diff --git a/src/plugins/api.c b/src/plugins/api.c
index 31db05e3..032ae86a 100644
--- a/src/plugins/api.c
+++ b/src/plugins/api.c
@@ -240,7 +240,7 @@ api_get_current_nick(void)
 char*
 api_get_name_from_roster(const char* barejid)
 {
-    return roster_get_display_name(barejid);
+    return strdup(roster_get_display_name(barejid));
 }
 
 char*
diff --git a/src/plugins/python_api.c b/src/plugins/python_api.c
index 091b3b4a..35a97d15 100644
--- a/src/plugins/python_api.c
+++ b/src/plugins/python_api.c
@@ -452,7 +452,7 @@ python_api_get_name_from_roster(PyObject* self, PyObject* args)
     char* barejid_str = python_str_or_unicode_to_string(barejid);
 
     allow_python_threads();
-    char* name = roster_get_display_name(barejid_str);
+    char* name = strdup(roster_get_display_name(barejid_str));
     free(barejid_str);
     disable_python_threads();
     if (name) {
diff --git a/src/ui/chatwin.c b/src/ui/chatwin.c
index cf0b675f..4afa8c95 100644
--- a/src/ui/chatwin.c
+++ b/src/ui/chatwin.c
@@ -295,19 +295,7 @@ chatwin_recipient_gone(ProfChatWin* chatwin)
 {
     assert(chatwin != NULL);
 
-    const char* display_usr = NULL;
-    PContact contact = roster_get_contact(chatwin->barejid);
-    if (contact) {
-        if (p_contact_name(contact)) {
-            display_usr = p_contact_name(contact);
-        } else {
-            display_usr = chatwin->barejid;
-        }
-    } else {
-        display_usr = chatwin->barejid;
-    }
-
-    win_println((ProfWin*)chatwin, THEME_GONE, "!", "<- %s has left the conversation.", display_usr);
+    win_println((ProfWin*)chatwin, THEME_GONE, "!", "<- %s has left the conversation.", roster_get_display_name(chatwin->barejid));
 }
 
 void
diff --git a/src/ui/console.c b/src/ui/console.c
index dfbbfc14..c46faed5 100644
--- a/src/ui/console.c
+++ b/src/ui/console.c
@@ -267,20 +267,7 @@ cons_show_tlscert(const TLSCertificate* cert)
 void
 cons_show_typing(const char* const barejid)
 {
-    ProfWin* console = wins_get_console();
-    const char* display_usr = NULL;
-    PContact contact = roster_get_contact(barejid);
-    if (contact) {
-        if (p_contact_name(contact)) {
-            display_usr = p_contact_name(contact);
-        } else {
-            display_usr = barejid;
-        }
-    } else {
-        display_usr = barejid;
-    }
-
-    win_println(console, THEME_TYPING, "-", "!! %s is typing a message…", display_usr);
+    win_println(wins_get_console(), THEME_TYPING, "-", "!! %s is typing a message…", roster_get_display_name(barejid));
     cons_alert(NULL);
 }
 
@@ -925,17 +912,7 @@ cons_show_status(const char* const barejid)
 void
 cons_show_room_invite(const char* const invitor, const char* const room, const char* const reason)
 {
-    auto_char char* display_from = NULL;
-    PContact contact = roster_get_contact(invitor);
-    if (contact) {
-        if (p_contact_name(contact)) {
-            display_from = strdup(p_contact_name(contact));
-        } else {
-            display_from = strdup(invitor);
-        }
-    } else {
-        display_from = strdup(invitor);
-    }
+    const char* display_from = roster_get_display_name(invitor);
 
     cons_show("");
     cons_show("Chat room invite received:");
diff --git a/src/ui/core.c b/src/ui/core.c
index 39535eaa..8c85070c 100644
--- a/src/ui/core.c
+++ b/src/ui/core.c
@@ -299,18 +299,7 @@ ui_contact_typing(const char* const barejid, const char* const resource)
             is_current = wins_is_current(window);
         }
         if (!is_current || (is_current && prefs_get_boolean(PREF_NOTIFY_TYPING_CURRENT))) {
-            PContact contact = roster_get_contact(barejid);
-            char const* display_usr = NULL;
-            if (contact) {
-                if (p_contact_name(contact)) {
-                    display_usr = p_contact_name(contact);
-                } else {
-                    display_usr = barejid;
-                }
-            } else {
-                display_usr = barejid;
-            }
-            notify_typing(display_usr);
+            notify_typing(roster_get_display_name(barejid));
         }
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/xmpp/contact.c b/src/xmpp/contact.c
index 36ad3ce9..fd2889b9 100644
--- a/src/xmpp/contact.c
+++ b/src/xmpp/contact.c
@@ -192,6 +192,8 @@ p_contact_barejid_collate_key(const PContact contact)
 const char*
 p_contact_name(const PContact contact)
 {
+    if (!contact)
+        return NULL;
     return contact->name;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/xmpp/roster_list.c b/src/xmpp/roster_list.c
index b5a60db7..40b8210d 100644
--- a/src/xmpp/roster_list.c
+++ b/src/xmpp/roster_list.c
@@ -183,25 +183,12 @@ roster_get_contact(const char* const barejid)
     return contact;
 }
 
-char*
+const char*
 roster_get_display_name(const char* const barejid)
 {
     assert(roster != NULL);
 
-    GString* result = g_string_new("");
-
-    PContact contact = roster_get_contact(barejid);
-    if (contact) {
-        if (p_contact_name(contact)) {
-            g_string_append(result, p_contact_name(contact));
-        } else {
-            g_string_append(result, barejid);
-        }
-    } else {
-        g_string_append(result, barejid);
-    }
-
-    return g_string_free(result, FALSE);
+    return p_contact_name(roster_get_contact(barejid)) ?: barejid;
 }
 
 gchar*
@@ -215,25 +202,12 @@ roster_get_msg_display_name(const char* const barejid, const char* const resourc
         return incoming_str;
     }
 
-    GString* result = g_string_new("");
-
-    PContact contact = roster_get_contact(barejid);
-    if (contact) {
-        if (p_contact_name(contact)) {
-            g_string_append(result, p_contact_name(contact));
-        } else {
-            g_string_append(result, barejid);
-        }
-    } else {
-        g_string_append(result, barejid);
-    }
+    const char* contact_name = roster_get_display_name(barejid);
 
     if (resource && prefs_get_boolean(PREF_RESOURCE_MESSAGE)) {
-        g_string_append(result, "/");
-        g_string_append(result, resource);
+        return g_strdup_printf("%s/%s", contact_name, resource);
     }
-
-    return g_string_free(result, FALSE);
+    return g_strdup(contact_name);
 }
 
 gboolean
diff --git a/src/xmpp/roster_list.h b/src/xmpp/roster_list.h
index c31fe201..be29bd69 100644
--- a/src/xmpp/roster_list.h
+++ b/src/xmpp/roster_list.h
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ GList* roster_get_groups(void);
 char* roster_group_autocomplete(const char* const search_str, gboolean previous, void* context);
 char* roster_barejid_autocomplete(const char* const search_str, gboolean previous, void* context);
 GSList* roster_get_contacts_by_presence(const char* const presence);
-char* roster_get_display_name(const char* const barejid);
+const char* roster_get_display_name(const char* const barejid);
 gchar* roster_get_msg_display_name(const char* const barejid, const char* const resource);
 gint roster_compare_name(PContact a, PContact b);
 gint roster_compare_presence(PContact a, PContact b);