diff --git a/include/miniocpp/response.h b/include/miniocpp/response.h
index 031af0e..bf89166 100644
--- a/include/miniocpp/response.h
+++ b/include/miniocpp/response.h
@@ -20,7 +20,10 @@
 
 #include <list>
 #include <map>
+#include <memory>
+#include <pugixml.hpp>
 #include <string>
+#include <string_view>
 #include <type_traits>
 
 #include "error.h"
@@ -238,19 +241,21 @@ MINIO_S3_DERIVE_FROM_RESPONSE(DownloadObjectResponse)
 MINIO_S3_DERIVE_FROM_RESPONSE(GetObjectResponse)
 
 struct Item : public Response {
-  std::string etag;  // except DeleteMarker
-  std::string name;
+  // etag and name stored in owning ListObjectsResponse's owned_.
+  std::string_view etag;  // except DeleteMarker
+  std::string_view name;
   utils::UtcTime last_modified;
-  std::string owner_id;
-  std::string owner_name;
+  // Fields below point into owning ListObjectsResponse's xml_document memory.
+  std::string_view owner_id;
+  std::string_view owner_name;
   size_t size = 0;  // except DeleteMarker
-  std::string storage_class;
-  bool is_latest = false;  // except ListObjects V1/V2
-  std::string version_id;  // except ListObjects V1/V2
+  std::string_view storage_class;
+  bool is_latest = false;       // except ListObjects V1/V2
+  std::string_view version_id;  // except ListObjects V1/V2
   std::map<std::string, std::string> user_metadata;
   bool is_prefix = false;
   bool is_delete_marker = false;
-  std::string encoding_type;
+  std::string_view encoding_type;
 
   Item() = default;
 
@@ -263,29 +268,34 @@ struct Item : public Response {
 
 struct ListObjectsResponse : public Response {
   // Common
-  std::string name;
-  std::string encoding_type;
-  std::string prefix;
-  std::string delimiter;
+  std::string_view name;
+  std::string_view encoding_type;
+  std::string_view prefix;
+  std::string_view delimiter;
   bool is_truncated;
   unsigned int max_keys;
   std::list<Item> contents;
 
+  // Owned XML document for zero-copy string_view backing.
+  std::shared_ptr<pugi::xml_document> doc_;
+  // Owned strings for non-XML-assigned string_view backing storage.
+  std::list<std::string> owned_;
+
   // ListObjectsV1
-  std::string marker;
-  std::string next_marker;
+  std::string_view marker;
+  std::string_view next_marker;
 
   // ListObjectsV2
   unsigned int key_count;
-  std::string start_after;
-  std::string continuation_token;
-  std::string next_continuation_token;
+  std::string_view start_after;
+  std::string_view continuation_token;
+  std::string_view next_continuation_token;
 
   // ListObjectVersions
-  std::string key_marker;
-  std::string next_key_marker;
-  std::string version_id_marker;
-  std::string next_version_id_marker;
+  std::string_view key_marker;
+  std::string_view next_key_marker;
+  std::string_view version_id_marker;
+  std::string_view next_version_id_marker;
 
   ListObjectsResponse() = default;
 
@@ -293,8 +303,6 @@ struct ListObjectsResponse : public Response {
 
   explicit ListObjectsResponse(const Response& resp) : Response(resp) {}
 
-  ~ListObjectsResponse() = default;
-
   static ListObjectsResponse ParseXML(std::string_view data, bool version);
 };  // struct ListObjectsResponse
 
diff --git a/src/response.cc b/src/response.cc
index b77f545..05a48fb 100644
--- a/src/response.cc
+++ b/src/response.cc
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ Response Response::ParseXML(std::string_view data, int status_code,
   resp.headers = headers;
 
   pugi::xml_document xdoc;
-  pugi::xml_parse_result result = xdoc.load_string(data.data());
+  pugi::xml_parse_result result = xdoc.load_buffer(data.data(), data.size());
   if (!result) {
     resp.err_ = error::Error("unable to parse XML; " + std::string(data));
     return resp;
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ ListBucketsResponse ListBucketsResponse::ParseXML(std::string_view data) {
   std::list<Bucket> buckets;
 
   pugi::xml_document xdoc;
-  pugi::xml_parse_result result = xdoc.load_string(data.data());
+  pugi::xml_parse_result result = xdoc.load_buffer(data.data(), data.size());
   if (!result) {
     return error::make<ListBucketsResponse>("unable to parse XML");
   }
@@ -119,7 +119,7 @@ CompleteMultipartUploadResponse CompleteMultipartUploadResponse::ParseXML(
   CompleteMultipartUploadResponse resp;
 
   pugi::xml_document xdoc;
-  pugi::xml_parse_result result = xdoc.load_string(data.data());
+  pugi::xml_parse_result result = xdoc.load_buffer(data.data(), data.size());
   if (!result) {
     return error::make<CompleteMultipartUploadResponse>("unable to parse XML");
   }
@@ -160,17 +160,31 @@ ListObjectsResponse ListObjectsResponse::ParseXML(std::string_view data,
                                                   bool version) {
   ListObjectsResponse resp;
 
