diff --git a/src/haptic/linux/SDL_syshaptic.c b/src/haptic/linux/SDL_syshaptic.c
index ab0a57077..659252b54 100644
--- a/src/haptic/linux/SDL_syshaptic.c
+++ b/src/haptic/linux/SDL_syshaptic.c
@@ -465,7 +465,7 @@ SDL_SYS_HapticOpen(SDL_Haptic * haptic)
     }
 
     /* Set the fname. */
-    haptic->hwdata->fname = item->fname;
+    haptic->hwdata->fname = SDL_strdup( item->fname );
     return 0;
 }
 
@@ -542,11 +542,12 @@ SDL_SYS_HapticOpenFromJoystick(SDL_Haptic * haptic, SDL_Joystick * joystick)
     /* Find the joystick in the haptic list. */
     for (item = SDL_hapticlist; item; item = item->next) {
         if (SDL_strcmp(item->fname, joystick->hwdata->fname) == 0) {
-            haptic->index = device_index;
             break;
         }
         ++device_index;
     }
+    haptic->index = device_index;
+
     if (device_index >= MAX_HAPTICS) {
         return SDL_SetError("Haptic: Joystick doesn't have Haptic capabilities");
     }
@@ -561,7 +562,8 @@ SDL_SYS_HapticOpenFromJoystick(SDL_Haptic * haptic, SDL_Joystick * joystick)
         return -1;
     }
 
-    haptic->hwdata->fname = item->fname;
+    haptic->hwdata->fname = SDL_strdup( joystick->hwdata->fname );
+
     return 0;
 }
 
@@ -583,6 +585,7 @@ SDL_SYS_HapticClose(SDL_Haptic * haptic)
         close(haptic->hwdata->fd);
 
         /* Free */
+        SDL_free(haptic->hwdata->fname);
         SDL_free(haptic->hwdata);
         haptic->hwdata = NULL;
     }