diff --git a/libguile/deprecation.c b/libguile/deprecation.c
index 2c7d2a413..3d4852a2f 100644
--- a/libguile/deprecation.c
+++ b/libguile/deprecation.c
@@ -105,6 +105,7 @@ SCM_DEFINE(scm_issue_deprecation_warning,
     {
       SCM nl = scm_str2string ("\n");
       SCM msgs_nl = SCM_EOL;
+      char *c_msgs;
       while (SCM_CONSP (msgs))
 	{
 	  if (msgs_nl != SCM_EOL)
@@ -113,8 +114,9 @@ SCM_DEFINE(scm_issue_deprecation_warning,
 	  msgs = SCM_CDR (msgs);
 	}
       msgs_nl = scm_string_append (scm_reverse_x (msgs_nl, SCM_EOL));
-      scm_c_issue_deprecation_warning (SCM_STRING_CHARS (msgs_nl));
-      scm_remember_upto_here_1 (msgs_nl);
+      c_msgs = scm_to_locale_string (msgs_nl);
+      scm_c_issue_deprecation_warning (c_msgs);
+      free (c_msgs);
     }
   return SCM_UNSPECIFIED;
 }
diff --git a/libguile/dynl.c b/libguile/dynl.c
index 76380de4d..99c6dc837 100644
--- a/libguile/dynl.c
+++ b/libguile/dynl.c
@@ -51,6 +51,7 @@ maybe_drag_in_eprintf ()
 #include "libguile/deprecation.h"
 #include "libguile/lang.h"
 #include "libguile/validate.h"
+#include "libguile/dynwind.h"
 
 #include "guile-ltdl.h"
 
@@ -149,9 +150,13 @@ SCM_DEFINE (scm_dynamic_link, "dynamic-link", 1, 0, 0,
 #define FUNC_NAME s_scm_dynamic_link
 {
   void *handle;
+  char *file;
 
-  SCM_VALIDATE_STRING (1, filename);
-  handle = sysdep_dynl_link (SCM_STRING_CHARS (filename), FUNC_NAME);
+  scm_frame_begin (0);
+  file = scm_to_locale_string (filename);
+  scm_frame_free (file);
+  handle = sysdep_dynl_link (file, FUNC_NAME);
+  scm_frame_end ();
   SCM_RETURN_NEWSMOB2 (scm_tc16_dynamic_obj, SCM_UNPACK (filename), handle);
 }
 #undef FUNC_NAME
@@ -216,9 +221,12 @@ SCM_DEFINE (scm_dynamic_func, "dynamic-func", 2, 0, 0,
   } else {
     char *chars;
 
-    chars = SCM_STRING_CHARS (name);
+    scm_frame_begin (0);
+    chars = scm_to_locale_string (name);
+    scm_frame_free (chars);
     func = (void (*) ()) sysdep_dynl_func (chars, DYNL_HANDLE (dobj), 
 					   FUNC_NAME);
+    scm_frame_end ();
     return scm_from_ulong ((unsigned long) func);
   }
 }
@@ -247,41 +255,18 @@ SCM_DEFINE (scm_dynamic_call, "dynamic-call", 2, 0, 0,
 {
   void (*fptr) ();
   
-  if (SCM_STRINGP (func))
+  if (scm_is_string (func))
     func = scm_dynamic_func (func, dobj);
-  fptr = (void (*) ()) SCM_NUM2ULONG (1, func);
+  fptr = (void (*) ()) scm_to_ulong (func);
   fptr ();
   return SCM_UNSPECIFIED;
 }
 #undef FUNC_NAME
 
