diff --git a/code/AssimpCExport.cpp b/code/AssimpCExport.cpp
index 6578eeb88..6df99d86b 100644
--- a/code/AssimpCExport.cpp
+++ b/code/AssimpCExport.cpp
@@ -59,13 +59,37 @@ ASSIMP_API size_t aiGetExportFormatCount(void)
 
 
 // ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-ASSIMP_API const aiExportFormatDesc* aiGetExportFormatDescription( size_t pIndex)
+ASSIMP_API const aiExportFormatDesc* aiGetExportFormatDescription( size_t index)
 {
-    // Note: this is valid as the index always pertains to a builtin exporter,
+    // Note: this is valid as the index always pertains to a built-in exporter,
     // for which the returned structure is guaranteed to be of static storage duration.
-    return Exporter().GetExportFormatDescription(pIndex);
+    const aiExportFormatDesc* orig( Exporter().GetExportFormatDescription( index ) );
+    if (NULL == orig) {
+        return NULL;
+    }
+
+    aiExportFormatDesc *desc = new aiExportFormatDesc;
+    desc->description = new char[ strlen( orig->description ) + 1 ];
+    ::strncpy( (char*) desc->description, orig->description, strlen( orig->description ) );
+    desc->fileExtension = new char[ strlen( orig->fileExtension ) + 1 ];
+    ::strncpy( ( char* ) desc->fileExtension, orig->fileExtension, strlen( orig->fileExtension ) );
+    desc->id = new char[ strlen( orig->id ) + 1 ];
+    ::strncpy( ( char* ) desc->id, orig->id, strlen( orig->id ) );
+
+    return desc;
 }
 
+// ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+ASSIMP_API void aiReleaseExportFormatDescription( const aiExportFormatDesc *desc ) {
+    if (NULL == desc) {
+        return;
+    }
+
+    delete [] desc->description;
+    delete [] desc->fileExtension;
+    delete [] desc->id;
+    delete desc;
+}
 
 // ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 ASSIMP_API void aiCopyScene(const aiScene* pIn, aiScene** pOut)
diff --git a/include/assimp/cexport.h b/include/assimp/cexport.h
index 4afa3156a..71cb1f8ec 100644
--- a/include/assimp/cexport.h
+++ b/include/assimp/cexport.h
@@ -86,13 +86,20 @@ ASSIMP_API size_t aiGetExportFormatCount(void);
 
 // --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 /** Returns a description of the nth export file format. Use #aiGetExportFormatCount()
- * to learn how many export formats are supported.
+ * to learn how many export formats are supported. The description must be released by 
+ * calling aiReleaseExportFormatDescription afterwards.
  * @param pIndex Index of the export format to retrieve information for. Valid range is
  *    0 to #aiGetExportFormatCount()
  * @return A description of that specific export format. NULL if pIndex is out of range.
  */
 ASSIMP_API const C_STRUCT aiExportFormatDesc* aiGetExportFormatDescription( size_t pIndex);
 
+// --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+/** Release a description of the nth export file format. Must be returned by 
+* aiGetExportFormatDescription
+* @param desc Pointer to the description
+*/
+ASSIMP_API void aiReleaseExportFormatDescription( const C_STRUCT aiExportFormatDesc *desc );
 
 // --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 /** Create a modifiable copy of a scene.