diff --git a/selfdrive/loggerd/bootlog.cc b/selfdrive/loggerd/bootlog.cc
index 35508730fd..ece5d526ca 100644
--- a/selfdrive/loggerd/bootlog.cc
+++ b/selfdrive/loggerd/bootlog.cc
@@ -30,8 +30,7 @@ static kj::Array<capnp::word> build_boot_log() {
     }
   }
 
-  std::string launchLog = util::read_file("/tmp/launch_log");
-  boot.setLaunchLog(capnp::Text::Reader(launchLog.data(), launchLog.size()));
+  boot.setLaunchLog(util::read_file("/tmp/launch_log"));
   return capnp::messageToFlatArray(msg);
 }
 
diff --git a/selfdrive/loggerd/logger.cc b/selfdrive/loggerd/logger.cc
index 1b586a594e..dccc226a3d 100644
--- a/selfdrive/loggerd/logger.cc
+++ b/selfdrive/loggerd/logger.cc
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ kj::Array<capnp::word> logger_build_init_data() {
     init.setDeviceType(cereal::InitData::DeviceType::PC);
   }
 
-  init.setVersion(capnp::Text::Reader(COMMA_VERSION));
+  init.setVersion(COMMA_VERSION);
 
   std::ifstream cmdline_stream("/proc/cmdline");
   std::vector<std::string> kernel_args;