-/* return a newly allocated array of char pointers to each of the strings
-   in args, with a terminating NULL pointer.  */
-/* Note: a similar function is defined in posix.c, but we don't necessarily
-   want to export it.  */
-static char **allocate_string_pointers (SCM args, int *num_args_return)
+static void
+free_string_pointers (void *data)
 {
-  char **result;
-  int n_args = scm_ilength (args);
-  int i;
-
-  SCM_ASSERT (n_args >= 0, args, SCM_ARGn, "allocate_string_pointers");
-  result = (char **) scm_malloc ((n_args + 1) * sizeof (char *));
-  result[n_args] = NULL;
-  for (i = 0; i < n_args; i++)
-    {
-      SCM car = SCM_CAR (args);
-
-      if (!SCM_STRINGP (car))
-	{
-	  free (result);
-	  scm_wrong_type_arg ("allocate_string_pointers", SCM_ARGn, car);
-	}
-      result[i] = SCM_STRING_CHARS (SCM_CAR (args));
-      args = SCM_CDR (args);
-    }
-  *num_args_return = n_args;
-  return result;
+  scm_i_free_string_pointers ((char **)data);
 }
 
 SCM_DEFINE (scm_dynamic_args_call, "dynamic-args-call", 3, 0, 0, 
@@ -304,17 +289,21 @@ SCM_DEFINE (scm_dynamic_args_call, "dynamic-args-call", 3, 0, 0,
   int result, argc;
   char **argv;
 
-  if (SCM_STRINGP (func))
+  scm_frame_begin (0);
+
+  if (scm_is_string (func))
     func = scm_dynamic_func (func, dobj);
 
-  fptr = (int (*) (int, char **)) SCM_NUM2ULONG (1, func);
-  argv = allocate_string_pointers (args, &argc);
-  /* if the procedure mutates its arguments, the original strings will be
-     changed -- in Guile 1.6 and earlier, this wasn't the case since a
-     new copy of each string was allocated.  */
-  result = (*fptr) (argc, argv);
-  free (argv);
+  fptr = (int (*) (int, char **)) scm_to_ulong (func);
 
+  argv = scm_i_allocate_string_pointers (args);
+  scm_frame_unwind_handler (free_string_pointers, argv,
+			    SCM_F_WIND_EXPLICITLY);
+  for (argc = 0; argv[argc]; argc++)
+    ;
+  result = (*fptr) (argc, argv);
+
+  scm_frame_end ();
   return scm_from_int (result);
 }
 #undef FUNC_NAME
diff --git a/libguile/eval.c b/libguile/eval.c
index 18db8906c..d8dfc9e70 100644
--- a/libguile/eval.c
+++ b/libguile/eval.c
@@ -1480,7 +1480,7 @@ scm_m_lambda (SCM expr, SCM env SCM_UNUSED)
    * the documentation string will have to be skipped with every execution
    * of the closure.  */
   cddr_expr = SCM_CDR (cdr_expr);
-  documentation = (length >= 3 && SCM_STRINGP (SCM_CAR (cddr_expr)));
+  documentation = (length >= 3 && scm_is_string (SCM_CAR (cddr_expr)));
   body = documentation ? SCM_CDR (cddr_expr) : cddr_expr;
   new_body = m_body (SCM_IM_LAMBDA, body);
 
diff --git a/libguile/filesys.c b/libguile/filesys.c
index 29c86883e..459f5530c 100644
--- a/libguile/filesys.c
+++ b/libguile/filesys.c
@@ -610,18 +610,17 @@ SCM_DEFINE (scm_stat, "stat", 1, 0, 0,
       SCM_SYSCALL (rv = fstat (scm_to_int (object), &stat_temp));
 #endif
     }
-  else if (SCM_STRINGP (object))
+  else if (scm_is_string (object))
     {
+      char *file = scm_to_locale_string (object);
 #ifdef __MINGW32__
-      char *p, *file = strdup (SCM_STRING_CHARS (object));
+      char *p;
       p = file + strlen (file) - 1;
       while (p > file && (*p == '/' || *p == '\\'))
 	*p-- = '\0';
+#endif
       SCM_SYSCALL (rv = stat (file, &stat_temp));
       free (file);
-#else
-      SCM_SYSCALL (rv = stat (SCM_STRING_CHARS (object), &stat_temp));
-#endif
     }
   else
     {
diff --git a/libguile/fports.c b/libguile/fports.c
index cb824db17..6b462e03e 100644
--- a/libguile/fports.c
+++ b/libguile/fports.c
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@
 #include "libguile/strings.h"
 #include "libguile/validate.h"
 #include "libguile/gc.h"
+#include "libguile/dynwind.h"
 
