diff --git a/src/datatypes.c b/src/datatypes.c
index 4c4cbd0239..f0b50259f9 100644
--- a/src/datatypes.c
+++ b/src/datatypes.c
@@ -738,10 +738,10 @@ virGetStorageVol(virConnectPtr conn, const char *pool, const char *name,
         virReportOOMError();
         goto error;
     }
-    if (virStrcpyStatic(ret->key, key) == NULL) {
+    ret->key = strdup(key);
+    if (ret->key == NULL) {
         virMutexUnlock(&conn->lock);
-        virLibConnError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR,
-                        _("Volume key %s too large for destination"), key);
+        virReportOOMError();
         goto error;
     }
     ret->magic = VIR_STORAGE_VOL_MAGIC;
@@ -754,6 +754,7 @@ virGetStorageVol(virConnectPtr conn, const char *pool, const char *name,
 
 error:
     if (ret != NULL) {
+        VIR_FREE(ret->key);
         VIR_FREE(ret->name);
         VIR_FREE(ret->pool);
         VIR_FREE(ret);
@@ -780,6 +781,7 @@ virReleaseStorageVol(virStorageVolPtr vol) {
     VIR_DEBUG("release vol %p %s", vol, vol->name);
 
     vol->magic = -1;
+    VIR_FREE(vol->key);
     VIR_FREE(vol->name);
     VIR_FREE(vol->pool);
     VIR_FREE(vol);
diff --git a/src/datatypes.h b/src/datatypes.h
index ebda9928cd..f114360b51 100644
--- a/src/datatypes.h
+++ b/src/datatypes.h
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 /*
  * datatypes.h: management of structs for public data types
  *
- * Copyright (C) 2006-2008, 2010 Red Hat, Inc.
+ * Copyright (C) 2006-2008, 2010-2011 Red Hat, Inc.
  *
  * This library is free software; you can redistribute it and/or
  * modify it under the terms of the GNU Lesser General Public
@@ -254,8 +254,7 @@ struct _virStorageVol {
     virConnectPtr conn;                  /* pointer back to the connection */
     char *pool;                          /* Pool name of owner */
     char *name;                          /* the storage vol external name */
-    /* XXX currently abusing path for this. Ought not to be so evil */
-    char key[PATH_MAX];                  /* unique key for storage vol */
+    char *key;                           /* unique key for storage vol */
 };
 
 /**