-  pugi::xml_document xdoc;
-  pugi::xml_parse_result result = xdoc.load_string(data.data());
+  auto xdoc = std::make_shared<pugi::xml_document>();
+  pugi::xml_parse_result result = xdoc->load_buffer(data.data(), data.size());
   if (!result) {
     return error::make<ListObjectsResponse>("unable to parse XML");
   }
+  resp.doc_ = std::move(xdoc);
   std::string xpath = version ? "/ListVersionsResult" : "/ListBucketResult";
 
-  auto root = xdoc.select_node(xpath.c_str());
+  auto root = resp.doc_->select_node(xpath.c_str());
 
   pugi::xpath_node text;
   std::string value;
+  const char* raw = nullptr;
+
+  // Helper to store an unescaped string or point into doc memory.
+  auto assign_unescaped = [&resp](std::string_view encoding_type,
+                                  const char* raw,
+                                  std::string_view& target) -> void {
+    if (encoding_type == "url") {
+      resp.owned_.emplace_back(curlpp::unescape(raw));
+      target = resp.owned_.back();
+    } else {
+      target = raw;
+    }
+  };
 
   text = root.node().select_node("Name/text()");
   resp.name = text.node().value();
@@ -179,8 +193,8 @@ ListObjectsResponse ListObjectsResponse::ParseXML(std::string_view data,
   resp.encoding_type = text.node().value();
 
   text = root.node().select_node("Prefix/text()");
-  value = text.node().value();
-  resp.prefix = (resp.encoding_type == "url") ? curlpp::unescape(value) : value;
+  raw = text.node().value();
+  assign_unescaped(resp.encoding_type, raw, resp.prefix);
 
   text = root.node().select_node("Delimiter/text()");
   resp.delimiter = text.node().value();
@@ -196,14 +210,12 @@ ListObjectsResponse ListObjectsResponse::ParseXML(std::string_view data,
   // ListBucketResult V1
   {
     text = root.node().select_node("Marker/text()");
-    value = text.node().value();
-    resp.marker =
-        (resp.encoding_type == "url") ? curlpp::unescape(value) : value;
+    raw = text.node().value();
+    assign_unescaped(resp.encoding_type, raw, resp.marker);
 
     text = root.node().select_node("NextMarker/text()");
-    value = text.node().value();
-    resp.next_marker =
-        (resp.encoding_type == "url") ? curlpp::unescape(value) : value;
+    raw = text.node().value();
+    assign_unescaped(resp.encoding_type, raw, resp.next_marker);
   }
 
   // ListBucketResult V2
@@ -214,9 +226,8 @@ ListObjectsResponse ListObjectsResponse::ParseXML(std::string_view data,
       resp.key_count = static_cast<unsigned>(std::stoul(value));
 
     text = root.node().select_node("StartAfter/text()");
-    value = text.node().value();
-    resp.start_after =
-        (resp.encoding_type == "url") ? curlpp::unescape(value) : value;
+    raw = text.node().value();
+    assign_unescaped(resp.encoding_type, raw, resp.start_after);
 
     text = root.node().select_node("ContinuationToken/text()");
     resp.continuation_token = text.node().value();
@@ -228,14 +239,12 @@ ListObjectsResponse ListObjectsResponse::ParseXML(std::string_view data,
   // ListVersionsResult
   {
     text = root.node().select_node("KeyMarker/text()");
-    value = text.node().value();
-    resp.key_marker =
-        (resp.encoding_type == "url") ? curlpp::unescape(value) : value;
+    raw = text.node().value();
+    assign_unescaped(resp.encoding_type, raw, resp.key_marker);
 
     text = root.node().select_node("NextKeyMarker/text()");
-    value = text.node().value();
-    resp.next_key_marker =
-        (resp.encoding_type == "url") ? curlpp::unescape(value) : value;
+    raw = text.node().value();
+    assign_unescaped(resp.encoding_type, raw, resp.next_key_marker);
 
     text = root.node().select_node("VersionIdMarker/text()");
     resp.version_id_marker = text.node().value();
@@ -249,18 +258,24 @@ ListObjectsResponse ListObjectsResponse::ParseXML(std::string_view data,
   auto populate = [&resp = resp, &last_item = last_item](
                       std::list<Item>& items, pugi::xpath_node_set& contents,
                       bool is_delete_marker) -> void {
+    const char* raw = nullptr;
     for (auto content : contents) {
       pugi::xpath_node text;
       std::string value;
       Item item;
 
       text = content.node().select_node("ETag/text()");
-      item.etag = utils::Trim(text.node().value(), '"');
+      resp.owned_.emplace_back(utils::Trim(text.node().value(), '"'));
+      item.etag = resp.owned_.back();
 