 #include "libguile/fports.h"
 
@@ -289,11 +290,13 @@ SCM_DEFINE (scm_open_file, "open-file", 2, 0, 0,
   char *md;
   char *ptr;
 
-  SCM_VALIDATE_STRING (1, filename);
-  SCM_VALIDATE_STRING (2, mode);
+  scm_frame_begin (0);
 
-  file = SCM_STRING_CHARS (filename);
-  md = SCM_STRING_CHARS (mode);
+  file = scm_to_locale_string (filename);
+  scm_frame_free (file);
+
+  md = scm_to_locale_string (mode);
+  scm_frame_free (md);
 
   switch (*md)
     {
@@ -340,6 +343,9 @@ SCM_DEFINE (scm_open_file, "open-file", 2, 0, 0,
 				  scm_cons (filename, SCM_EOL)), en);
     }
   port = scm_fdes_to_port (fdes, md, filename);
+
+  scm_frame_end ();
+
   return port;
 }
 #undef FUNC_NAME
@@ -489,7 +495,7 @@ fport_print (SCM exp, SCM port, scm_print_state *pstate SCM_UNUSED)
     {
       int fdes;
       SCM name = SCM_FILENAME (exp);
-      if (SCM_STRINGP (name) || SCM_SYMBOLP (name))
+      if (scm_is_string (name) || SCM_SYMBOLP (name))
 	scm_display (name, port);
       else
 	scm_puts (SCM_PTOBNAME (SCM_PTOBNUM (exp)), port);
diff --git a/libguile/net_db.c b/libguile/net_db.c
index 539599189..41f05a9d7 100644
--- a/libguile/net_db.c
+++ b/libguile/net_db.c
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@
 #include "libguile/feature.h"
 #include "libguile/strings.h"
 #include "libguile/vectors.h"
+#include "libguile/dynwind.h"
 
 #include "libguile/validate.h"
 #include "libguile/net_db.h"
@@ -139,6 +140,7 @@ SCM_DEFINE (scm_gethost, "gethost", 0, 1, 0,
   struct in_addr inad;
   char **argv;
   int i = 0;
+
   if (SCM_UNBNDP (host))
     {
 #ifdef HAVE_GETHOSTENT
@@ -157,15 +159,18 @@ SCM_DEFINE (scm_gethost, "gethost", 0, 1, 0,
 	  return SCM_BOOL_F;
 	}
     }
-  else if (SCM_STRINGP (host))
+  else if (scm_is_string (host))
     {
-      entry = gethostbyname (SCM_STRING_CHARS (host));
+      char *str = scm_to_locale_string (host);
+      entry = gethostbyname (str);
+      free (str);
     }
   else
     {
-      inad.s_addr = htonl (SCM_NUM2ULONG (1, host));
+      inad.s_addr = htonl (scm_to_ulong (host));
       entry = gethostbyaddr ((char *) &inad, sizeof (inad), AF_INET);
     }
+
   if (!entry)
     scm_resolv_error (FUNC_NAME, host);
   
@@ -211,8 +216,9 @@ SCM_DEFINE (scm_getnet, "getnet", 0, 1, 0,
 	    "given.")
 #define FUNC_NAME s_scm_getnet
 {
-  SCM   result = scm_c_make_vector (4, SCM_UNSPECIFIED);
+  SCM result = scm_c_make_vector (4, SCM_UNSPECIFIED);
   struct netent *entry;
+  int eno;
 
