diff --git a/include/qpdf/QPDF.hh b/include/qpdf/QPDF.hh
index 84c1c87..a6fd6d0 100644
--- a/include/qpdf/QPDF.hh
+++ b/include/qpdf/QPDF.hh
@@ -879,7 +879,7 @@ class QPDF
     void generateHintStream(
         QPDFWriter::NewObjTable const& new_obj,
         QPDFWriter::ObjTable const& obj,
-        std::shared_ptr<Buffer>& hint_stream,
+        std::string& hint_stream,
         int& S,
         int& O,
         bool compressed);
diff --git a/libqpdf/QPDFWriter.cc b/libqpdf/QPDFWriter.cc
index 54b00b3..9d0b869 100644
--- a/libqpdf/QPDFWriter.cc
+++ b/libqpdf/QPDFWriter.cc
@@ -2341,7 +2341,7 @@ QPDFWriter::writeHeader()
 void
 QPDFWriter::writeHintStream(int hint_id)
 {
-    std::shared_ptr<Buffer> hint_buffer;
+    std::string hint_buffer;
     int S = 0;
     int O = 0;
     bool compressed = (m->compress_streams && !m->qdf_mode);
@@ -2350,7 +2350,7 @@ QPDFWriter::writeHintStream(int hint_id)
     openObject(hint_id);
     setDataKey(hint_id);
 
-    size_t hlen = hint_buffer->getSize();
+    size_t hlen = hint_buffer.size();
 
     writeString("<< ");
     if (compressed) {
@@ -2370,12 +2370,11 @@ QPDFWriter::writeHintStream(int hint_id)
     if (m->encrypted) {
         QTC::TC("qpdf", "QPDFWriter encrypted hint stream");
     }
-    unsigned char last_char = '\0';
+    char last_char = hint_buffer.empty() ? '\0' : hint_buffer.back();
     {
         PipelinePopper pp_enc(this);
         pushEncryptionFilter(pp_enc);
-        writeBuffer(hint_buffer);
-        last_char = m->pipeline->getLastChar();
+        writeString(hint_buffer);
     }
 
     if (last_char != '\n') {
diff --git a/libqpdf/QPDF_linearization.cc b/libqpdf/QPDF_linearization.cc
index e4ea689..699977c 100644
--- a/libqpdf/QPDF_linearization.cc
+++ b/libqpdf/QPDF_linearization.cc
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
 #include <qpdf/Pl_Buffer.hh>
 #include <qpdf/Pl_Count.hh>
 #include <qpdf/Pl_Flate.hh>
+#include <qpdf/Pl_String.hh>
 #include <qpdf/QPDFExc.hh>
 #include <qpdf/QPDFLogger.hh>
 #include <qpdf/QPDFWriter_private.hh>
@@ -1742,7 +1743,7 @@ void
 QPDF::generateHintStream(
     QPDFWriter::NewObjTable const& new_obj,
     QPDFWriter::ObjTable const& obj,
-    std::shared_ptr<Buffer>& hint_buffer,
+    std::string& hint_buffer,
     int& S,
     int& O,
     bool compressed)
@@ -1754,7 +1755,7 @@ QPDF::generateHintStream(
 
     // Write the hint stream itself into a compressed memory buffer. Write through a counter so we
     // can get offsets.
-    Pl_Buffer hint_stream("hint stream");
+    Pl_String hint_stream("hint stream", nullptr, hint_buffer);
     Pipeline* next = &hint_stream;
     std::shared_ptr<Pipeline> flate;
     if (compressed) {
@@ -1774,6 +1775,4 @@ QPDF::generateHintStream(
         writeHGeneric(w, m->outline_hints);
     }
     c.finish();
-
-    hint_buffer = hint_stream.getBufferSharedPointer();
 }
diff --git a/libqpdf/qpdf/QPDF_private.hh b/libqpdf/qpdf/QPDF_private.hh
index 33621af..54ad4f7 100644
--- a/libqpdf/qpdf/QPDF_private.hh
+++ b/libqpdf/qpdf/QPDF_private.hh
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ class QPDF::Writer
         QPDF& qpdf,
         QPDFWriter::NewObjTable const& new_obj,
         QPDFWriter::ObjTable const& obj,
-        std::shared_ptr<Buffer>& hint_stream,
+        std::string& hint_stream,
         int& S,
         int& O,
         bool compressed)