diff --git a/lsfg-vk-layer/src/entrypoint.cpp b/lsfg-vk-layer/src/entrypoint.cpp
index 3617e67..3f1cef4 100644
--- a/lsfg-vk-layer/src/entrypoint.cpp
+++ b/lsfg-vk-layer/src/entrypoint.cpp
@@ -24,17 +24,17 @@ namespace {
 
     /// helper function to add required extensions
     std::vector<const char*> add_extensions(const char* const* existingExtensions, size_t count,
-            const std::vector<std::string>& requiredExtensions) {
+            const std::vector<const char*>& requiredExtensions) {
         std::vector<const char*> extensions(count);
         std::copy_n(existingExtensions, count, extensions.data());
 
         for (const auto& requiredExtension : requiredExtensions) {
             auto it = std::ranges::find_if(extensions,
                 [requiredExtension](const char* extension) {
-                    return std::string(extension) == requiredExtension;
+                    return std::string(extension) == std::string(requiredExtension);
                 });
             if (it == extensions.end())
-                extensions.push_back(requiredExtension.c_str());
+                extensions.push_back(requiredExtension);
         }
 
         return extensions;
diff --git a/lsfg-vk-layer/src/layer.cpp b/lsfg-vk-layer/src/layer.cpp
index 1889786..b4a0032 100644
--- a/lsfg-vk-layer/src/layer.cpp
+++ b/lsfg-vk-layer/src/layer.cpp
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ bool Layer::tick() {
     return true;
 }
 
-std::vector<std::string> Layer::instanceExtensions() const {
+std::vector<const char*> Layer::instanceExtensions() const {
     if (!this->profile.has_value())
         return {};
 
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ std::vector<std::string> Layer::instanceExtensions() const {
     };
 }
 
-std::vector<std::string> Layer::deviceExtensions() const {
+std::vector<const char*> Layer::deviceExtensions() const {
     if (!this->profile.has_value())
         return {};
 
diff --git a/lsfg-vk-layer/src/layer.hpp b/lsfg-vk-layer/src/layer.hpp
index d3f7aae..b475035 100644
--- a/lsfg-vk-layer/src/layer.hpp
+++ b/lsfg-vk-layer/src/layer.hpp
@@ -25,10 +25,10 @@ namespace lsfgvk::layer {
 
         /// required instance extensions
         /// @return list of extension names
-        [[nodiscard]] std::vector<std::string> instanceExtensions() const;
+        [[nodiscard]] std::vector<const char*> instanceExtensions() const;
         /// required device extensions
         /// @return list of extension names
-        [[nodiscard]] std::vector<std::string> deviceExtensions() const;
+        [[nodiscard]] std::vector<const char*> deviceExtensions() const;
 
         /// tick the layer
         /// @throws lsfgvk::error on failure