   if (SCM_UNBNDP (net))
     {
@@ -225,18 +231,23 @@ SCM_DEFINE (scm_getnet, "getnet", 0, 1, 0,
 	  return SCM_BOOL_F;
 	}
     }
-  else if (SCM_STRINGP (net))
+  else if (scm_is_string (net))
     {
-      entry = getnetbyname (SCM_STRING_CHARS (net));
+      char *str = scm_to_locale_string (net);
+      entry = getnetbyname (str);
+      eno = errno;
+      free (str);
     }
   else
     {
-      unsigned long netnum;
-      netnum = SCM_NUM2ULONG (1, net);
+      unsigned long netnum = scm_to_ulong (net);
       entry = getnetbyaddr (netnum, AF_INET);
+      eno = errno;
     }
+
   if (!entry)
-    SCM_SYSERROR_MSG ("no such network ~A", scm_list_1 (net), errno);
+    SCM_SYSERROR_MSG ("no such network ~A", scm_list_1 (net), eno);
+
   SCM_VECTOR_SET(result, 0, scm_mem2string (entry->n_name, strlen (entry->n_name)));
   SCM_VECTOR_SET(result, 1, scm_makfromstrs (-1, entry->n_aliases));
   SCM_VECTOR_SET(result, 2, scm_from_int (entry->n_addrtype));
@@ -257,9 +268,10 @@ SCM_DEFINE (scm_getproto, "getproto", 0, 1, 0,
 	    "@code{getprotoent} (see below) if no arguments are supplied.")
 #define FUNC_NAME s_scm_getproto
 {
-  SCM   result = scm_c_make_vector (3, SCM_UNSPECIFIED);
-
+  SCM result = scm_c_make_vector (3, SCM_UNSPECIFIED);
   struct protoent *entry;
+  int eno;
+
   if (SCM_UNBNDP (protocol))
     {
       entry = getprotoent ();
@@ -271,18 +283,23 @@ SCM_DEFINE (scm_getproto, "getproto", 0, 1, 0,
 	  return SCM_BOOL_F;
 	}
     }
-  else if (SCM_STRINGP (protocol))
+  else if (scm_is_string (protocol))
     {
-      entry = getprotobyname (SCM_STRING_CHARS (protocol));
+      char *str = scm_to_locale_string (protocol);
+      entry = getprotobyname (str);
+      eno = errno;
+      free (str);
     }
   else
     {
-      unsigned long protonum;
-      protonum = SCM_NUM2ULONG (1, protocol);
+      unsigned long protonum = scm_to_ulong (protocol);
       entry = getprotobynumber (protonum);
+      eno = errno;
     }
+
   if (!entry)
-    SCM_SYSERROR_MSG ("no such protocol ~A", scm_list_1 (protocol), errno);
+    SCM_SYSERROR_MSG ("no such protocol ~A", scm_list_1 (protocol), eno);
+
   SCM_VECTOR_SET(result, 0, scm_mem2string (entry->p_name, strlen (entry->p_name)));
   SCM_VECTOR_SET(result, 1, scm_makfromstrs (-1, entry->p_aliases));
   SCM_VECTOR_SET(result, 2, scm_from_int (entry->p_proto));
@@ -318,6 +335,9 @@ SCM_DEFINE (scm_getserv, "getserv", 0, 2, 0,
 #define FUNC_NAME s_scm_getserv
 {
   struct servent *entry;
+  char *protoname;
+  int eno;
+
   if (SCM_UNBNDP (name))
     {
       entry = getservent ();
@@ -330,19 +350,29 @@ SCM_DEFINE (scm_getserv, "getserv", 0, 2, 0,
 	}
       return scm_return_entry (entry);
     }
-  SCM_VALIDATE_STRING (2, protocol);
-  if (SCM_STRINGP (name))
+
+  scm_frame_begin (0);
+
+  protoname = scm_to_locale_string (protocol);
+  scm_frame_free (protoname);
+
+  if (scm_is_string (name))
     {
-      entry = getservbyname (SCM_STRING_CHARS (name),
-			     SCM_STRING_CHARS (protocol));
+      char *str = scm_to_locale_string (name);
+      entry = getservbyname (str, protoname);
+      eno = errno;
+      free (str);
     }
   else
     {
-      entry = getservbyport (htons (scm_to_int (name)),
-			     SCM_STRING_CHARS (protocol));
+      entry = getservbyport (htons (scm_to_int (name)), protoname);
+      eno = errno;
     }
+
   if (!entry)
-    SCM_SYSERROR_MSG("no such service ~A", scm_list_1 (name), errno);
+    SCM_SYSERROR_MSG("no such service ~A", scm_list_1 (name), eno);
+
+  scm_frame_end ();
   return scm_return_entry (entry);
 }
 #undef FUNC_NAME
diff --git a/libguile/ports.c b/libguile/ports.c
index 101244d84..02d72b448 100644
--- a/libguile/ports.c
+++ b/libguile/ports.c
@@ -1397,7 +1397,7 @@ SCM_DEFINE (scm_truncate_file, "truncate-file", 1, 1, 0,
 	    "@var{length} bytes.  @var{object} can be a string containing a\n"
 	    "file name or an integer file descriptor or a port.\n"
 	    "@var{length} may be omitted if @var{object} is not a file name,\n"
-	    "in which case the truncation occurs at the current port.\n"
+	    "in which case the truncation occurs at the current port\n"
 	    "position.  The return value is unspecified.")
 #define FUNC_NAME s_scm_truncate_file
 {
@@ -1409,14 +1409,12 @@ SCM_DEFINE (scm_truncate_file, "truncate-file", 1, 1, 0,
   if (SCM_UNBNDP (length))
     {
       /* must supply length if object is a filename.  */
-      if (SCM_STRINGP (object))
+      if (scm_is_string (object))
         SCM_MISC_ERROR("must supply length if OBJECT is a filename", SCM_EOL);
       
