diff --git a/input/input.c b/input/input.c
index ee37ee03d6..6ef5bab1f5 100644
--- a/input/input.c
+++ b/input/input.c
@@ -596,7 +596,7 @@ static void interpret_key(struct input_ctx *ictx, int code, double scale)
 
     if (mp_msg_test(ictx->log, MSGL_DEBUG)) {
         int noflags = code & ~(MP_KEY_STATE_DOWN | MP_KEY_STATE_UP);
-        char *key = mp_input_get_key_name(noflags, NULL);
+        char *key = mp_input_get_key_name(noflags);
         MP_DBG(ictx, "key code=%#x '%s'%s%s\n",
                code, key, (code & MP_KEY_STATE_DOWN) ? " down" : "",
                (code & MP_KEY_STATE_UP) ? " up" : "");
diff --git a/input/keycodes.c b/input/keycodes.c
index a1e466ed09..66cb403c23 100644
--- a/input/keycodes.c
+++ b/input/keycodes.c
@@ -251,39 +251,49 @@ found:
     return -1;
 }
 
-char *mp_input_get_key_name(int key, char *ret)
+static void mp_input_append_key_name(bstr *buf, int key)
 {
     for (int i = 0; modifier_names[i].name; i++) {
         if (modifier_names[i].key & key) {
-            ret = talloc_asprintf_append_buffer(ret, "%s+",
-                                                modifier_names[i].name);
+            bstr_xappend_asprintf(NULL, buf, "%s+", modifier_names[i].name);
             key -= modifier_names[i].key;
         }
     }
     for (int i = 0; key_names[i].name != NULL; i++) {
-        if (key_names[i].key == key)
-            return talloc_asprintf_append_buffer(ret, "%s", key_names[i].name);
+        if (key_names[i].key == key) {
+            bstr_xappend_asprintf(NULL, buf, "%s", key_names[i].name);
+            return;
+        }
     }
 
     // printable, and valid unicode range
-    if (key >= 32 && key <= 0x10FFFF)
-        return mp_append_utf8_buffer(ret, key);
+    if (key >= 32 && key <= 0x10FFFF) {
+        mp_append_utf8_bstr(NULL, buf, key);
+        return;
+    }
 
     // Print the hex key code
-    return talloc_asprintf_append_buffer(ret, "%#-8x", key);
+    bstr_xappend_asprintf(NULL, buf, "%#-8x", key);
+}
+
+char *mp_input_get_key_name(int key)
+{
+    bstr dst = {0};
+    mp_input_append_key_name(&dst, key);
+    return dst.start;
 }
 
 char *mp_input_get_key_combo_name(int *keys, int max)
 {
-    char *ret = talloc_strdup(NULL, "");
+    bstr dst = {0};
     while (max > 0) {
-        ret = mp_input_get_key_name(*keys, ret);
+        mp_input_append_key_name(&dst, *keys);
         if (--max && *++keys)
-            ret = talloc_asprintf_append_buffer(ret, "-");
+            bstr_xappend(NULL, &dst, bstr0("-"));
         else
             break;
     }
-    return ret;
+    return dst.start;
 }
 
 int mp_input_get_keys_from_string(char *name, int max_num_keys,
diff --git a/input/keycodes.h b/input/keycodes.h
index 827aee7ba7..e7dd10c8ab 100644
--- a/input/keycodes.h
+++ b/input/keycodes.h
@@ -256,8 +256,8 @@
 // Get input key from its name.
 int mp_input_get_key_from_name(const char *name);
 
-// Append given key by name to ret, return ret.
-char *mp_input_get_key_name(int key, char *ret);
+// Return given key (plus modifiers) as talloc'ed name.
+char *mp_input_get_key_name(int key);
 
 // Combination of multiple keys to string.
 char *mp_input_get_key_combo_name(int *keys, int max);