diff --git a/Sources/Plasma/FeatureLib/pfPython/plPythonFileMod.cpp b/Sources/Plasma/FeatureLib/pfPython/plPythonFileMod.cpp
index 3a30452e..7872f684 100644
--- a/Sources/Plasma/FeatureLib/pfPython/plPythonFileMod.cpp
+++ b/Sources/Plasma/FeatureLib/pfPython/plPythonFileMod.cpp
@@ -1383,7 +1383,7 @@ bool plPythonFileMod::MsgReceive(plMessage* msg)
                             // create event list
                             PyObject* event = PyList_New(4);
                             PyList_SetItem(event, 0, PyLong_FromLong((long)proEventData::kVariable));
-                            PyList_SetItem(event, 1, PyString_FromString(eventData->fName));
+                            PyList_SetItem(event, 1, PyString_FromPlString(eventData->fName));
                             PyList_SetItem(event, 2, PyLong_FromLong(eventData->fDataType));
                             
                             // depending on the data type create the data
diff --git a/Sources/Plasma/NucleusLib/pnMessage/plNotifyMsg.cpp b/Sources/Plasma/NucleusLib/pnMessage/plNotifyMsg.cpp
index 9c829a7d..c3ea0f4a 100644
--- a/Sources/Plasma/NucleusLib/pnMessage/plNotifyMsg.cpp
+++ b/Sources/Plasma/NucleusLib/pnMessage/plNotifyMsg.cpp
@@ -589,11 +589,11 @@ void plNotifyMsg::AddControlKeyEvent( int32_t key, bool down )
 //
 //  PURPOSE    : Add a variable event record to this notify message
 //
-void plNotifyMsg::AddVariableEvent( const char* name, float number )
+void plNotifyMsg::AddVariableEvent(const plString& name, float number)
 {
     // create the control key event record
     proVariableEventData* pED = new proVariableEventData;
-    pED->fName = hsStrcpy(nil,name);
+    pED->fName = name;
     pED->fDataType = proEventData::kFloat;
     pED->fNumber.f = number;
     fEvents.Append(pED);    // then add it to the list of event records
@@ -607,11 +607,11 @@ void plNotifyMsg::AddVariableEvent( const char* name, float number )
 //
 //  PURPOSE    : Add a variable event record to this notify message
 //
-void plNotifyMsg::AddVariableEvent( const char* name, int32_t number )
+void plNotifyMsg::AddVariableEvent(const plString& name, int32_t number)
 {
     // create the control key event record
     proVariableEventData* pED = new proVariableEventData;
-    pED->fName = hsStrcpy(nil,name);
+    pED->fName = name;
     pED->fDataType = proEventData::kInt;
     pED->fNumber.i = number;
     fEvents.Append(pED);    // then add it to the list of event records
@@ -624,11 +624,11 @@ void plNotifyMsg::AddVariableEvent( const char* name, int32_t number )
 //
 //  PURPOSE    : Add a variable event record to this notify message
 //
-void plNotifyMsg::AddVariableEvent( const char* name)
+void plNotifyMsg::AddVariableEvent(const plString& name)
 {
     // create the control key event record
     proVariableEventData* pED = new proVariableEventData;
-    pED->fName = hsStrcpy(nil,name);
+    pED->fName = name;
     pED->fDataType = proEventData::kNull;
     fEvents.Append(pED);    // then add it to the list of event records
 }
@@ -641,12 +641,11 @@ void plNotifyMsg::AddVariableEvent( const char* name)
 //
 //  PURPOSE    : Add a variable event record to this notify message
 //
-void plNotifyMsg::AddVariableEvent( const char* name, const plKey &key )
+void plNotifyMsg::AddVariableEvent(const plString& name, const plKey &key)
 {
     // create the control key event record
     proVariableEventData* pED = new proVariableEventData;
-    pED->fName = hsStrcpy(nil,name);
-//  pED->fName = (char*)name;
+    pED->fName = name;
     pED->fDataType = proEventData::kKey;
     pED->fKey = key;
     fEvents.Append(pED);    // then add it to the list of event records
@@ -1312,13 +1311,12 @@ void proControlKeyEventData::IWriteVersion(hsStream* s, hsResMgr* mgr)
 
 void proVariableEventData::IInit()
 {
-    fName = nil;
+    fName = plString::Null;
 }
+
 void proVariableEventData::IDestruct()
 {
-    if ( fName != nil )
-        delete [] fName;
-    fName = nil;
+    fName = plString::Null;
 }
 
 void proVariableEventData::IReadNumber(hsStream * stream) {
@@ -1353,7 +1351,7 @@ void proVariableEventData::IWriteNumber(hsStream * stream) {
 
 void proVariableEventData::IRead(hsStream* stream, hsResMgr* mgr)
 {
-    fName = stream->ReadSafeString();
+    fName = stream->ReadSafeString_TEMP();
     fDataType = stream->ReadLE32();
     IReadNumber(stream);
     fKey = mgr->ReadKey(stream);
@@ -1381,7 +1379,7 @@ void proVariableEventData::IReadVersion(hsStream* s, hsResMgr* mgr)
     contentFlags.Read(s);
 
     if (contentFlags.IsBitSet(kProVariableName))
-        fName = s->ReadSafeString();
+        fName = s->ReadSafeString_TEMP();
     if (contentFlags.IsBitSet(kProVariableDataType))
         fDataType = s->ReadLE32();
     if (contentFlags.IsBitSet(kProVariableNumber))
diff --git a/Sources/Plasma/NucleusLib/pnMessage/plNotifyMsg.h b/Sources/Plasma/NucleusLib/pnMessage/plNotifyMsg.h
index 114d3f76..bf9b3512 100644
--- a/Sources/Plasma/NucleusLib/pnMessage/plNotifyMsg.h
+++ b/Sources/Plasma/NucleusLib/pnMessage/plNotifyMsg.h
@@ -179,7 +179,7 @@ protected:
 };
 
 proEventType(Variable)
-    char*   fName;          // name of variable
+    plString  fName;          // name of variable
     int32_t   fDataType;      // type of data
 
     // Can't be a union, sadly, but it isn't that much of a waste of space...
@@ -375,10 +375,10 @@ public:
     void AddCollisionEvent( bool enter, const plKey &other, const plKey &self, bool onlyOneCollision=true );
     void AddPickEvent( const plKey &other, const plKey& self, bool enabled, hsPoint3 hitPoint );
     void AddControlKeyEvent( int32_t key, bool down );
-    void AddVariableEvent( const char* name, float number );
-    void AddVariableEvent( const char* name, int32_t number );
-    void AddVariableEvent( const char* name );
-    void AddVariableEvent( const char *name, const plKey &key );
+    void AddVariableEvent( const plString& name, float number );
+    void AddVariableEvent( const plString& name, int32_t number );
+    void AddVariableEvent( const plString& name );
+    void AddVariableEvent( const plString& name, const plKey &key );
     void AddFacingEvent( const plKey &other, const plKey &self, float dot, bool enabled);
     void AddContainerEvent( const plKey &container, const plKey &contained, bool entering);
     void AddActivateEvent( bool activate );