       length = scm_seek (object, SCM_INUM0, scm_from_int (SEEK_CUR));
     }
-  c_length = SCM_NUM2LONG (2, length);
-  if (c_length < 0)
-    SCM_MISC_ERROR ("negative offset", SCM_EOL);
+  c_length = scm_to_size_t (length);
 
   object = SCM_COERCE_OUTPORT (object);
   if (scm_is_integer (object))
@@ -1440,8 +1438,12 @@ SCM_DEFINE (scm_truncate_file, "truncate-file", 1, 1, 0,
     }
   else
     {
-      SCM_VALIDATE_STRING (1, object);
-      SCM_SYSCALL (rv = truncate (SCM_STRING_CHARS (object), c_length));
+      char *str = scm_to_locale_string (object);
+      int eno;
+      SCM_SYSCALL (rv = truncate (str, c_length));
+      eno = errno;
+      free (str);
+      errno = eno;
     }
   if (rv == -1)
     SCM_SYSERROR;
diff --git a/libguile/procs.c b/libguile/procs.c
index a03ef8bb3..a625b6e30 100644
--- a/libguile/procs.c
+++ b/libguile/procs.c
@@ -258,7 +258,7 @@ SCM_DEFINE (scm_procedure_documentation, "procedure-documentation", 1, 0, 0,
       if (SCM_NULLP (SCM_CDR (code)))
 	return SCM_BOOL_F;
       code = SCM_CAR (code);
-      if (SCM_STRINGP (code))
+      if (scm_is_string (code))
 	return code;
       else
 	return SCM_BOOL_F;
diff --git a/libguile/simpos.c b/libguile/simpos.c
index a35de86dc..ff4637d61 100644
--- a/libguile/simpos.c
+++ b/libguile/simpos.c
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@
 
 #include "libguile/validate.h"
 #include "libguile/simpos.h"
+#include "libguile/dynwind.h"
 
 #ifdef HAVE_STRING_H
 #include <string.h>
@@ -84,33 +85,10 @@ SCM_DEFINE (scm_system, "system", 0, 1, 0,
 #ifdef HAVE_SYSTEM
 #ifdef HAVE_WAITPID
 
-/* return a newly allocated array of char pointers to each of the strings
-   in args, with a terminating NULL pointer.  */
-/* Note: a similar function is defined in dynl.c, but we don't necessarily
-   want to export it.  */
-static char **
-allocate_string_pointers (SCM args)
+static void
+free_string_pointers (void *data)
 {
-  char **result;
-  int n_args = scm_ilength (args);
-  int i;
-
-  SCM_ASSERT (n_args >= 0, args, SCM_ARGn, "allocate_string_pointers");
-  result = (char **) scm_malloc ((n_args + 1) * sizeof (char *));
-  result[n_args] = NULL;
-  for (i = 0; i < n_args; i++)
-    {
-      SCM car = SCM_CAR (args);
-
-      if (!SCM_STRINGP (car))
-	{
-	  free (result);
-	  scm_wrong_type_arg ("allocate_string_pointers", SCM_ARGn, car);
-	}
-      result[i] = SCM_STRING_CHARS (SCM_CAR (args));
-      args = SCM_CDR (args);
-    }
-  return result;
+  scm_i_free_string_pointers ((char **)data);
 }
 
