diff --git a/modules/juce_graphics/native/juce_android_Fonts.cpp b/modules/juce_graphics/native/juce_android_Fonts.cpp
index d513657e95..992dd41427 100644
--- a/modules/juce_graphics/native/juce_android_Fonts.cpp
+++ b/modules/juce_graphics/native/juce_android_Fonts.cpp
@@ -218,10 +218,12 @@ public:
     void getGlyphPositions (const String& text, Array<int>& glyphs, Array<float>& xOffsets) override
     {
         JNIEnv* env = getEnv();
-        const int numChars = text.length();
+        auto jtext = javaString (text);
+
+        const int numChars = env->GetStringLength (jtext.get());
         jfloatArray widths = env->NewFloatArray (numChars);
 
-        const int numDone = paint.callIntMethod (AndroidPaint.getTextWidths, javaString (text).get(), widths);
+        const int numDone = paint.callIntMethod (AndroidPaint.getTextWidths, jtext.get(), widths);
 
         HeapBlock<jfloat> localWidths (static_cast<size_t> (numDone));
         env->GetFloatArrayRegion (widths, 0, numDone, localWidths);