diff --git a/include/openmc/settings.h b/include/openmc/settings.h
index 9cd2f7c2d..f6cbe3138 100644
--- a/include/openmc/settings.h
+++ b/include/openmc/settings.h
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ extern std::string path_statepoint;       //!< path to a statepoint file
 // This is required because the c_str() may not be the first thing in
 // std::string. Sometimes it is, but it seems libc++ may not be like that
 // on some computers, like the intel Mac.
-extern "C" char const* path_statepoint_c; //!< C pointer to statepoint file name
+extern "C" const char* path_statepoint_c; //!< C pointer to statepoint file name
 
 extern "C" int32_t n_inactive;         //!< number of inactive batches
 extern "C" int32_t max_lost_particles; //!< maximum number of lost particles
diff --git a/openmc/lib/settings.py b/openmc/lib/settings.py
index 2e9dd18df..9225c2d4e 100644
--- a/openmc/lib/settings.py
+++ b/openmc/lib/settings.py
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ class _Settings:
 
     @property
     def path_statepoint(self):
-        path = c_char_p.in_dll(_dll, 'path_statepoint').value
+        path = c_char_p.in_dll(_dll, 'path_statepoint_c').value
         return path.decode()
 
     @property
diff --git a/src/settings.cpp b/src/settings.cpp
index cf678d404..b0848b3b5 100644
--- a/src/settings.cpp
+++ b/src/settings.cpp
@@ -82,8 +82,7 @@ std::string path_output;
 std::string path_particle_restart;
 std::string path_sourcepoint;
 std::string path_statepoint;
-std::string empty_string = "";
-char const* path_statepoint_c {empty_string.c_str()};
+const char* path_statepoint_c {path_statepoint.c_str()};
 
 int32_t n_inactive {0};
 int32_t max_lost_particles {10};