diff --git a/src/application.cpp b/src/application.cpp
index ecfba6d35..b2ba9ee62 100644
--- a/src/application.cpp
+++ b/src/application.cpp
@@ -121,7 +121,7 @@ void on_startup(GApplication* gapp) {
       return;
     }
 
-    util::debug("device "s + device.name + " has changed its input route to: "s + device.input_route_name);
+    util::debug("device " + device.name + " has changed its input route to: " + device.input_route_name);
 
     NodeInfo target_node;
 
@@ -153,7 +153,7 @@ void on_startup(GApplication* gapp) {
       return;
     }
 
-    util::debug("device "s + device.name + " has changed its output route to: "s + device.output_route_name);
+    util::debug("device " + device.name + " has changed its output route to: " + device.output_route_name);
 
     NodeInfo target_node;
 
diff --git a/src/chart.cpp b/src/chart.cpp
index 4ebe307c4..3f73e192a 100644
--- a/src/chart.cpp
+++ b/src/chart.cpp
@@ -380,7 +380,7 @@ auto draw_x_labels(Chart* self, GtkSnapshot* snapshot, const int& width, const i
     }
   }
 
-  draw_unit(self, snapshot, width, height, " "s + self->data->x_unit + " "s);
+  draw_unit(self, snapshot, width, height, " " + self->data->x_unit + " ");
 
   /*
     There is no space left in the window to show the last label. So we skip it.
diff --git a/src/lv2_wrapper.cpp b/src/lv2_wrapper.cpp
index df47f0c08..8f4aa9081 100644
--- a/src/lv2_wrapper.cpp
+++ b/src/lv2_wrapper.cpp
@@ -454,7 +454,7 @@ auto Lv2Wrapper::map_urid(const std::string& uri) -> LV2_URID {
 void Lv2Wrapper::load_ui() {
   // preparing the thread that loads the native ui and updates it over time
 
-  std::thread ui_updater([=, this]() {
+  std::thread ui_updater([this]() {
     {
       std::scoped_lock<std::mutex> lku(ui_mutex);
 
@@ -480,7 +480,7 @@ void Lv2Wrapper::load_ui() {
 
         std::string ui_uri = lilv_node_as_uri(lilv_ui_get_uri(ui));
 
-        util::debug(plugin_uri + " ui uri: "s + ui_uri);
+        util::debug(plugin_uri + " ui uri: " + ui_uri);
 
         const LilvNode* binary_node = lilv_ui_get_binary_uri(ui);
         const LilvNode* bundle_node = lilv_ui_get_bundle_uri(ui);
diff --git a/src/pipe_manager.cpp b/src/pipe_manager.cpp
index f9cad16a9..5c537c4cf 100644
--- a/src/pipe_manager.cpp
+++ b/src/pipe_manager.cpp
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@
 #include <spa/pod/iter.h>
 #include <spa/pod/parser.h>
 #include <spa/pod/pod.h>
+#include <spa/pod/vararg.h>
 #include <spa/utils/defs.h>
 #include <spa/utils/dict.h>
 #include <spa/utils/hook.h>
diff --git a/src/pipe_manager_box.cpp b/src/pipe_manager_box.cpp
index 09d27af66..dd19a3c47 100644
--- a/src/pipe_manager_box.cpp
+++ b/src/pipe_manager_box.cpp
@@ -702,7 +702,7 @@ void setup(PipeManagerBox* self, app::Application* application) {
   self->data->connections.push_back(
       application->presets_manager->user_output_preset_created.connect([=](const std::string& preset_name) {
         if (preset_name.empty()) {
-          util::warning("can't retrieve information about the preset file"s);
+          util::warning("can't retrieve information about the preset file");
 
           return;
         }
@@ -719,7 +719,7 @@ void setup(PipeManagerBox* self, app::Application* application) {
   self->data->connections.push_back(
       application->presets_manager->user_output_preset_removed.connect([=](const std::string& preset_name) {
         if (preset_name.empty()) {
-          util::warning("can't retrieve information about the preset file"s);
+          util::warning("can't retrieve information about the preset file");
 
           return;
         }
@@ -736,7 +736,7 @@ void setup(PipeManagerBox* self, app::Application* application) {
   self->data->connections.push_back(
       application->presets_manager->user_input_preset_created.connect([=](const std::string& preset_name) {
         if (preset_name.empty()) {
-          util::warning("can't retrieve information about the preset file"s);
+          util::warning("can't retrieve information about the preset file");
 
           return;
         }
@@ -753,7 +753,7 @@ void setup(PipeManagerBox* self, app::Application* application) {
   self->data->connections.push_back(
       application->presets_manager->user_input_preset_removed.connect([=](const std::string& preset_name) {
         if (preset_name.empty()) {
-          util::warning("can't retrieve information about the preset file"s);
+          util::warning("can't retrieve information about the preset file");
 
           return;
         }
@@ -836,7 +836,7 @@ void dispose(GObject* object) {
   g_object_unref(self->sie_settings);
   g_object_unref(self->soe_settings);
 
-  util::debug("disposed"s);
+  util::debug("disposed");
 
   G_OBJECT_CLASS(pipe_manager_box_parent_class)->dispose(object);
 }
@@ -846,7 +846,7 @@ void finalize(GObject* object) {
 
   delete self->data;
 
-  util::debug("finalized"s);
+  util::debug("finalized");
 
   G_OBJECT_CLASS(pipe_manager_box_parent_class)->finalize(object);
 }
diff --git a/src/ui_helpers.cpp b/src/ui_helpers.cpp
index 4590b3e3b..bc9e97bc2 100644
--- a/src/ui_helpers.cpp
+++ b/src/ui_helpers.cpp
@@ -139,7 +139,7 @@ auto parse_spinbutton_output(GtkSpinButton* button, const char* unit, const bool
   auto* adjustment = gtk_spin_button_get_adjustment(button);
   auto value = gtk_adjustment_get_value(adjustment);
   auto precision = gtk_spin_button_get_digits(button);
-  auto str_unit = (unit != nullptr) ? (" "s + unit) : ""s;
+  auto str_unit = (unit != nullptr) ? (" "s + unit) : "";
 
   bool minus_infinity = (!lower_bound && value <= util::minimum_db_d_level);