diff --git a/shell/common/switches.cc b/shell/common/switches.cc
index 6ea1bb3dbc9868b2761b38b0de34b451a9db09a8..9a3168f73505cdebde41d576378048be514e6010 100644
--- a/shell/common/switches.cc
+++ b/shell/common/switches.cc
@@ -7,8 +7,6 @@
 #include <sstream>
 #include <string>
 
-#include "lib/ftl/strings/string_view.h"
-
 // Include once for the default enum definition.
 #include "flutter/shell/common/switches.h"
 
@@ -16,7 +14,7 @@
 
 struct SwitchDesc {
   shell::Switch sw;
-  const ftl::StringView flag;
+  const char* flag;
   const char* help;
 };
 
@@ -48,7 +46,7 @@ void PrintUsage(const std::string& executable_name) {
   uint32_t max_width = 2;
   for (uint32_t i = 0; i < flags_count; i++) {
     auto desc = gSwitchDescs[i];
-    max_width = std::max<uint32_t>(desc.flag.size() + 2, max_width);
+    max_width = std::max<uint32_t>(strlen(desc.flag) + 2, max_width);
   }
 
   const uint32_t help_width = column_width - max_width - 3;
@@ -58,7 +56,7 @@ void PrintUsage(const std::string& executable_name) {
     auto desc = gSwitchDescs[i];
 
     std::cerr << std::setw(max_width)
-              << std::string("--") + desc.flag.ToString() << " : ";
+              << std::string("--") + std::string(desc.flag) << " : ";
 
     std::istringstream stream(desc.help);
     int32_t remaining = help_width;
@@ -80,13 +78,13 @@ void PrintUsage(const std::string& executable_name) {
   std::cerr << std::string(column_width, '-') << std::endl;
 }
 
-const ftl::StringView FlagForSwitch(Switch swtch) {
+const char* FlagForSwitch(Switch swtch) {
   for (uint32_t i = 0; i < static_cast<uint32_t>(Switch::Sentinel); i++) {
     if (gSwitchDescs[i].sw == swtch) {
       return gSwitchDescs[i].flag;
     }
   }
-  return ftl::StringView();
+  return nullptr;
 }
 
 }  // namespace shell
diff --git a/shell/common/switches.h b/shell/common/switches.h
index 696918c28572d9637fedc00f021001502fc09fb5..ac43b92126f1c3a1fe101142731759c2a5b2b0d2 100644
--- a/shell/common/switches.h
+++ b/shell/common/switches.h
@@ -2,8 +2,6 @@
 // Use of this source code is governed by a BSD-style license that can be
 // found in the LICENSE file.
 
-#include "lib/ftl/strings/string_view.h"
-
 #ifndef SHELL_COMMON_SWITCHES_H_
 #define SHELL_COMMON_SWITCHES_H_
 
@@ -111,7 +109,7 @@ DEF_SWITCHES_END
 
 void PrintUsage(const std::string& executable_name);
 
-const ftl::StringView FlagForSwitch(Switch sw);
+const char* FlagForSwitch(Switch sw);
 
 }  // namespace shell