diff --git a/src/Ext/TechnoType/Body.h b/src/Ext/TechnoType/Body.h
index 5430cf9711..621bc145a2 100644
--- a/src/Ext/TechnoType/Body.h
+++ b/src/Ext/TechnoType/Body.h
@@ -829,6 +829,7 @@ class TechnoTypeExt : public ObjectTypeExt
 	void ApplyTurretOffset(Matrix3D* mtx, double factor = 1.0);
 	void CalculateSpawnerRange();
 	bool IsSecondary(int nWeaponIndex) const;
+	const std::string GetGunnerID(int idx) const;
 
 	int SelectForceWeapon(TechnoClass* pThis, AbstractClass* pTarget) const;
 	int SelectMultiWeapon(TechnoClass* const pThis, AbstractClass* const pTarget) const;
diff --git a/src/Misc/Selection.cpp b/src/Misc/Selection.cpp
index 2bdfbb5ae7..d44bf3a0b6 100644
--- a/src/Misc/Selection.cpp
+++ b/src/Misc/Selection.cpp
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 #include <Utilities/AresHelper.h>
 #include <Ext/Techno/Body.h>
 
+#include <format>
+
 class ExtSelection
 {
 public:
@@ -26,7 +28,7 @@ class ExtSelection
 	} Array {};
 
 	static inline bool ProcessingIDMatches = false;
-	static inline std::vector<const char*> IFVGroups;
+	static inline std::vector<std::string> IFVGroups;
 
 	// Reversed from Is_Selectable, w/o Select call
 	static bool ObjectClass_IsSelectable(ObjectClass* pThis)
@@ -135,12 +137,9 @@ class ExtSelection
 
 			if (pTechnoType->Gunner && !ExtSelection::IFVGroups.empty())
 			{
-				char* gunnerID = pTypeExt->WeaponGroupAs[pTechno->CurrentWeaponNumber];
-
-				if (!GeneralUtils::IsValidString(gunnerID))
-					sprintf_s(gunnerID, 0x20, "%d", RulesExt::Global()->TypeSelectUseIFVMode && Phobos::Config::TypeSelectUseIFVMode ? pTechno->CurrentWeaponNumber + 1 : 0);
+				const std::string gunnerID = pTypeExt->GetGunnerID(pTechno->CurrentWeaponNumber);
 
-				if (std::ranges::none_of(ExtSelection::IFVGroups, [gunnerID](const char* pID) { return !_stricmp(pID, gunnerID); }))
+				if (std::ranges::none_of(ExtSelection::IFVGroups, [gunnerID](const std::string& id) { return !_stricmp(id.c_str(), gunnerID.c_str()); }))
 					break;
 			}
 
@@ -186,10 +185,21 @@ DEFINE_FUNCTION_JUMP(CALL, 0x4ABCEB, ExtSelection::Tactical_MakeFilteredSelectio
 // Replace vanilla function. For in case another module tries to call the vanilla function at offset
 DEFINE_FUNCTION_JUMP(LJMP, 0x6D9FF0, ExtSelection::Tactical_MakeFilteredSelection)
 
-DEFINE_HOOK(0x73298D, TypeSelectExecute_UseIFVMode, 0x5)
+const std::string TechnoTypeExt::GetGunnerID(int idx) const
 {
-	const bool useIFVMode = RulesExt::Global()->TypeSelectUseIFVMode && Phobos::Config::TypeSelectUseIFVMode;
+	if (idx < static_cast<int>(this->WeaponGroupAs.size()))
+	{
+		const char* pWeaponGroup = this->WeaponGroupAs[idx];
+
+		if (GeneralUtils::IsValidString(pWeaponGroup))
+			return std::string(pWeaponGroup);
+	}
 
+	return std::format("{}", RulesExt::Global()->TypeSelectUseIFVMode && Phobos::Config::TypeSelectUseIFVMode ? idx + 1 : 0);
+}
+
+DEFINE_HOOK(0x73298D, TypeSelectExecute_UseIFVMode, 0x5)
+{
 	for (const auto pObject : ObjectClass::CurrentObjects)
 	{
 		const auto pTechno = abstract_cast<TechnoClass*, true>(pObject);
@@ -203,12 +213,9 @@ DEFINE_HOOK(0x73298D, TypeSelectExecute_UseIFVMode, 0x5)
 			continue;
 
 		const auto pTypeExt = TechnoTypeExt::Fetch(pTechnoType);
-		char* gunnerID = pTypeExt->WeaponGroupAs[pTechno->CurrentWeaponNumber];
-
-		if (!GeneralUtils::IsValidString(gunnerID))
-			sprintf_s(gunnerID, 0x20, "%d", useIFVMode ? pTechno->CurrentWeaponNumber + 1 : 0);
+		const std::string gunnerID = pTypeExt->GetGunnerID(pTechno->CurrentWeaponNumber);
 
-		if (std::ranges::none_of(ExtSelection::IFVGroups, [gunnerID](const char* pID) { return !_stricmp(pID, gunnerID); }))
+		if (std::ranges::none_of(ExtSelection::IFVGroups, [gunnerID](const std::string& id) { return !_stricmp(id.c_str(), gunnerID.c_str()); }))
 			ExtSelection::IFVGroups.emplace_back(gunnerID);
 	}