diff --git a/lib/httpclient.rb b/lib/httpclient.rb
index e1f1864..e844909 100644
--- a/lib/httpclient.rb
+++ b/lib/httpclient.rb
@@ -1240,7 +1240,7 @@ def do_get_block(req, proxy, conn, &block)
       conn.push(res)
       return res
     end
-    content = block ? nil : ''
+    content = block ? nil : ''.dup
     res = HTTP::Message.new_response(content, req.header)
     @debug_dev << "= Request\n\n" if @debug_dev
     sess = @session_manager.query(req, proxy)
diff --git a/lib/httpclient/http.rb b/lib/httpclient/http.rb
index f6a8607..0fdedb5 100644
--- a/lib/httpclient/http.rb
+++ b/lib/httpclient/http.rb
@@ -574,7 +574,7 @@ def reset_pos(io)
       end
 
       def dump_file(io, dev, sz)
-        buf = ''
+        buf = ''.dup
         rest = sz
         while rest > 0
           n = io.read([rest, @chunk_size].min, buf)
diff --git a/lib/httpclient/session.rb b/lib/httpclient/session.rb
index 67e2c3b..8cb09d4 100644
--- a/lib/httpclient/session.rb
+++ b/lib/httpclient/session.rb
@@ -950,7 +950,7 @@ def read_body_rest
     end
 
     def empty_bin_str
-      str = ''
+      str = ''.dup
       str.force_encoding('BINARY') if str.respond_to?(:force_encoding)
       str
     end
diff --git a/lib/httpclient/util.rb b/lib/httpclient/util.rb
index 6ff3801..9b93035 100644
--- a/lib/httpclient/util.rb
+++ b/lib/httpclient/util.rb
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ class AddressableURI < Addressable::URI
         # Overwrites the original definition just for one line...
         def authority
           self.host && @authority ||= (begin
-            authority = ""
+            authority = "".dup
             if self.userinfo != nil
               authority << "#{self.userinfo}@"
             end