeletonDataResource::find_physics_constraint(
 
 String SpineSkeletonDataResource::get_skeleton_name() const {
 	SPINE_CHECK(skeleton_data, "")
-	return skeleton_data->getName().buffer();
+	String name;
+	name.parse_utf8(skeleton_data->getName().buffer());
+	return name;
 }
 
 Array SpineSkeletonDataResource::get_bones() const {
diff --git a/spine-godot/spine_godot/SpineSkin.cpp b/spine-godot/spine_godot/SpineSkin.cpp
index 2a6de0a95..6161409d2 100644
--- a/spine-godot/spine_godot/SpineSkin.cpp
+++ b/spine-godot/spine_godot/SpineSkin.cpp
@@ -123,7 +123,9 @@ Array SpineSkin::find_attachments_for_slot(int slot_index) {
 
 String SpineSkin::get_name() {
 	SPINE_CHECK(get_spine_object(), "")
-	return get_spine_object()->getName().buffer();
+	String name;
+	name.parse_utf8(get_spine_object()->getName().buffer());
+	return name;
 }
 
 void SpineSkin::add_skin(Ref<SpineSkin> other) {
diff --git a/spine-godot/spine_godot/SpineSlotData.cpp b/spine-godot/spine_godot/SpineSlotData.cpp
index 94bff5253..b967b8ca6 100644
--- a/spine-godot/spine_godot/SpineSlotData.cpp
+++ b/spine-godot/spine_godot/SpineSlotData.cpp
@@ -53,7 +53,9 @@ int SpineSlotData::get_index() {
 
 String SpineSlotData::get_name() {
 	SPINE_CHECK(get_spine_object(), String(""))
-	return get_spine_object()->getName().buffer();
+	String name;
+	name.parse_utf8(get_spine_object()->getName().buffer());
+	return name;
 }
 
 Ref<SpineBoneData> SpineSlotData::get_bone_data() {
diff --git a/spine-godot/spine_godot/SpineSprite.cpp b/spine-godot/spine_godot/SpineSprite.cpp
index 0e106988e..cab444818 100644
--- a/spine-godot/spine_godot/SpineSprite.cpp
+++ b/spine-godot/spine_godot/SpineSprite.cpp
@@ -1223,7 +1223,9 @@ void SpineSprite::draw() {
 	float inverse_zoom = 1 / get_viewport()->get_global_canvas_transform().get_scale().x * editor_scale;
 	Vector<String> hover_text_lines;
 	if (hovered_slot) {
-		hover_text_lines.push_back(String("Slot: ") + hovered_slot->getData().getName().buffer());
+		String name;
+		name.parse_utf8(hovered_slot->getData().getName().buffer());
+		hover_text_lines.push_back(String("Slot: ") + name);
 	}
 
 	if (hovered_bone) {
@@ -1231,7 +1233,9 @@ void SpineSprite::draw() {
 		debug_bones_thickness *= 1.1;
 		draw_bone(hovered_bone, Color(debug_bones_color.r, debug_bones_color.g, debug_bones_color.b, 1));
 		debug_bones_thickness = thickness;
-		hover_text_lines.push_back(String("Bone: ") + hovered_bone->getData().getName().buffer());
+		String name;
+		name.parse_utf8(hovered_bone->getData().getName().buffer());
+		hover_text_lines.push_back(String("Bone: ") + name);
 	}
 
 	auto global_scale = get_global_scale();