       text = content.node().select_node("Key/text()");
-      value = text.node().value();
-      item.name =
-          (resp.encoding_type == "url") ? curlpp::unescape(value) : value;
+      raw = text.node().value();
+      if (resp.encoding_type == "url") {
+        resp.owned_.emplace_back(curlpp::unescape(raw));
+        item.name = resp.owned_.back();
+      } else {
+        item.name = raw;
+      }
 
       text = content.node().select_node("LastModified/text()");
       value = text.node().value();
@@ -303,17 +318,21 @@ ListObjectsResponse ListObjectsResponse::ParseXML(std::string_view data,
   populate(resp.contents, contents, false);
   // Only for ListObjectsV1.
   if (resp.is_truncated && resp.next_marker.empty()) {
-    resp.next_marker = last_item.name;
+    resp.owned_.emplace_back(last_item.name);
+    resp.next_marker = resp.owned_.back();
   }
 
   auto common_prefixes = root.node().select_nodes("CommonPrefixes");
   for (auto common_prefix : common_prefixes) {
     Item item;
-
     text = common_prefix.node().select_node("Prefix/text()");
-    value = text.node().value();
-    item.name = (resp.encoding_type == "url") ? curlpp::unescape(value) : value;
-
+    raw = text.node().value();
+    if (resp.encoding_type == "url") {
+      resp.owned_.emplace_back(curlpp::unescape(raw));
+      item.name = resp.owned_.back();
+    } else {
+      item.name = raw;
+    }
     item.is_prefix = true;
 
     resp.contents.push_back(item);
@@ -329,7 +348,7 @@ RemoveObjectsResponse RemoveObjectsResponse::ParseXML(std::string_view data) {
   RemoveObjectsResponse resp;
 
   pugi::xml_document xdoc;
-  pugi::xml_parse_result result = xdoc.load_string(data.data());
+  pugi::xml_parse_result result = xdoc.load_buffer(data.data(), data.size());
   if (!result) {
     return error::make<RemoveObjectsResponse>("unable to parse XML");
   }
@@ -386,7 +405,7 @@ GetBucketNotificationResponse GetBucketNotificationResponse::ParseXML(
   NotificationConfig config;
 
   pugi::xml_document xdoc;
-  pugi::xml_parse_result result = xdoc.load_string(data.data());
+  pugi::xml_parse_result result = xdoc.load_buffer(data.data(), data.size());
   if (!result) {
     return error::make<GetBucketNotificationResponse>("unable to parse XML");
   }
@@ -481,7 +500,7 @@ GetBucketEncryptionResponse GetBucketEncryptionResponse::ParseXML(
   SseConfig config;
 
   pugi::xml_document xdoc;
-  pugi::xml_parse_result result = xdoc.load_string(data.data());
+  pugi::xml_parse_result result = xdoc.load_buffer(data.data(), data.size());
   if (!result) {
     return error::make<GetBucketEncryptionResponse>("unable to parse XML");
   }
@@ -503,7 +522,7 @@ GetBucketReplicationResponse GetBucketReplicationResponse::ParseXML(
   ReplicationConfig config;
 
   pugi::xml_document xdoc;
-  pugi::xml_parse_result result = xdoc.load_string(data.data());
+  pugi::xml_parse_result result = xdoc.load_buffer(data.data(), data.size());
   if (!result) {
     return error::make<GetBucketReplicationResponse>("unable to parse XML");
   }
@@ -669,7 +688,7 @@ GetBucketLifecycleResponse GetBucketLifecycleResponse::ParseXML(
   LifecycleConfig config;
 
   pugi::xml_document xdoc;
-  pugi::xml_parse_result result = xdoc.load_string(data.data());
+  pugi::xml_parse_result result = xdoc.load_buffer(data.data(), data.size());
   if (!result) {
     return error::make<GetBucketLifecycleResponse>("unable to parse XML");
   }
@@ -796,7 +815,7 @@ GetBucketTagsResponse GetBucketTagsResponse::ParseXML(std::string_view data) {
   std::map<std::string, std::string> map;
 
   pugi::xml_document xdoc;
-  pugi::xml_parse_result result = xdoc.load_string(data.data());
+  pugi::xml_parse_result result = xdoc.load_buffer(data.data(), data.size());
   if (!result) {
     return error::make<GetBucketTagsResponse>("unable to parse XML");
   }
@@ -821,7 +840,7 @@ GetObjectTagsResponse GetObjectTagsResponse::ParseXML(std::string_view data) {
   std::map<std::string, std::string> map;
 
   pugi::xml_document xdoc;
-  pugi::xml_parse_result result = xdoc.load_string(data.data());
+  pugi::xml_parse_result result = xdoc.load_buffer(data.data(), data.size());
   if (!result) {
     return error::make<GetObjectTagsResponse>("unable to parse XML");
   }