diff --git a/Source/dvlnet/packet.cpp b/Source/dvlnet/packet.cpp
index 715c6cc3c..9507f24b4 100644
--- a/Source/dvlnet/packet.cpp
+++ b/Source/dvlnet/packet.cpp
@@ -84,35 +84,36 @@ const char *packet_type_to_string(uint8_t packetType)
 	}
 }
 
-PacketTypeError::PacketTypeError(std::uint8_t unknownPacketType)
-    : message_(StrCat("Unknown packet type ", unknownPacketType))
+PacketError PacketTypeError(std::uint8_t unknownPacketType)
 {
+	return PacketError(StrCat("Unknown packet type ", unknownPacketType));
 }
 
-PacketTypeError::PacketTypeError(std::initializer_list<packet_type> expectedTypes, std::uint8_t actual)
+PacketError PacketTypeError(std::initializer_list<packet_type> expectedTypes, std::uint8_t actual)
 {
-	message_ = "Expected packet of type ";
-	const auto appendPacketType = [this](std::uint8_t t) {
+	std::string message = "Expected packet of type ";
+	const auto appendPacketType = [&](std::uint8_t t) {
 		const char *typeStr = packet_type_to_string(t);
 		if (typeStr != nullptr)
-			message_.append(typeStr);
+			message.append(typeStr);
 		else
-			StrAppend(message_, t);
+			StrAppend(message, t);
 	};
 
 	constexpr char KJoinTypes[] = " or ";
 	for (const packet_type t : expectedTypes) {
 		appendPacketType(t);
-		message_.append(KJoinTypes);
+		message.append(KJoinTypes);
 	}
-	message_.resize(message_.size() - (sizeof(KJoinTypes) - 1));
-	message_.append(", got");
+	message.resize(message.size() - (sizeof(KJoinTypes) - 1));
+	message.append(", got");
 	appendPacketType(actual);
+	return PacketError(std::move(message));
 }
 
 namespace {
 
-tl::expected<void, PacketTypeError> CheckPacketTypeOneOf(std::initializer_list<packet_type> expectedTypes, std::uint8_t actualType)
+tl::expected<void, PacketError> CheckPacketTypeOneOf(std::initializer_list<packet_type> expectedTypes, std::uint8_t actualType)
 {
 	if (c_none_of(expectedTypes,
 	        [actualType](uint8_t type) { return type == actualType; })) {
diff --git a/Source/dvlnet/packet.h b/Source/dvlnet/packet.h
index a6edffa94..246206db2 100644
--- a/Source/dvlnet/packet.h
+++ b/Source/dvlnet/packet.h
@@ -61,26 +61,43 @@ static constexpr plr_t PLR_BROADCAST = 0xFF;
 
 class PacketError {
 public:
-	virtual const char *what() const
+	PacketError()
+	    : message_(std::string_view("Incorrect package size"))
 	{
-		return "Incorrect package size";
 	}
-};
 
-class PacketTypeError : public PacketError {
-public:
-	explicit PacketTypeError(std::uint8_t unknownPacketType);
-	PacketTypeError(std::initializer_list<packet_type> expectedTypes, std::uint8_t actual);
+	PacketError(const char message[])
+	    : message_(std::string_view(message))
+	{
+	}
+
+	PacketError(std::string &&message)
+	    : message_(std::move(message))
+	{
+	}
 
-	const char *what() const override
+	PacketError(const PacketError &error)
+	    : message_(std::string(error.message_))
 	{
-		return message_.c_str();
+	}
+
+	PacketError(PacketError &&error)
+	    : message_(std::move(error.message_))
+	{
+	}
+
+	std::string_view what() const
+	{
+		return message_;
 	}
 
 private:
-	std::string message_;
+	StringOrView message_;
 };
 
+PacketError PacketTypeError(std::uint8_t unknownPacketType);
+PacketError PacketTypeError(std::initializer_list<packet_type> expectedTypes, std::uint8_t actual);
+
 class packet {
 protected:
 	packet_type m_type;
diff --git a/Source/dvlnet/tcp_server.h b/Source/dvlnet/tcp_server.h
index 6e258e71f..5ecbff4de 100644
--- a/Source/dvlnet/tcp_server.h
+++ b/Source/dvlnet/tcp_server.h
@@ -27,13 +27,10 @@
 
 namespace devilution::net {
 
-class ServerError : public PacketError {
-public:
-	const char *what() const override
-	{
-		return "Invalid player ID";
-	}
-};
+inline PacketError ServerError()
+{
+	return PacketError("Invalid player ID");
+}
 
 class tcp_server {
 public: