diff --git a/src/kleo/keygroup.cpp b/src/kleo/keygroup.cpp
index 69240a4f5..465c1495b 100644
--- a/src/kleo/keygroup.cpp
+++ b/src/kleo/keygroup.cpp
@@ -1,75 +1,76 @@
 /*
     kleo/keygroup.cpp
 
     This file is part of libkleopatra, the KDE keymanagement library
     SPDX-FileCopyrightText: 2021 g10 Code GmbH
     SPDX-FileContributor: Ingo Klöcker <dev@ingo-kloecker.de>
 
     SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-2.0-or-later
 */
 
 #include "keygroup.h"
 
 #include <QString>
 
 #include <gpgme++/key.h>
 
 using namespace Kleo;
 using namespace GpgME;
 
 class KeyGroup::Private
 {
 public:
     explicit Private(const QString &name, const std::vector<GpgME::Key> &keys);
 
     QString name;
     std::vector<Key> keys;
 };
 
 KeyGroup::Private::Private(const QString &name_, const std::vector<GpgME::Key> &keys_)
     : name(name_)
     , keys(keys_)
 {
 }
 
 KeyGroup::KeyGroup()
     : KeyGroup(QString(), {})
 {
 }
 
 KeyGroup::~KeyGroup() = default;
 
 KeyGroup::KeyGroup(const QString &name, const std::vector<GpgME::Key> &keys)
     : d(new Private(name, keys))
 {
 }
 
 KeyGroup::KeyGroup(const KeyGroup &other)
     : d(new Private(*other.d))
 {
 }
 
 KeyGroup &KeyGroup::operator=(const KeyGroup &other)
 {
     *d = *other.d;
     return *this;
 }
 
 KeyGroup::KeyGroup(KeyGroup &&other) = default;
 
 KeyGroup &KeyGroup::operator=(KeyGroup &&other) = default;
 
 bool KeyGroup::isNull() const
 {
     return !d || d->name.isEmpty();
 }
 
 QString KeyGroup::name() const
 {
     return d ? d->name : QString();
 }
 
-std::vector<Key> Kleo::KeyGroup::keys() const
+const std::vector<Key> &KeyGroup::keys() const
 {
-    return d ? d->keys : std::vector<Key>();
+    static const std::vector<Key> empty;
+    return d ? d->keys : empty;
 }
diff --git a/src/kleo/keygroup.h b/src/kleo/keygroup.h
index 7a2bd7f77..b9e053bfe 100644
--- a/src/kleo/keygroup.h
+++ b/src/kleo/keygroup.h
@@ -1,56 +1,56 @@
 /*
     kleo/keygroup.h
 
     This file is part of libkleopatra, the KDE keymanagement library
     SPDX-FileCopyrightText: 2021 g10 Code GmbH
     SPDX-FileContributor: Ingo Klöcker <dev@ingo-kloecker.de>
 
     SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-2.0-or-later
 */
 
 #ifndef LIBKLEO_KEYGROUP_H
 #define LIBKLEO_KEYGROUP_H
 
 #include "kleo_export.h"
 
 #include <memory>
 #include <vector>
 
 class QString;
 
 namespace GpgME
 {
 class Key;
 }
 
 namespace Kleo
 {
 
 class KLEO_EXPORT KeyGroup
 {
 public:
     KeyGroup();
     ~KeyGroup();
 
     explicit KeyGroup(const QString &name, const std::vector<GpgME::Key> &keys);
 
     KeyGroup(const KeyGroup &other);
     KeyGroup &operator=(const KeyGroup &other);
 
     KeyGroup(KeyGroup &&other);
     KeyGroup &operator=(KeyGroup &&other);
 
     bool isNull() const;
 
     QString name() const;
 
-    std::vector<GpgME::Key> keys() const;
+    const std::vector<GpgME::Key> &keys() const;
 
 private:
     class Private;
     std::unique_ptr<Private> d;
 };
 
 }
 
 #endif // LIBKLEO_KEYGROUP_H