diff --git a/src/core/achievements.cpp b/src/core/achievements.cpp
index c49be63a4..8deb14ffc 100644
--- a/src/core/achievements.cpp
+++ b/src/core/achievements.cpp
@@ -833,16 +833,16 @@ uint32_t Achievements::ClientReadMemory(uint32_t address, uint8_t* buffer, uint3
 void Achievements::ClientServerCall(const rc_api_request_t* request, rc_client_server_callback_t callback,
                                     void* callback_data, rc_client_t* client)
 {
-  HTTPDownloader::RequestCallback hd_callback = [callback, callback_data](s32 status_code, Error& error,
-                                                                          std::string& content_type,
-                                                                          HTTPDownloader::RequestData& data) {
-    if (status_code != HTTPDownloader::HTTP_STATUS_OK)
-      ERROR_LOG("Server call failed: {}", error.GetDescription());
+  HTTPDownloader::RequestCallback hd_callback =
+    [callback, callback_data](s32 status_code, std::string_view error_message, std::string_view content_type,
+                              HTTPDownloader::RequestData data) {
+      if (status_code != HTTPDownloader::HTTP_STATUS_OK)
+        ERROR_LOG("Server call failed: {}", error_message);
 
-    const rc_api_server_response_t rr = MakeRCAPIServerResponse(status_code, data);
-    const auto lock = GetLock();
-    callback(&rr, callback_data);
-  };
+      const rc_api_server_response_t rr = MakeRCAPIServerResponse(status_code, data);
+      const auto lock = GetLock();
+      callback(&rr, callback_data);
+    };
 
   const std::array<const char* const, 1> headers = {s_state.http_user_agent_header.c_str()};
   if (request->post_data)
diff --git a/src/core/game_list.cpp b/src/core/game_list.cpp
index b77627bde..a79a30558 100644
--- a/src/core/game_list.cpp
+++ b/src/core/game_list.cpp
@@ -1841,11 +1841,12 @@ bool GameList::DownloadCovers(const std::vector<std::string>& url_templates, boo
     std::string filename = Path::URLDecode(url);
     HTTPDownloader::CreateRequest(
       std::move(url), &s_state,
-      [use_serial, &save_callback, entry_path = std::move(entry_path), filename = std::move(filename)](
-        s32 status_code, Error& error, std::string& content_type, HTTPDownloader::RequestData& data) {
+      [use_serial, &save_callback, entry_path = std::move(entry_path),
+       filename = std::move(filename)](s32 status_code, std::string_view error_message, std::string_view content_type,
+                                       HTTPDownloader::RequestData data) {
         if (status_code != HTTPDownloader::HTTP_STATUS_OK || data.empty())
         {
-          ERROR_LOG("Download for {} failed: {}", Path::GetFileName(filename), error.GetDescription());
+          ERROR_LOG("Download for {} failed: {}", Path::GetFileName(filename), error_message);
           return;
         }
 
@@ -1856,8 +1857,8 @@ bool GameList::DownloadCovers(const std::vector<std::string>& url_templates, boo
 
         // prefer the content type from the response for the extension
         // otherwise, if it's missing, and the request didn't have an extension.. fall back to jpegs.
+        const std::string_view content_type_extension(HTTPDownloader::GetExtensionForContentType(content_type));
         std::string template_filename;
-        std::string content_type_extension(HTTPDownloader::GetExtensionForContentType(content_type));
 
         // don't treat the domain name as an extension..
         const std::string::size_type last_slash = filename.find('/');
diff --git a/src/duckstation-qt/asynchttprequest.cpp b/src/duckstation-qt/asynchttprequest.cpp
index 7094765d0..1faf064c8 100644
--- a/src/duckstation-qt/asynchttprequest.cpp
+++ b/src/duckstation-qt/asynchttprequest.cpp
@@ -27,8 +27,8 @@ void AsyncHTTPRequest::get(std::string url, const void* owner, ProgressCallback*
 {
   HTTPDownloader::CreateRequest(
     std::move(url), owner,
-    [this](s32 status_code, Error& error, std::string& content_type, HTTPDownloader::RequestData& data) {
-      handleResponse(status_code, error, content_type, data);
+    [this](s32 status_code, std::string_view error, std::string_view content_type, HTTPDownloader::RequestData data) {
+      handleResponse(status_code, error, content_type, std::move(data));
     },
     progress, additional_headers, timeout_seconds);
 }
@@ -40,24 +40,25 @@ void AsyncHTTPRequest::post(std::string url, std::string post_data, const void*
 {
   HTTPDownloader::CreatePostRequest(
     std::move(url), std::move(post_data), owner,
-    [this](s32 status_code, Error& error, std::string& content_type, HTTPDownloader::RequestData& data) {
-      handleResponse(status_code, error, content_type, data);
+    [this](s32 status_code, std::string_view error, std::string_view content_type, HTTPDownloader::RequestData data) {
+      handleResponse(status_code, error, content_type, std::move(data));
     },
     progress, additional_headers, timeout_seconds);
 }
 
-ALWAYS_INLINE_RELEASE void AsyncHTTPRequest::handleResponse(s32 status_code, Error& error, std::string& content_type,
-                                                            HTTPDownloader::RequestData& data)
+ALWAYS_INLINE_RELEASE void AsyncHTTPRequest::handleResponse(s32 status_code, const std::string_view& error_message,
+                                                            const std::string_view& content_type,
+                                                            HTTPDownloader::RequestData&& data)
 {
   m_status_code = status_code;
-  m_error = std::move(error);
-  m_content_type = std::move(content_type);
+  m_error_message = error_message;
+  m_content_type = content_type;
   m_data = std::move(data);
   QMetaObject::invokeMethod(this, &AsyncHTTPRequest::finishRequest, Qt::QueuedConnection);
 }
 
 void AsyncHTTPRequest::finishRequest()
 {
-  emit requestComplete(m_status_code, m_error, m_content_type, m_data);
+  emit requestComplete(m_status_code, m_error_message, m_content_type, m_data);
   deleteLater();
 }
diff --git a/src/duckstation-qt/asynchttprequest.h b/src/duckstation-qt/asynchttprequest.h
index c89368360..c5598bd03 100644
--- a/src/duckstation-qt/asynchttprequest.h
+++ b/src/duckstation-qt/asynchttprequest.h
@@ -28,15 +28,16 @@ public:
             HTTPDownloader::HeaderList additional_headers = {}, std::optional<u16> timeout_seconds = {});
 
 Q_SIGNALS:
-  void requestComplete(qint32 status_code, Error& error_message, std::string& content_type,
-                       HTTPDownloader::RequestData& data);
+  void requestComplete(qint32 status_code, const std::string& error_message, const std::string& content_type,
+                       const HTTPDownloader::RequestData& data);
 
 private:
-  void handleResponse(s32 status_code, Error& error, std::string& content_type, HTTPDownloader::RequestData& data);
+  void handleResponse(s32 status_code, const std::string_view& error_message, const std::string_view& content_type,
+                      HTTPDownloader::RequestData&& data);
   void finishRequest();
 
   s32 m_status_code = HTTPDownloader::HTTP_STATUS_ERROR;
-  Error m_error;
+  std::string m_error_message;
   std::string m_content_type;
   HTTPDownloader::RequestData m_data;
 };
diff --git a/src/duckstation-qt/autoupdaterdialog.cpp b/src/duckstation-qt/autoupdaterdialog.cpp
index 7dbe62550..f84642674 100644
--- a/src/duckstation-qt/autoupdaterdialog.cpp
+++ b/src/duckstation-qt/autoupdaterdialog.cpp
@@ -334,8 +334,9 @@ void AutoUpdaterDialog::queueUpdateCheck(bool display_errors, bool ignore_skippe
 
