diff --git a/src/mesh.cpp b/src/mesh.cpp
index 0d114b1..ed22eb4 100644
--- a/src/mesh.cpp
+++ b/src/mesh.cpp
@@ -129,7 +129,6 @@ copyMeshInfo(const char* data_dir, const aiScene* scene, aiMesh* mesh)
 			std::string file_path;
 			file_path.append(data_dir).append("/").append(file_name.C_Str());
 			LOG(INFO) << "Loading texture file: " << file_name.C_Str() << "\n";
-			mi->diffuse_texture_path = file_path.c_str();
 			mi->diffuse_texture = utilLoadImage(file_path.c_str());
 		}
 	}
@@ -140,10 +139,8 @@ copyMeshInfo(const char* data_dir, const aiScene* scene, aiMesh* mesh)
 void
 freeMesh(meMeshInfo* mesh)
 {
-	if (mesh->diffuse_texture.pixels != 0) {
+	if (mesh->diffuse_texture.pixels != 0)
 		utilFreeImage(mesh->diffuse_texture);
-		mesh->diffuse_texture_path = 0;
-	}
 
 	utilSafeFree(mesh->vertices);
 	utilSafeFree(mesh->normals);
diff --git a/src/mesh.h b/src/mesh.h
index ef8ba99..fca6e14 100644
--- a/src/mesh.h
+++ b/src/mesh.h
@@ -19,7 +19,6 @@ struct meMeshInfo
 	uint* indices = nullptr;
 	glm::vec3 diffuse_color;
 
-	const char* diffuse_texture_path;
 	util_image diffuse_texture;
 };
 
diff --git a/src/util.cpp b/src/util.cpp
index 8b64892..2785280 100644
--- a/src/util.cpp
+++ b/src/util.cpp
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 #include <cassert>
 #include <cstdlib>
 #include <cstdio>
+#include <cstring>
 
 #define STB_IMAGE_IMPLEMENTATION
 #include "stb_image.h"
@@ -66,8 +67,10 @@ util_image
 utilLoadImage(const char* filename)
 {
 	LOG(INFO) << "Loading Image: " << filename << "\n";
+	assert(std::strlen(filename) < 256);
 
 	util_image image;
+	std::memcpy(image.file_path, filename, std::strlen(filename) + 1);
 	image.pixels = stbi_load(filename, &image.w, &image.h, &image.num_channels, 0);
 	image.data_len = image.w * image.h * image.num_channels; // NOTE: assumes 8 bits per channel
 
@@ -89,5 +92,6 @@ utilFreeImage(util_image image)
 	image.w = image.h = image.data_len = 0;
 	image.bits_per_channel = 8;
 	image.num_channels = 4;
+	std::memset(image.file_path, 0, std::strlen(image.file_path) + 1);
 	utilSafeFree(image.pixels);
 }
diff --git a/src/util.h b/src/util.h
index 7fc03ca..eadd418 100644
--- a/src/util.h
+++ b/src/util.h
@@ -57,6 +57,7 @@ struct util_image
 	int32 num_channels = 4;
 	uint data_len = 0;
 	uint8* pixels = nullptr;
+	char file_path[256];
 };
 
 inline real32