diff --git a/src/ktar.cpp b/src/ktar.cpp
--- a/src/ktar.cpp
+++ b/src/ktar.cpp
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@
     void writeLonglink(char *buffer, const QByteArray &name, char typeflag,
                        const char *uname, const char *gname);
     qint64 readRawHeader(char *buffer);
-    bool readLonglink(char *buffer, QByteArray &longlink);
+    const char *readLonglink(char *buffer);
     qint64 readHeader(char *buffer, QString &name, QString &symlink);
 };
 
@@ -228,7 +228,7 @@
     return n;
 }
 
-bool KTar::KTarPrivate::readLonglink(char *buffer, QByteArray &longlink)
+const char *KTar::KTarPrivate::readLonglink(char *buffer)
 {
     qint64 n = 0;
     //qCDebug(KArchiveLog) << "reading longlink from pos " << q->device()->pos();
@@ -240,32 +240,33 @@
     size--;    // ignore trailing null
     if (size > std::numeric_limits<int>::max()) {
         qCWarning(KArchiveLog) << "Failed to allocate memory for longlink of size" << size;
-        return false;
+        return nullptr;
     }
     if (size < 0) {
         qCWarning(KArchiveLog) << "Invalid longlink size" << size;
-        return false;
+        return nullptr;
     }
-    longlink.resize(size);
+    char *longlink = new char[size];
     qint64 offset = 0;
     while (size > 0) {
         int chunksize = qMin(size, 0x200LL);
-        n = dev->read(longlink.data() + offset, chunksize);
+        n = dev->read(longlink + offset, chunksize);
         if (n == -1) {
-            return false;
+            delete[] longlink;
+            return nullptr;
         }
         size -= chunksize;
         offset += 0x200;
     }/*wend*/
     // jump over the rest
     const int skip = 0x200 - (n % 0x200);
     if (skip <= 0x200) {
         if (dev->read(buffer, skip) != skip) {
-            return false;
+            delete[] longlink;
+            return nullptr;
         }
     }
-    longlink.truncate(qstrlen(longlink.constData()));
-    return true;
+    return longlink;
 }
 
 qint64 KTar::KTarPrivate::readHeader(char *buffer, QString &name, QString &symlink)
@@ -281,16 +282,18 @@
         // is it a longlink?
         if (strcmp(buffer, "././@LongLink") == 0) {
             char typeflag = buffer[0x9c];
-            QByteArray longlink;
-            if (readLonglink(buffer, longlink)) {
+            const char *longlink = readLonglink(buffer);
+            if (longlink) {
                 switch (typeflag) {
                 case 'L':
-                    name = QFile::decodeName(longlink.constData());
+                    name = QFile::decodeName(longlink);
                     break;
                 case 'K':
-                    symlink = QFile::decodeName(longlink.constData());
+                    symlink = QFile::decodeName(longlink);
                     break;
                 }/*end switch*/
+
+                delete[] longlink;
             }
         } else {
             break;