diff --git a/src/sdl/i_system.c b/src/sdl/i_system.c
index 2b35ce8b..905bec09 100644
--- a/src/sdl/i_system.c
+++ b/src/sdl/i_system.c
@@ -1455,16 +1455,34 @@ INT32 I_NumJoys(void)
 
 const char *I_GetJoyName(INT32 joyindex)
 {
-	const char *joyname = "NA";
+	const char *tempname = NULL;
+	size_t templen;
+	char *joyname = NULL;
 	joyindex--; //SDL's Joystick System starts at 0, not 1
 	if (SDL_WasInit(SDL_INIT_JOYSTICK) == 0)
 	{
 		if (SDL_InitSubSystem(SDL_INIT_JOYSTICK) != -1)
-			joyname = SDL_JoystickNameForIndex(joyindex);
+		{
+			tempname = SDL_JoystickNameForIndex(joyindex);
+			if (tempname)
+			{
+				templen = strlen(tempname);
+				joyname = malloc(templen*sizeof(char));
+				strcpy(joyname, tempname);
+			}
+		}
 		SDL_QuitSubSystem(SDL_INIT_JOYSTICK);
 	}
 	else
-		joyname = SDL_JoystickNameForIndex(joyindex);
+	{
+		tempname = SDL_JoystickNameForIndex(joyindex);
+		if (tempname)
+		{
+			templen = strlen(tempname);
+			joyname = malloc(templen*sizeof(char));
+			strcpy(joyname, tempname);
+		}
+	}
 	return joyname;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/sdl12/i_system.c b/src/sdl12/i_system.c
index 8729e592..c4dd96f8 100644
--- a/src/sdl12/i_system.c
+++ b/src/sdl12/i_system.c
@@ -1577,16 +1577,34 @@ INT32 I_NumJoys(void)
 
 const char *I_GetJoyName(INT32 joyindex)
 {
-	const char *joyname = "NA";
+	const char *tempname = NULL;
+	size_t templen;
+	char *joyname = NULL;
 	joyindex--; //SDL's Joystick System starts at 0, not 1
 	if (SDL_WasInit(SDL_INIT_JOYSTICK) == 0)
 	{
 		if (SDL_InitSubSystem(SDL_INIT_JOYSTICK) != -1)
-			joyname = SDL_JoystickName(joyindex);
+		{
+			tempname = SDL_JoystickNameForIndex(joyindex);
+			if (tempname)
+			{
+				templen = strlen(tempname);
+				joyname = malloc(templen*sizeof(char));
+				strcpy(joyname, tempname);
+			}
+		}
 		SDL_QuitSubSystem(SDL_INIT_JOYSTICK);
 	}
 	else
-		joyname = SDL_JoystickName(joyindex);
+	{
+		tempname = SDL_JoystickNameForIndex(joyindex);
+		if (tempname)
+		{
+			templen = strlen(tempname);
+			joyname = malloc(templen*sizeof(char));
+			strcpy(joyname, tempname);
+		}
+	}
 	return joyname;
 }