diff --git a/Source/cmQtAutoGenerators.cxx b/Source/cmQtAutoGenerators.cxx
index 929cbc0be..3d6445d29 100644
--- a/Source/cmQtAutoGenerators.cxx
+++ b/Source/cmQtAutoGenerators.cxx
@@ -1500,7 +1500,7 @@ void cmQtAutoGenerators::Init()
 
     if (this->IncludeProjectDirsBefore)
       {
-      const std::string &binDir = "-I" + this->ProjectBinaryDir;
+      const std::string binDir = "-I" + this->ProjectBinaryDir;
 
       const std::string srcDir = "-I" + this->ProjectSourceDir;