diff --git a/include/libweston/libweston.h b/include/libweston/libweston.h
index ce70148c2..a35568b8d 100644
--- a/include/libweston/libweston.h
+++ b/include/libweston/libweston.h
@@ -1596,6 +1596,7 @@ struct weston_buffer {
 
 	const struct pixel_format_info *pixel_format;
 	uint64_t format_modifier;
+	char *format_modifier_name;
 };
 
 enum weston_buffer_reference_type {
diff --git a/libweston/compositor.c b/libweston/compositor.c
index 7f1430120..b1bd4e8e7 100644
--- a/libweston/compositor.c
+++ b/libweston/compositor.c
@@ -2823,6 +2823,7 @@ weston_buffer_destroy(struct weston_buffer *buffer)
 	assert(buffer->passive_count == 0);
 
 	wl_signal_emit_mutable(&buffer->destroy_signal, buffer);
+	free(buffer->format_modifier_name);
 	free(buffer);
 }
 
@@ -2937,6 +2938,8 @@ weston_buffer_from_resource(struct weston_compositor *ec,
 		buffer->type = WESTON_BUFFER_RENDERER_OPAQUE;
 	}
 
+	buffer->format_modifier_name = pixel_format_get_modifier(buffer->format_modifier);
+
 	if (ec->renderer->buffer_init)
 		ec->renderer->buffer_init(ec, buffer);
 
@@ -3103,6 +3106,7 @@ weston_buffer_create_solid_rgba(struct weston_compositor *compositor,
 			pixel_format_get_info_shm(WL_SHM_FORMAT_ARGB8888);
 	}
 	buffer->format_modifier = DRM_FORMAT_MOD_LINEAR;
+	buffer->format_modifier_name = pixel_format_get_modifier(buffer->format_modifier);
 
 	weston_buffer_reference(ret, buffer, BUFFER_MAY_BE_ACCESSED);
 
@@ -9503,7 +9507,6 @@ static void
 debug_scene_view_print_buffer(FILE *fp, struct weston_view *view)
 {
 	struct weston_buffer *buffer = view->surface->buffer_ref.buffer;
-	char *modifier_name;
 
 	if (!buffer) {
 		fputs("\t\t[buffer not available]\n", fp);
@@ -9543,12 +9546,7 @@ debug_scene_view_print_buffer(FILE *fp, struct weston_view *view)
 	} else {
 		fputs("\t\t\t[unknown format]\n", fp);
 	}
-
-	modifier_name = pixel_format_get_modifier(buffer->format_modifier);
-	fprintf(fp, "\t\t\tmodifier: %s\n",
-		modifier_name ?
-			modifier_name : "Failed to convert to a modifier name");
-	free(modifier_name);
+	fprintf(fp, "\t\t\tmodifier: %s\n", buffer->format_modifier_name);
 
 	fprintf(fp, "\t\t\twidth: %d, height: %d\n",
 		buffer->width, buffer->height);
diff --git a/libweston/renderer-gl/gl-renderer.c b/libweston/renderer-gl/gl-renderer.c
index 91753b99e..61d4e8d59 100644
--- a/libweston/renderer-gl/gl-renderer.c
+++ b/libweston/renderer-gl/gl-renderer.c
@@ -367,7 +367,6 @@ gl_log_paint_node_start(struct gl_renderer *gr, struct weston_paint_node *pnode)
 	struct weston_surface *surface;
 	struct weston_buffer *buffer;
 	pid_t pid = 0;
-	char *modifier_name;
 
 	if (!weston_log_scope_is_enabled(gr->paint_node_scope))
 		return;
@@ -398,11 +397,8 @@ gl_log_paint_node_start(struct gl_renderer *gr, struct weston_paint_node *pnode)
 	else
 		weston_log_scope_printf(gr->paint_node_scope, "\t\t[unknown buffer format]\n");
 
-	modifier_name = pixel_format_get_modifier(buffer->format_modifier);
 	weston_log_scope_printf(gr->paint_node_scope, "\t\tbuffer modifier: %s\n",
-				modifier_name ?  modifier_name :
-				"Failed to convert to a modifier name");
-	free(modifier_name);
+				buffer->format_modifier_name);
 }
 
 static void