diff --git a/healthd/BatteryMonitor.cpp b/healthd/BatteryMonitor.cpp
index 0c90a5456..45b6edaf2 100644
--- a/healthd/BatteryMonitor.cpp
+++ b/healthd/BatteryMonitor.cpp
@@ -129,7 +129,7 @@ int BatteryMonitor::getBatteryHealth(const char* status) {
 }
 
 int BatteryMonitor::readFromFile(const String8& path, std::string* buf) {
-    if (android::base::ReadFileToString(String8::std_string(path), buf)) {
+    if (android::base::ReadFileToString(path.c_str(), buf)) {
         *buf = android::base::Trim(*buf);
     }
     return buf->length();
diff --git a/libutils/include/utils/String16.h b/libutils/include/utils/String16.h
index 07c4de746..f6433a829 100644
--- a/libutils/include/utils/String16.h
+++ b/libutils/include/utils/String16.h
@@ -67,7 +67,10 @@ public:
 
     inline  const char16_t*     string() const;
 
+//TODO(b/35363681): remove
+private:
     static inline std::string   std_string(const String16& str);
+public:
             size_t              size() const;
             void                setTo(const String16& other);
             status_t            setTo(const char16_t* other);
diff --git a/libutils/include/utils/String8.h b/libutils/include/utils/String8.h
index 1d12994d1..f5f9219a1 100644
--- a/libutils/include/utils/String8.h
+++ b/libutils/include/utils/String8.h
@@ -64,8 +64,14 @@ public:
     static String8              format(const char* fmt, ...) __attribute__((format (printf, 1, 2)));
     static String8              formatV(const char* fmt, va_list args);
 
+    inline  const char*         c_str() const;
     inline  const char*         string() const;
+
+// TODO(b/35363681): remove
+private:
     static inline std::string   std_string(const String8& str);
+public:
+
     inline  size_t              size() const;
     inline  size_t              bytes() const;
     inline  bool                isEmpty() const;
@@ -259,6 +265,10 @@ inline const String8 String8::empty() {
     return String8();
 }
 
+inline const char* String8::c_str() const
+{
+    return mString;
+}
 inline const char* String8::string() const
 {
     return mString;