diff --git a/simgear/props/props.cxx b/simgear/props/props.cxx
index f9d1ce40..ea97bf7d 100755
--- a/simgear/props/props.cxx
+++ b/simgear/props/props.cxx
@@ -4325,6 +4325,7 @@ template int SGPropertyNode::getValue<int>(void*) const;
 template long SGPropertyNode::getValue<long>(void*) const;
 template float SGPropertyNode::getValue<float>(void*) const;
 template double SGPropertyNode::getValue<double>(void*) const;
+template std::string SGPropertyNode::getValue<std::string>(void*) const;
 template SGVec3<double> SGPropertyNode::getValue<SGVec3<double>>(void*) const;
 template SGVec4<double> SGPropertyNode::getValue<SGVec4<double>>(void*) const;
 
@@ -4358,6 +4359,12 @@ double SGPropertyNode::getValue<double>(SGPropertyLock& lock, void* dummy) const
     return SGPropertyNodeImpl::getDoubleValue(lock, *this);
 }
 
+template<>
+std::string SGPropertyNode::getValue<std::string>(SGPropertyLock& lock, void* dummy) const
+{
+    return SGPropertyNodeImpl::getStringValue(lock, *this);
+}
+
 template bool SGPropertyNode::setValue(const bool&, void*);
 template bool SGPropertyNode::setValue(const int&, void*);
 template bool SGPropertyNode::setValue(const long&, void*);
diff --git a/simgear/props/props.hxx b/simgear/props/props.hxx
index 0fcd4106..3a14fb2c 100644
--- a/simgear/props/props.hxx
+++ b/simgear/props/props.hxx
@@ -171,6 +171,7 @@ DEFINTERNALPROP(float, FLOAT);
 DEFINTERNALPROP(double, DOUBLE);
 DEFINTERNALPROP(const char*, STRING);
 DEFINTERNALPROP(const char[], STRING);
+DEFINTERNALPROP(std::string, STRING);
 #undef DEFINTERNALPROP
 
 } // namespace props