diff --git a/src/gui/credits_menu.cpp b/src/gui/credits_menu.cpp
index 239160ce4..72cac7908 100644
--- a/src/gui/credits_menu.cpp
+++ b/src/gui/credits_menu.cpp
@@ -30,35 +30,34 @@ CreditsMenu::CreditsMenu()
 {
 
     std::string filename;
+	StringList credits_text_list;
     try
     {
         filename = loader->getPath("data/CREDITS");
-        FILE *fd = fopen(filename.c_str(), "ra");
+		//FIXME: we should change to c++ - filestreams
+        FILE *fd = fopen(filename.c_str(), "r");
         char s[1024];
         char *p;
         while(fgets(s, 1023, fd))
         {
-            p = strdup(s);
-            m_string_list.push_back(p);
+			credits_text_list.push_back(std::string(s));
         }   // while
+		fclose(fd);
+		fd = NULL;
     }
     catch(std::runtime_error& e)
     {
         printf(_("Couldn't load '%s'\n"),filename.c_str());
-        m_string_list.push_back(_("CREDIT file was not installed properly!!"));
-        m_string_list.push_back(_("Please check 'data/CREDIT'!!"));
+        credits_text_list.push_back(_("CREDIT file was not installed properly!!"));
+        credits_text_list.push_back(_("Please check 'data/CREDIT'!!"));
     }
 
-    setText(m_string_list);
+    setText(credits_text_list);
 }   // CreditsMenu
 
 //-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 CreditsMenu::~CreditsMenu()
 {
-    while(m_string_list.size()>0)
-    {
-        m_string_list.pop_back();
-    }
 }   // ~CreditsMenu
 
 /* EOF */
diff --git a/src/gui/credits_menu.hpp b/src/gui/credits_menu.hpp
index 761bf0d10..b0ab410ab 100644
--- a/src/gui/credits_menu.hpp
+++ b/src/gui/credits_menu.hpp
@@ -29,12 +29,11 @@
 
 class CreditsMenu: public ScrolledText
 {
-protected:
+private:
     int        m_xLeft, m_xRight, m_yBottom, m_yTop;
     float      m_yPos, m_ySpeed;
     int        m_numberOfLines;
     int        m_fontSize;
-    StringList m_string_list;
 public:
     CreditsMenu();
     ~CreditsMenu();
diff --git a/src/gui/scrolled_text.cpp b/src/gui/scrolled_text.cpp
index 1b84f4c08..2685cc0d9 100644
--- a/src/gui/scrolled_text.cpp
+++ b/src/gui/scrolled_text.cpp
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ ScrolledText::~ScrolledText()
 }   // ~ScrolledText
 
 //-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-void ScrolledText::setText(StringList sl_)
+void ScrolledText::setText(StringList const &sl_)
 {
     m_string_list=sl_;
     if(m_rect) glDeleteLists(m_rect, 1);
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ void ScrolledText::update(float dt)
     {
 
         if((m_y_pos-i*m_font_size < m_y_top + m_y_bottom ) && m_y_pos-i*m_font_size > -m_font_size)
-            font_gui->Print(m_string_list[i], 24,
+            font_gui->Print(m_string_list[i].c_str(), 24,
                             m_x_left,(int)m_y_pos-i*m_font_size);
     }
     glMatrixMode(GL_PROJECTION);
diff --git a/src/gui/scrolled_text.hpp b/src/gui/scrolled_text.hpp
index 8cfa4bab3..435dff15e 100644
--- a/src/gui/scrolled_text.hpp
+++ b/src/gui/scrolled_text.hpp
@@ -25,20 +25,23 @@
 #include "base_gui.hpp"
 #include "player.hpp"
 
-typedef std::vector<char*> StringList;
 
 class ScrolledText: public BaseGUI
 {
 protected:
+	typedef std::vector<std::string> StringList;
+
+private:
     int         m_x_left, m_x_right, m_y_bottom, m_y_top;
     float       m_y_pos, m_y_speed;
     int         m_font_size;
     StringList  m_string_list;
     int         m_rect;
+
 public:
     ScrolledText();
     ~ScrolledText();
-    void setText      (StringList sl_);
+    void setText      (StringList const &sl_);
 
     void select        ();
     void update        (float dt);