diff --git a/examples/WebUpdate/HTTPUpdateServer.cpp b/examples/WebUpdate/HTTPUpdateServer.cpp
index 26d725f..d5e6bb1 100644
--- a/examples/WebUpdate/HTTPUpdateServer.cpp
+++ b/examples/WebUpdate/HTTPUpdateServer.cpp
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ void HTTPUpdateServer::setup(WebServer* server, const String& path, const String
 
   // handler for the /update form page
   _server->on(path.c_str(), HTTP_GET, [&] () {
-    if (_username != emptyString && _password != emptyString && !_server->authenticate(_username.c_str(), _password.c_str()))
+    if (_username != _emptyString && _password != _emptyString && !_server->authenticate(_username.c_str(), _password.c_str()))
       return _server->requestAuthentication();
     _server->send_P(200, PSTR("text/html"), serverIndex);
   });
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ void HTTPUpdateServer::setup(WebServer* server, const String& path, const String
       if (_serial_output)
         Serial.setDebugOutput(true);
 
-      _authenticated = (_username == emptyString || _password == emptyString || _server->authenticate(_username.c_str(), _password.c_str()));
+      _authenticated = (_username == _emptyString || _password == _emptyString || _server->authenticate(_username.c_str(), _password.c_str()));
       if (!_authenticated) {
         if (_serial_output)
           Serial.println("Unauthenticated Update");
@@ -127,4 +127,9 @@ void HTTPUpdateServer::_setUpdaterError() {
   _updaterError = str.c_str();
 }
 
+/**
+ * Shared empty String instance
+ */
+const String HTTPUpdateServer::_emptyString;
+
 #endif // !ARDUINO_ARCH_ESP32
diff --git a/examples/WebUpdate/HTTPUpdateServer.h b/examples/WebUpdate/HTTPUpdateServer.h
index df3d672..b717a77 100644
--- a/examples/WebUpdate/HTTPUpdateServer.h
+++ b/examples/WebUpdate/HTTPUpdateServer.h
@@ -20,8 +20,8 @@ class HTTPUpdateServer {
  public:
   explicit HTTPUpdateServer(bool serial_debug = false) : _serial_output(serial_debug), _server(nullptr), _username(emptyString), _password(emptyString), _authenticated(false) {}
   ~HTTPUpdateServer() {}
-  void  setup(WebServer* server) { setup(server, emptyString, emptyString); }
-  void  setup(WebServer* server, const String& path) { setup(server, path, emptyString, emptyString); }
+  void  setup(WebServer* server) { setup(server, _emptyString, _emptyString); }
+  void  setup(WebServer* server, const String& path) { setup(server, path, _emptyString, _emptyString); }
   void  setup(WebServer* server, const String& username, const String& password) { setup(server, "/update", username, password); }
   void  setup(WebServer* server, const String& path, const String& username, const String& password);
   void  updateCredentials(const String& username, const String& password) { _username = username; _password = password; }
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ class HTTPUpdateServer {
   String  _password;
   bool    _authenticated;
   String  _updaterError;
+  static const String _emptyString;
 };
 
 #endif // !ARDUINO_ARCH_ESP32