   AsyncHTTPRequest* const req = new AsyncHTTPRequest();
   connect(req, &AsyncHTTPRequest::requestComplete, this,
-          [this, display_errors](s32 status_code, Error& error, std::string& content_type, std::vector<u8>& response) {
-            getLatestTagComplete(status_code, error, response, display_errors);
+          [this, display_errors](s32 status_code, const std::string& error_message, const std::string& content_type,
+                                 const std::vector<u8>& response) {
+            getLatestTagComplete(status_code, error_message, response, display_errors);
           });
   req->get(LATEST_TAG_URL, this);
 }
@@ -344,14 +345,13 @@ void AutoUpdaterDialog::queueGetLatestRelease()
 {
   AsyncHTTPRequest* const req = new AsyncHTTPRequest();
   connect(req, &AsyncHTTPRequest::requestComplete, this,
-          [this](s32 status_code, Error& error, std::string& content_type, std::vector<u8>& response) {
-            getLatestReleaseComplete(status_code, error, response);
-          });
+          [this](s32 status_code, const std::string& error_message, const std::string& content_type,
+                 const std::vector<u8>& response) { getLatestReleaseComplete(status_code, error_message, response); });
   req->get(fmt::format(LATEST_RELEASE_URL, getCurrentUpdateTag()), this);
 }
 
-void AutoUpdaterDialog::getLatestTagComplete(s32 status_code, Error& error, std::vector<u8>& response,
-                                             bool display_errors)
+void AutoUpdaterDialog::getLatestTagComplete(s32 status_code, const std::string& error_message,
+                                             const std::vector<u8>& response, bool display_errors)
 {
   if (handleCancelledRequest(status_code))
     return;
@@ -411,13 +411,14 @@ void AutoUpdaterDialog::getLatestTagComplete(s32 status_code, Error& error, std:
   else
   {
     if (display_errors)
-      reportError(fmt::format("Failed to download latest tag info: {}", error.GetDescription()));
+      reportError(fmt::format("Failed to download latest tag info: {}", error_message));
   }
 
   emit updateCheckCompleted(false);
 }
 
-void AutoUpdaterDialog::getLatestReleaseComplete(s32 status_code, Error& error, std::vector<u8>& response)
+void AutoUpdaterDialog::getLatestReleaseComplete(s32 status_code, const std::string& error_message,
+                                                 const std::vector<u8>& response)
 {
   if (handleCancelledRequest(status_code))
     return;
@@ -489,7 +490,7 @@ void AutoUpdaterDialog::getLatestReleaseComplete(s32 status_code, Error& error,
   }
   else
   {
-    reportError(fmt::format("Failed to download latest release info: {}", error.GetDescription()));
+    reportError(fmt::format("Failed to download latest release info: {}", error_message));
   }
 
   emit updateCheckCompleted(false);
@@ -499,15 +500,15 @@ void AutoUpdaterDialog::queueGetChanges()
 {
   AsyncHTTPRequest* const req = new AsyncHTTPRequest();
   connect(req, &AsyncHTTPRequest::requestComplete, this,
-          [this](s32 status_code, Error& error, std::string& content_type, std::vector<u8>& response) {
-            getChangesComplete(status_code, error, response);
-          });
+          [this](s32 status_code, const std::string& error_message, const std::string& content_type,
+                 const std::vector<u8>& response) { getChangesComplete(status_code, error_message, response); });
   req->get(fmt::format(CHANGES_URL, g_scm_hash_str, getCurrentUpdateTag()), this);
 }
 
-void AutoUpdaterDialog::getChangesComplete(s32 status_code, Error& error, std::vector<u8>& response)
+void AutoUpdaterDialog::getChangesComplete(s32 status_code, const std::string& error_message,
+                                           const std::vector<u8>& response)
 {
-  std::string_view error_message;
+  std::string_view error_message_to_display;
 
   if (status_code == HTTPDownloader::HTTP_STATUS_OK)
   {
@@ -557,19 +558,19 @@ void AutoUpdaterDialog::getChangesComplete(s32 status_code, Error& error, std::v
     }
     else
     {
-      error_message = "Change list JSON is not an object";
+      error_message_to_display = "Change list JSON is not an object";
     }
   }
   else
   {
-    error_message = error.GetDescription();
+    error_message_to_display = error_message;
   }
 
   m_ui.updateNotes->setText(QString::fromStdString(
     fmt::format("<h2>Failed to download change list</h2><p>The error was:<pre>{}</pre></p><p>You may be able to "
                 "install this update anyway. If the download installation fails, you can download the update "
                 "from:</p><p><a href=\"" DOWNLOAD_PAGE_URL "\">" DOWNLOAD_PAGE_URL "</a></p>",
-                error_message, UPDATER_RELEASE_CHANNEL, UPDATER_RELEASE_CHANNEL)));
+                error_message_to_display, UPDATER_RELEASE_CHANNEL, UPDATER_RELEASE_CHANNEL)));
 }
 
 void AutoUpdaterDialog::downloadUpdateClicked()
@@ -587,13 +588,13 @@ void AutoUpdaterDialog::downloadUpdateClicked()
 
   AsyncHTTPRequest* const req = new AsyncHTTPRequest();
   connect(req, &AsyncHTTPRequest::requestComplete, this,
-          [this](s32 status_code, Error& error, std::string&, std::vector<u8>& response) {
-            downloadUpdateComplete(status_code, error, response);
-          });
+          [this](s32 status_code, const std::string& error_message, const std::string& content_type,
+                 const std::vector<u8>& response) { downloadUpdateComplete(status_code, error_message, response); });
   req->get(m_download_url.toStdString(), this, m_download_progress_callback);
 }
 
-void AutoUpdaterDialog::downloadUpdateComplete(s32 status_code, Error& error, std::vector<u8>& response)
+void AutoUpdaterDialog::downloadUpdateComplete(s32 status_code, const std::string& error_message,
+                                               const std::vector<u8>& response)
 {
   DebugAssert(m_download_progress_callback);
   m_download_progress_callback->SetState(TRANSLATE_SV("AutoUpdaterWindow", "Processing Update..."), 1, 1);
@@ -608,7 +609,7 @@ void AutoUpdaterDialog::downloadUpdateComplete(s32 status_code, Error& error, st
 
   if (status_code != HTTPDownloader::HTTP_STATUS_OK)
   {
-    reportError(fmt::format("Download failed: {}", error.GetDescription()));
+    reportError(fmt::format("Download failed: {}", error_message));
     setDownloadSectionVisibility(false);
     return;
   }
diff --git a/src/duckstation-qt/autoupdaterdialog.h b/src/duckstation-qt/autoupdaterdialog.h
index 785a951a0..b1faa4f14 100644
--- a/src/duckstation-qt/autoupdaterdialog.h
+++ b/src/duckstation-qt/autoupdaterdialog.h
@@ -65,13 +65,14 @@ private:
 
   bool updateNeeded() const;
 
-  void getLatestTagComplete(s32 status_code, Error& error, std::vector<u8>& response, bool display_errors);
-  void getLatestReleaseComplete(s32 status_code, Error& error, std::vector<u8>& response);
+  void getLatestTagComplete(s32 status_code, const std::string& error_message, const std::vector<u8>& response,
+                            bool display_errors);
+  void getLatestReleaseComplete(s32 status_code, const std::string& error_message, const std::vector<u8>& response);
 
   void queueGetChanges();
-  void getChangesComplete(s32 status_code, Error& error, std::vector<u8>& response);
+  void getChangesComplete(s32 status_code, const std::string& error_message, const std::vector<u8>& response);
 
-  void downloadUpdateComplete(s32 status_code, Error& error, std::vector<u8>& response);
+  void downloadUpdateComplete(s32 status_code, const std::string& error_message, const std::vector<u8>& response);
   bool processUpdate(const std::vector<u8>& update_data);
 
 #ifdef _WIN32
diff --git a/src/duckstation-qt/qthost.cpp b/src/duckstation-qt/qthost.cpp
index 11124dee3..92ae42e00 100644
--- a/src/duckstation-qt/qthost.cpp
+++ b/src/duckstation-qt/qthost.cpp
@@ -812,10 +812,11 @@ void QtHost::DownloadFile(QWidget* parent, std::string url, std::string path,
       bool result = false;
       HTTPDownloader::CreateRequest(
         std::move(url), parent,
-        [&result, &error, &path](s32 status_code, Error& http_error, std::string&, std::vector<u8>& hdata) {
+        [&result, &error, &path](s32 status_code, std::string_view http_error, std::string_view content_type,
+                                 std::vector<u8> hdata) {
           if (status_code != HTTPDownloader::HTTP_STATUS_OK)
           {
-            error.SetString(http_error.GetDescription());
+            error.SetStringView(http_error);
             return;
           }
           else if (hdata.empty())
diff --git a/src/util/http_cache.cpp b/src/util/http_cache.cpp
index 4b1e4b1ef..9d3b9ea04 100644
--- a/src/util/http_cache.cpp
+++ b/src/util/http_cache.cpp
@@ -33,8 +33,8 @@ static constexpr u32 CACHE_VERSION = 1;
 
 static void QueueDownload(std::string_view url, FetchCallback callback, Error* error,
                           std::unique_lock<Threading::Mutex>&& lock);
-static void DownloadCallback(const std::string& url, s32 status_code, const Error& error,
-                             const std::string& content_type, const HTTPDownloader::RequestData& data);
+static void DownloadCallback(const std::string& url, s32 status_code, const std::string_view& error,
+                             const HTTPDownloader::RequestData& data);
 
 namespace {
 
@@ -199,15 +199,14 @@ void HTTPCache::QueueDownload(std::string_view url, FetchCallback callback, Erro
 
   // release lock because CreateRequest() can fire the callback immediately
   lock.unlock();
-  HTTPDownloader::CreateRequest(std::string(url), &s_locals,
-                                [url = std::string(url)](s32 status_code, Error& error, std::string& content_type,
-                                                         HTTPDownloader::RequestData& data) {
-                                  DownloadCallback(url, status_code, error, content_type, std::move(data));
-                                });
+  HTTPDownloader::CreateRequest(
+    std::string(url), &s_locals,
+    [url = std::string(url)](s32 status_code, std::string_view error, std::string_view content_type,
+                             HTTPDownloader::RequestData data) { DownloadCallback(url, status_code, error, data); });
 }
 
-void HTTPCache::DownloadCallback(const std::string& url, s32 status_code, const Error& error,
-                                 const std::string& content_type, const HTTPDownloader::RequestData& data)
+void HTTPCache::DownloadCallback(const std::string& url, s32 status_code, const std::string_view& error,
+                                 const HTTPDownloader::RequestData& data)
 {
   // hold the lock for the insertion, so we don't create a duplicate request as described in Lookup()
   std::unique_lock lock(s_locals.pending_downloads_lock);
@@ -228,7 +227,7 @@ void HTTPCache::DownloadCallback(const std::string& url, s32 status_code, const
   }
   else
   {
-    ERROR_LOG("Failed to download '{}': HTTP status code {}, error: {}", url, status_code, error.GetDescription());
+    ERROR_LOG("Failed to download '{}': HTTP status code {}, error: {}", url, status_code, error);
   }
 
   // invoke all callbacks. uses indexing in case something gets added in the callback
diff --git a/src/util/http_downloader.cpp b/src/util/http_downloader.cpp
index 0b4f19bf3..3235429d3 100644
--- a/src/util/http_downloader.cpp
+++ b/src/util/http_downloader.cpp
@@ -291,7 +291,7 @@ void HTTPDownloader::LockedPollRequests(std::unique_lock<Threading::Mutex>& lock
       lock.unlock();
 
       req->error.SetStringFmt("Request timed out after {} seconds.", req->timeout_seconds);
-      req->callback(HTTP_STATUS_TIMEOUT, req->error, req->content_type, req->data);
+      req->callback(HTTP_STATUS_TIMEOUT, req->error.GetDescription(), {}, {});
 
       CloseRequest(req);
 
@@ -309,7 +309,7 @@ void HTTPDownloader::LockedPollRequests(std::unique_lock<Threading::Mutex>& lock
       lock.unlock();
 
       req->error.SetStringView("Request was cancelled.");
-      req->callback(HTTP_STATUS_CANCELLED, req->error, req->content_type, req->data);
+      req->callback(HTTP_STATUS_CANCELLED, req->error.GetDescription(), {}, {});
 
       CloseRequest(req);
 
@@ -347,7 +347,7 @@ void HTTPDownloader::LockedPollRequests(std::unique_lock<Threading::Mutex>& lock
     else if (req->status_code < 0)
       DEV_LOG("Request failed with error {}", req->error.GetDescription());
 
-    req->callback(req->status_code, req->error, req->content_type, req->data);
+    req->callback(req->status_code, req->error.GetDescription(), req->content_type, std::move(req->data));
     CloseRequest(req);
     lock.lock();
   }
@@ -537,8 +537,7 @@ void HTTPDownloader::CancelRequestsForOwner(const void* owner)
       s_locals.pending_http_requests.erase(s_locals.pending_http_requests.begin() + index);
       lock.unlock();
 
-      req->error.SetStringView("Request was cancelled.");
-      req->callback(HTTP_STATUS_CANCELLED, req->error, req->content_type, req->data);
+      req->callback(HTTP_STATUS_CANCELLED, "Request was cancelled.", {}, {});
 
       // If pending, we can delete it immediately since it won't be processed by the worker thread.
       // Otherwise, we need to close it so the worker thread can clean up properly.
@@ -557,7 +556,7 @@ void HTTPDownloader::CancelRequestsForOwner(const void* owner)
     Host::OnHTTPDownloaderActiveChanged(false);
 }
 
-std::string HTTPDownloader::GetExtensionForContentType(const std::string& content_type)
+std::string_view HTTPDownloader::GetExtensionForContentType(std::string_view content_type)
 {
   // Based on https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/HTTP/Basics_of_HTTP/MIME_types/Common_types
   static constexpr const char* table[][2] = {
@@ -638,16 +637,14 @@ std::string HTTPDownloader::GetExtensionForContentType(const std::string& conten
     {"application/x-7z-compressed", "7z"},
   };
 
-  std::string ret;
-  for (size_t i = 0; i < std::size(table); i++)
+  const std::string_view mime = StringUtil::StripWhitespace(content_type.substr(0, content_type.find(';')));
+  for (const auto& [table_mime, table_extension] : table)
   {
-    if (StringUtil::Strncasecmp(table[i][0], content_type.data(), content_type.length()) == 0)
-    {
-      ret = table[i][1];
-      break;
-    }
+    if (StringUtil::EqualNoCase(mime, table_mime))
+      return table_extension;
   }
-  return ret;
+
+  return {};
 }
 
 #if defined(USE_WINHTTP)
@@ -888,7 +885,7 @@ void HTTPDownloader::InternalCreateRequest(Request::Type type, std::string url,
 
   if (!EnsureInitialized(&req->error))
   {
-    callback(HTTP_STATUS_ERROR, req->error, req->content_type, req->data);
+    callback(HTTP_STATUS_ERROR, req->error.GetDescription(), req->content_type, req->data);
     DeleteRequest(req);
     return;
   }
@@ -935,7 +932,7 @@ bool HTTPDownloader::StartRequest(Request* req)
     const DWORD err = GetLastError();
     ERROR_LOG("WinHttpCrackUrl() failed: {}", err);
     req->error.SetWin32("WinHttpCrackUrl() failed: ", err);
-    req->callback(HTTP_STATUS_ERROR, req->error, req->content_type, req->data);
+    req->callback(HTTP_STATUS_ERROR, req->error.GetDescription(), {}, {});
     DeleteRequest(req);
     return false;
   }
@@ -949,7 +946,7 @@ bool HTTPDownloader::StartRequest(Request* req)
     const DWORD err = GetLastError();
     ERROR_LOG("Failed to start HTTP request for '{}': {}", req->url, err);
     req->error.SetWin32("WinHttpConnect() failed: ", err);
-    req->callback(HTTP_STATUS_ERROR, req->error, req->content_type, req->data);
+    req->callback(HTTP_STATUS_ERROR, req->error.GetDescription(), {}, {});
     DeleteRequest(req);
     return false;
   }
@@ -962,7 +959,7 @@ bool HTTPDownloader::StartRequest(Request* req)
     const DWORD err = GetLastError();
     ERROR_LOG("WinHttpOpenRequest() failed: {}", err);
     req->error.SetWin32("WinHttpOpenRequest() failed: ", err);
-    req->callback(HTTP_STATUS_ERROR, req->error, req->content_type, req->data);
+    req->callback(HTTP_STATUS_ERROR, req->error.GetDescription(), {}, {});
     WinHttpCloseHandle(req->hConnection);
     DeleteRequest(req);
     return false;
@@ -976,7 +973,7 @@ bool HTTPDownloader::StartRequest(Request* req)
     const DWORD err = GetLastError();
     ERROR_LOG("WinHttpAddRequestHeaders() failed: {}", err);
     req->error.SetWin32("WinHttpAddRequestHeaders() failed: ", err);
-    req->callback(HTTP_STATUS_ERROR, req->error, req->content_type, req->data);
+    req->callback(HTTP_STATUS_ERROR, req->error.GetDescription(), {}, {});
     WinHttpCloseHandle(req->hRequest);
     WinHttpCloseHandle(req->hConnection);
     DeleteRequest(req);
@@ -1144,7 +1141,7 @@ void HTTPDownloader::InternalCreateRequest(Request::Type type, std::string url,
 
   if (!EnsureInitialized(&req->error))
   {
-    callback(HTTP_STATUS_ERROR, req->error, req->content_type, req->data);
+    callback(HTTP_STATUS_ERROR, req->error.GetDescription(), req->content_type, req->data);
     DeleteRequest(req);
     return;
   }
@@ -1290,8 +1287,7 @@ bool HTTPDownloader::StartRequest(Request* req)
   if (!req->handle)
   {
     ERROR_LOG("curl_easy_init() failed");
-    req->error.SetStringView("curl_easy_init() failed");
-    req->callback(HTTP_STATUS_ERROR, req->error, req->content_type, req->data);
+    req->callback(HTTP_STATUS_ERROR, "curl_easy_init() failed", {}, {});
     DeleteRequest(req);
     return false;
   }
diff --git a/src/util/http_downloader.h b/src/util/http_downloader.h
index 60b65a009..77fd8dd76 100644
--- a/src/util/http_downloader.h
+++ b/src/util/http_downloader.h
@@ -29,12 +29,12 @@ using RequestData = std::vector<u8>;
 /// Callback fired when a request completes, times out, or is cancelled.
 /// Invoked on the thread that calls PollRequests(), with no internal locks held.
 ///
-/// @param status_code  HTTP status code, or one of the negative HTTP_STATUS_* sentinels on failure.
-/// @param error        Populated with a description when status_code < HTTP_STATUS_OK.
-/// @param content_type Value of the response Content-Type header; empty if unavailable.
-/// @param data         Response body; empty if the request did not succeed.
+/// @param status_code   HTTP status code, or one of the negative HTTP_STATUS_* sentinels on failure.
+/// @param error_message Populated with a description when status_code < HTTP_STATUS_OK.
+/// @param content_type  Value of the response Content-Type header; empty if unavailable.
+/// @param data          Response body; empty if the request did not succeed.
 using RequestCallback =
-  std::function<void(s32 status_code, Error& error, std::string& content_type, RequestData& data)>;
+  std::function<void(s32 status_code, std::string_view error_message, std::string_view content_type, RequestData data)>;
 
 /// Synthetic status codes used in place of a real HTTP status on failure.
 enum : s32
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ enum : s32
 
 /// Returns the file extension (without leading dot) for the given MIME type,
 /// or an empty string if the type is not recognised.
-std::string GetExtensionForContentType(const std::string& content_type);
+std::string_view GetExtensionForContentType(std::string_view content_type);
 
 /// Sets the default timeout applied to new requests when none is explicitly provided.
 /// The initial default is 30 seconds.