diff --git a/native_client/ctcdecode/ctc_beam_search_decoder.cpp b/native_client/ctcdecode/ctc_beam_search_decoder.cpp
index f65888c4..c28dacd2 100644
--- a/native_client/ctcdecode/ctc_beam_search_decoder.cpp
+++ b/native_client/ctcdecode/ctc_beam_search_decoder.cpp
@@ -232,7 +232,7 @@ DecoderState::decode(size_t num_results) const
 
   for (PathTrie* prefix : prefixes_copy) {
     Output output;
-    output.tokens     = prefix->get_path_vec();
+    prefix->get_path_vec(output.tokens);
     output.timesteps  = prefix->timesteps;
     output.confidence = scores[prefix];
     outputs.push_back(output);
diff --git a/native_client/ctcdecode/path_trie.cpp b/native_client/ctcdecode/path_trie.cpp
index 50aca873..f4c77320 100644
--- a/native_client/ctcdecode/path_trie.cpp
+++ b/native_client/ctcdecode/path_trie.cpp
@@ -99,15 +99,13 @@ PathTrie* PathTrie::get_path_trie(unsigned int new_char, float cur_log_prob_c, b
   }
 }
 
-std::vector<unsigned int> PathTrie::get_path_vec() {
-  if (parent == nullptr) {
-    return std::vector<unsigned int>{};
+void PathTrie::get_path_vec(std::vector<unsigned int>& output) {
+  // Recursive call: recurse back until stop condition, then append data in
+  // correct order as we walk back down the stack in the lines below.
+  if (parent != nullptr) {
+    parent->get_path_vec(output);
+    output.push_back(character);
   }
-  std::vector<unsigned int> output_tokens=parent->get_path_vec();
-  if (character != ROOT_) {
-      output_tokens.push_back(character);
-  }
-  return output_tokens;
 }
 
 PathTrie* PathTrie::get_prev_grapheme(std::vector<unsigned int>& output,
diff --git a/native_client/ctcdecode/path_trie.h b/native_client/ctcdecode/path_trie.h
index 0e832f15..a3ef7bdb 100644
--- a/native_client/ctcdecode/path_trie.h
+++ b/native_client/ctcdecode/path_trie.h
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ public:
   PathTrie* get_path_trie(unsigned int new_char, float log_prob_c, bool reset = true);
 
   // get the prefix data in correct time order from root to current node
-  std::vector<unsigned int> get_path_vec();
+  void get_path_vec(std::vector<unsigned int>& output);
 
   // get the prefix data in correct time order from beginning of last grapheme to current node
   PathTrie* get_prev_grapheme(std::vector<unsigned int>& output,