diff --git a/wireguard.cpp b/wireguard.cpp
index ae9a74b..be21969 100644
--- a/wireguard.cpp
+++ b/wireguard.cpp
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ void WireguardProcessor::SetHeaderObfuscation(const char *key) {
   dev_.SetHeaderObfuscation(key);
 }
 
-WgProcessorStats WireguardProcessor::GetStats() {
+const WgProcessorStats &WireguardProcessor::GetStats() {
   // todo: only supports one peer but i want this in the ui for now.
   stats_.endpoint.sin.sin_family = 0;
   WgPeer *peer = dev_.first_peer();
diff --git a/wireguard.h b/wireguard.h
index 4e4bfc1..10ec2db 100644
--- a/wireguard.h
+++ b/wireguard.h
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ public:
 
   void SecondLoop();
 
-  WgProcessorStats GetStats();
+  const WgProcessorStats &GetStats();
   void ResetStats();
 
   bool Start();