diff --git a/src/remoteplayer.h b/src/remoteplayer.h
index 6ecdb2798..ed0f21b42 100644
--- a/src/remoteplayer.h
+++ b/src/remoteplayer.h
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ public:
 
 	void setHotbarImage(const std::string &name) { hud_hotbar_image = name; }
 
-	std::string getHotbarImage() const { return hud_hotbar_image; }
+	const std::string &getHotbarImage() const { return hud_hotbar_image; }
 
 	void setHotbarSelectedImage(const std::string &name)
 	{
diff --git a/src/script/lua_api/l_object.cpp b/src/script/lua_api/l_object.cpp
index ce2bce85e..13b538f0c 100644
--- a/src/script/lua_api/l_object.cpp
+++ b/src/script/lua_api/l_object.cpp
@@ -1490,7 +1490,7 @@ int ObjectRef::l_hud_get_hotbar_image(lua_State *L)
 	if (player == NULL)
 		return 0;
 
-	std::string name = getServer(L)->hudGetHotbarImage(player);
+	const std::string &name = player->getHotbarImage();
 	lua_pushlstring(L, name.c_str(), name.size());
 	return 1;
 }
diff --git a/src/server.cpp b/src/server.cpp
index aa0961f9a..fbd656f37 100644
--- a/src/server.cpp
+++ b/src/server.cpp
@@ -3099,13 +3099,6 @@ void Server::hudSetHotbarImage(RemotePlayer *player, std::string name)
 	SendHUDSetParam(player->getPeerId(), HUD_PARAM_HOTBAR_IMAGE, name);
 }
 
-std::string Server::hudGetHotbarImage(RemotePlayer *player)
-{
-	if (!player)
-		return "";
-	return player->getHotbarImage();
-}
-
 void Server::hudSetHotbarSelectedImage(RemotePlayer *player, std::string name)
 {
 	if (!player)
diff --git a/src/server.h b/src/server.h
index c189860a5..7b3fe61e2 100644
--- a/src/server.h
+++ b/src/server.h
@@ -291,7 +291,6 @@ public:
 	bool hudSetFlags(RemotePlayer *player, u32 flags, u32 mask);
 	bool hudSetHotbarItemcount(RemotePlayer *player, s32 hotbar_itemcount);
 	void hudSetHotbarImage(RemotePlayer *player, std::string name);
-	std::string hudGetHotbarImage(RemotePlayer *player);
 	void hudSetHotbarSelectedImage(RemotePlayer *player, std::string name);
 	const std::string &hudGetHotbarSelectedImage(RemotePlayer *player) const;