diff --git a/cbor/src/main/java/tools/jackson/dataformat/cbor/CBORParser.java b/cbor/src/main/java/tools/jackson/dataformat/cbor/CBORParser.java
index f9022d6a0..e26b07360 100644
--- a/cbor/src/main/java/tools/jackson/dataformat/cbor/CBORParser.java
+++ b/cbor/src/main/java/tools/jackson/dataformat/cbor/CBORParser.java
@@ -2434,8 +2434,11 @@ private final String _finishShortText(int len) throws JacksonException
             i = inputBuf[inPtr++];
             outBuf[outPtr++] = (char) i;
         }
-        if (inPtr == end && i >= 0) {
-            String str = _textBuffer.setCurrentAndReturn(outPtr);
+        if (inPtr == end && i >= 0) { // all ASCII
+            // 25-Oct-2025: [dataformats-binary#624] Minor optimization: can directly
+            //    construct String; faster in JDK 17+
+            //String str = _textBuffer.setCurrentAndReturn(outPtr);
+            String str = _textBuffer.resetWithASCII(inputBuf, inPtr-len, len);
             if (stringRefs != null) {
                 stringRefs.stringRefs.add(str);
                 _sharedString = str;