diff --git a/src/defaultAttachment.cpp b/src/defaultAttachment.cpp
index db701b0b..9b1e86e1 100644
--- a/src/defaultAttachment.cpp
+++ b/src/defaultAttachment.cpp
@@ -97,19 +97,19 @@ void defaultAttachment::generatePart(bodyPart& part) const
 }
 
 
-const mediaType& defaultAttachment::getType() const
+const mediaType defaultAttachment::getType() const
 {
 	return (m_type);
 }
 
 
-const text& defaultAttachment::getDescription() const
+const text defaultAttachment::getDescription() const
 {
 	return (m_desc);
 }
 
 
-const word& defaultAttachment::getName() const
+const word defaultAttachment::getName() const
 {
 	return (m_name);
 }
@@ -121,7 +121,7 @@ const ref <const contentHandler> defaultAttachment::getData() const
 }
 
 
-const encoding& defaultAttachment::getEncoding() const
+const encoding defaultAttachment::getEncoding() const
 {
 	return (m_encoding);
 }
diff --git a/vmime/attachment.hpp b/vmime/attachment.hpp
index 066c8d75..5787c05e 100644
--- a/vmime/attachment.hpp
+++ b/vmime/attachment.hpp
@@ -55,31 +55,41 @@ public:
 	virtual ~attachment() { }
 
 	/** Return the media type of this attachment.
+	  *
 	  * @return content type of the attachment
 	  */
-	virtual const mediaType& getType() const = 0;
+	virtual const mediaType getType() const = 0;
 
 	/** Return the description of this attachment.
-	  * @return attachment description
+	  *
+	  * @return attachment description, or an empty text
+	  * if no description is available
 	  */
-	virtual const text& getDescription() const = 0;
+	virtual const text getDescription() const = 0;
 
-	/** Return the name of this attachment.
-	  * @return attachment name
+	/** Return the (file) name of this attachment.
+	  *
+	  * @return attachment name, or an empty word if no
+	  * name is available
 	  */
-	virtual const word& getName() const = 0;
+	virtual const word getName() const = 0;
 
 	/** Return the data contained in this attachment.
+	  *
 	  * @return attachment data
 	  */
 	virtual const ref <const contentHandler> getData() const = 0;
 
 	/** Return the encoding used for this attachment.
+	  *
 	  * @return attachment data encoding
 	  */
-	virtual const encoding& getEncoding() const = 0;
+	virtual const encoding getEncoding() const = 0;
+
+protected:
 
 	/** Generate the attachment in the specified body part.
+	  *
 	  * @param parent body part in which to generate the attachment
 	  */
 	virtual void generateIn(bodyPart& parent) const = 0;
diff --git a/vmime/defaultAttachment.hpp b/vmime/defaultAttachment.hpp
index 2b048298..e33c2269 100644
--- a/vmime/defaultAttachment.hpp
+++ b/vmime/defaultAttachment.hpp
@@ -53,11 +53,11 @@ public:
 
 	defaultAttachment& operator=(const defaultAttachment& attach);
 
-	const mediaType& getType() const;
-	const text& getDescription() const;
-	const word& getName() const;
+	const mediaType getType() const;
+	const text getDescription() const;
+	const word getName() const;
 	const ref <const contentHandler> getData() const;
-	const encoding& getEncoding() const;
+	const encoding getEncoding() const;
 
 protected: