diff --git a/include/exiv2/futils.hpp b/include/exiv2/futils.hpp
index 12874f85..bcf88aa3 100644
--- a/include/exiv2/futils.hpp
+++ b/include/exiv2/futils.hpp
@@ -65,17 +65,6 @@ namespace Exiv2
      */
     EXIV2API std::string urlencode(const std::string_view& str);
 
-    /*!
-      @brief Decode the input url.
-      @param str The url needs decoding.
-      @return the url-decoded version of str.
-
-      @note Be sure to 'free' the returned string after use with 'delete []'.
-            Source: http://www.geekhideout.com/urlcode.shtml
-      @todo This function can probably be hidden into the implementation details
-     */
-    EXIV2API char* urldecode(const char* str);
-
     /*!
       @brief Like urlencode(char* str) but accept the input url in the std::string and modify it.
       @todo This function can probably be hidden into the implementation details
diff --git a/src/futils.cpp b/src/futils.cpp
index 7687ec26..be1f3e91 100644
--- a/src/futils.cpp
+++ b/src/futils.cpp
@@ -120,31 +120,24 @@ namespace Exiv2 {
         return encoded;
     }
 
-    char* urldecode(const char* str) {
-        const char* pstr = str;
-        auto buf = new char[(strlen(str) + 1)];
-        char* pbuf = buf;
-        while (*pstr) {
-            if (*pstr == '%') {
-                if (pstr[1] && pstr[2]) {
-                    *pbuf++ = from_hex(pstr[1]) << 4 | from_hex(pstr[2]);
-                    pstr += 2;
+    void urldecode(std::string& str)
+    {
+        size_t idxIn{0}, idxOut{0};
+        size_t sizeStr = str.size();
+        while (idxIn < sizeStr) {
+            if (str[idxIn] == '%') {
+                if (str[idxIn+1] && str[idxIn+2]) {
+                    str[idxOut++] = from_hex(str[idxIn+1]) << 4 | from_hex(str[idxIn+2]);
+                    idxIn += 2;
                 }
-            } else if (*pstr == '+') {
-                *pbuf++ = ' ';
+            } else if (str[idxIn] == '+') {
+                str[idxOut++] = ' ';
             } else {
-                *pbuf++ = *pstr;
+                str[idxOut++] = str[idxIn];
             }
-            pstr++;
+            idxIn++;
         }
-        *pbuf = '\0';
-        return buf;
-    }
-
-    void urldecode(std::string& str) {
-        char* decodeStr = Exiv2::urldecode(str.c_str());
-        str = std::string(decodeStr);
-        delete [] decodeStr;
+        str.erase(idxOut);
     }
 
     // https://stackoverflow.com/questions/342409/how-do-i-base64-encode-decode-in-c
diff --git a/unitTests/test_futils.cpp b/unitTests/test_futils.cpp
index 2bb4dc81..8aab12de 100644
--- a/unitTests/test_futils.cpp
+++ b/unitTests/test_futils.cpp
@@ -97,15 +97,6 @@ TEST(urlencode, encodesGivenUrlWithSpace)
     ASSERT_STREQ("http%3a%2f%2fwww.geekhideout.com%2furl+code.shtml", url.c_str());
 }
 
-TEST(urldecode, decodesGivenUrl)
-{
-    const std::string expectedDecodedUrl ("http://www.geekhideout.com/urlcode.shtml");
-    const std::string url ("http%3a%2f%2fwww.geekhideout.com%2furlcode.shtml");
-    char * url3 = urldecode(url.c_str());
-    ASSERT_STREQ(expectedDecodedUrl.c_str(), url3);
-    delete [] url3;
-}
-
 TEST(urldecode, decodesGivenUrlInPlace)
 {
     const std::string expectedDecodedUrl ("http://www.geekhideout.com/urlcode.shtml");