diff --git a/yoga/YGNodePrint.cpp b/yoga/YGNodePrint.cpp
index 8eb33f93..753a00b6 100644
--- a/yoga/YGNodePrint.cpp
+++ b/yoga/YGNodePrint.cpp
@@ -14,9 +14,9 @@ namespace facebook {
 namespace yoga {
 typedef std::string string;
 
-static void indent(string* base, uint32_t level) {
+static void indent(string& base, uint32_t level) {
   for (uint32_t i = 0; i < level; ++i) {
-    base->append("  ");
+    base.append("  ");
   }
 }
 
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ static bool areFourValuesEqual(const std::array<YGValue, YGEdgeCount>& four) {
       YGValueEqual(four[0], four[3]);
 }
 
-static void appendFormatedString(string* str, const char* fmt, ...) {
+static void appendFormatedString(string& str, const char* fmt, ...) {
   va_list args;
   va_start(args, fmt);
   va_list argsCopy;
@@ -35,11 +35,11 @@ static void appendFormatedString(string* str, const char* fmt, ...) {
   vsnprintf(buf.data(), buf.size(), fmt, argsCopy);
   va_end(argsCopy);
   string result = string(buf.begin(), buf.end() - 1);
-  str->append(result);
+  str.append(result);
 }
 
 static void appendFloatOptionalIfDefined(
-    string* base,
+    string& base,
     const string key,
     const YGFloatOptional num) {
   if (!num.isUndefined()) {
@@ -48,12 +48,12 @@ static void appendFloatOptionalIfDefined(
 }
 
 static void appendNumberIfNotUndefined(
-    string* base,
+    string& base,
     const string key,
     const YGValue number) {
   if (number.unit != YGUnitUndefined) {
     if (number.unit == YGUnitAuto) {
-      base->append(key + ": auto; ");
+      base.append(key + ": auto; ");
     } else {
       string unit = number.unit == YGUnitPoint ? "px" : "%%";
       appendFormatedString(
@@ -63,24 +63,23 @@ static void appendNumberIfNotUndefined(
 }
 
 static void
-appendNumberIfNotAuto(string* base, const string& key, const YGValue number) {
+appendNumberIfNotAuto(string& base, const string& key, const YGValue number) {
   if (number.unit != YGUnitAuto) {
     appendNumberIfNotUndefined(base, key, number);
   }
 }
 
 static void
-appendNumberIfNotZero(string* base, const string& str, const YGValue number) {
-
+appendNumberIfNotZero(string& base, const string& str, const YGValue number) {
   if (number.unit == YGUnitAuto) {
-    base->append(str + ": auto; ");
+    base.append(str + ": auto; ");
   } else if (!YGFloatsEqual(number.value, 0)) {
     appendNumberIfNotUndefined(base, str, number);
   }
 }
 
 static void appendEdges(
-    string* base,
+    string& base,
     const string& key,
     const std::array<YGValue, YGEdgeCount>& edges) {
   if (areFourValuesEqual(edges)) {
@@ -94,7 +93,7 @@ static void appendEdges(
 }
 
 static void appendEdgeIfNotUndefined(
-    string* base,
+    string& base,
     const string& str,
     const std::array<YGValue, YGEdgeCount>& edges,
     const YGEdge edge) {
@@ -103,7 +102,7 @@ static void appendEdgeIfNotUndefined(
 }
 
 void YGNodeToString(
-    std::string* str,
+    std::string& str,
     YGNodeRef node,
     YGPrintOptions options,
     uint32_t level) {
diff --git a/yoga/YGNodePrint.h b/yoga/YGNodePrint.h
index 9d36ba8d..9615bf8e 100644
--- a/yoga/YGNodePrint.h
+++ b/yoga/YGNodePrint.h
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ namespace facebook {
 namespace yoga {
 
 void YGNodeToString(
-    std::string* str,
+    std::string& str,
     YGNodeRef node,
     YGPrintOptions options,
     uint32_t level);
diff --git a/yoga/Yoga.cpp b/yoga/Yoga.cpp
index 3356a811..4a1a98a2 100644
--- a/yoga/Yoga.cpp
+++ b/yoga/Yoga.cpp
@@ -1060,7 +1060,7 @@ static void YGNodePrintInternal(
     const YGNodeRef node,
     const YGPrintOptions options) {
   std::string str;
-  facebook::yoga::YGNodeToString(&str, node, options, 0);
+  facebook::yoga::YGNodeToString(str, node, options, 0);
   YGLog(node, YGLogLevelDebug, str.c_str());
 }