diff --git a/platformio.ini b/platformio.ini
index ba95bc4..37e55b3 100644
--- a/platformio.ini
+++ b/platformio.ini
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ build_flags =
   -D CONFIG_ARDUHAL_LOG_COLORS
   -D CORE_DEBUG_LEVEL=ARDUHAL_LOG_LEVEL_DEBUG
   ; -D DASH_USE_LEGACY_CHART_STORAGE=1
+  ; -D DASH_USE_STL_STRING=1
 lib_deps = 
   bblanchon/ArduinoJson@^7.1.0
   mathieucarbou/ESPAsyncWebServer@^3.3.14
diff --git a/src/Card.cpp b/src/Card.cpp
index 07b6cd2..47049ab 100644
--- a/src/Card.cpp
+++ b/src/Card.cpp
@@ -99,11 +99,11 @@ void Card::update(float value){
   _value_f = value;
 }
 
-void Card::update(const String &value, const char* symbol){
+void Card::update(const DASH_STR &value, const char* symbol){
   update(value.c_str(), symbol);
 }
 
-void Card::update(const String &value){
+void Card::update(const DASH_STR &value){
   update(value.c_str());
 }
 
@@ -130,7 +130,7 @@ void Card::update(const char* value){
   _value_s = value;
 }
 
-void Card::update(String&& value, const char* symbol){
+void Card::update(DASH_STR&& value, const char* symbol){
   if(_value_type == Card::STRING){
     if(_value_s != value)
       _changed = true;
@@ -143,7 +143,7 @@ void Card::update(String&& value, const char* symbol){
   _value_s = std::move(value);
 }
 
-void Card::update(String&& value){
+void Card::update(DASH_STR&& value){
     if(_value_type == Card::STRING){
     if(_value_s != value)
       _changed = true;
diff --git a/src/Card.h b/src/Card.h
index 530bb69..6745e4e 100644
--- a/src/Card.h
+++ b/src/Card.h
@@ -8,6 +8,13 @@
 #include "ESPDash.h"
 #include "ArduinoJson.h"
 
+#ifdef DASH_USE_STL_STRING
+  #include <string>
+  #define DASH_STR std::string
+#else
+  #define DASH_STR String
+#endif
+
 struct CardNames {
   int value;
   const char* type;
@@ -41,7 +48,7 @@ class Card {
         float _value_f;
         int _value_i;
     };
-    String _value_s;
+    DASH_STR _value_s;
     union alignas(4) {
         float _value_min_f;
         int _value_min;
@@ -71,10 +78,10 @@ class Card {
     void update(float value, const char* symbol);
     void update(const char* value);
     void update(const char* value, const char* symbol);
-    void update(const String &value);
-    void update(const String &value, const char* symbol);
-    void update(String &&value);
-    void update(String &&value, const char* symbol);
+    void update(const DASH_STR &value);
+    void update(const DASH_STR &value, const char* symbol);
+    void update(DASH_STR &&value);
+    void update(DASH_STR &&value, const char* symbol);
     ~Card();
   
   friend class ESPDash;
diff --git a/src/ESPDash.cpp b/src/ESPDash.cpp
index 7ea478a..e013b0d 100644
--- a/src/ESPDash.cpp
+++ b/src/ESPDash.cpp
@@ -382,7 +382,7 @@ void ESPDash::generateComponentJSON(JsonObject& doc, Card* card, bool change_onl
       doc["v"] = String(card->_value_f, 2);
       break;
     case Card::STRING:
-      if(change_only || !card->_value_s.isEmpty()) {
+      if(change_only || card->_value_s.size()) {
         doc["v"] = card->_value_s;
       }
       break;
diff --git a/src/ESPDash.h b/src/ESPDash.h
index 80e116d..c5147dc 100644
--- a/src/ESPDash.h
+++ b/src/ESPDash.h
@@ -96,6 +96,13 @@ Github URL: https://github.com/ayushsharma82/ESP-DASH
   #define DASH_MAX_WS_CLIENTS DEFAULT_MAX_WS_CLIENTS
 #endif
 
+#ifdef DASH_USE_STL_STRING
+  #include <string>
+  #define DASH_STR std::string
+#else
+  #define DASH_STR String
+#endif
+
 // Forward Declaration
 class Card;
 class Chart;