 SCM_DEFINE (scm_system_star, "system*", 0, 0, 1,
@@ -146,9 +124,12 @@ SCM_DEFINE (scm_system_star, "system*", 0, 0, 1,
       int pid;
       char **execargv;
 
-      SCM_VALIDATE_STRING (1, SCM_CAR (args));
+      scm_frame_begin (0);
+
       /* allocate before fork */
-      execargv = allocate_string_pointers (args);
+      execargv = scm_i_allocate_string_pointers (args);
+      scm_frame_unwind_handler (free_string_pointers, execargv,
+				SCM_F_WIND_EXPLICITLY);
 
       /* make sure the child can't kill us (as per normal system call) */
       sig_ign = scm_from_long ((unsigned long) SIG_IGN);
@@ -161,33 +142,32 @@ SCM_DEFINE (scm_system_star, "system*", 0, 0, 1,
       if (pid == 0)
         {
           /* child */
-          execvp (SCM_STRING_CHARS (SCM_CAR (args)), execargv);
-          scm_remember_upto_here_1 (args);
+          execvp (execargv[0], execargv);
           SCM_SYSERROR;
           /* not reached.  */
+	  scm_frame_end ();
           return SCM_BOOL_F;
         }
       else
         {
           /* parent */
-          int wait_result, status, save_errno;
+          int wait_result, status;
 
-          save_errno = errno;
-          free (execargv);
-          errno = save_errno;
           if (pid == -1)
             SCM_SYSERROR;
 
           SCM_SYSCALL (wait_result = waitpid (pid, &status, 0));
-          if (wait_result == -1) SCM_SYSERROR;
+          if (wait_result == -1)
+	    SCM_SYSERROR;
           scm_sigaction (sigint, SCM_CAR (oldint), SCM_CDR (oldint));
           scm_sigaction (sigquit, SCM_CAR (oldquit), SCM_CDR (oldquit));
-          scm_remember_upto_here_2 (oldint, oldquit);
+
+	  scm_frame_end ();
           return scm_from_int (status);
         }
     }
   else
-    SCM_WRONG_TYPE_ARG (1, SCM_CAR (args));
+    SCM_WRONG_TYPE_ARG (1, args);
 }
 #undef FUNC_NAME
 #endif /* HAVE_WAITPID */
@@ -202,9 +182,10 @@ SCM_DEFINE (scm_getenv, "getenv", 1, 0, 0,
 #define FUNC_NAME s_scm_getenv
 {
   char *val;
-  SCM_VALIDATE_STRING (1, nam);
-  val = getenv (SCM_STRING_CHARS (nam));
-  return val ? scm_mem2string (val, strlen (val)) : SCM_BOOL_F;
+  char *var = scm_to_locale_string (nam);
+  val = getenv (var);
+  free (var);
+  return val ? scm_from_locale_string (val) : SCM_BOOL_F;
 }
 #undef FUNC_NAME
 
diff --git a/libguile/socket.c b/libguile/socket.c
index 2761964ea..7135be618 100644
--- a/libguile/socket.c
+++ b/libguile/socket.c
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@
 #include "libguile/fports.h"
 #include "libguile/strings.h"
 #include "libguile/vectors.h"
+#include "libguile/dynwind.h"
 
 #include "libguile/validate.h"
 #include "libguile/socket.h"
@@ -782,8 +783,13 @@ scm_fill_sockaddr (int fam, SCM address, SCM *args, int which_arg,
       {
 	struct sockaddr_un *soka;
 	int addr_size;
+	char *c_address;
+
+	scm_frame_begin (0);
+
+	c_address = scm_to_locale_string (address);
+	scm_frame_free (c_address);
 
-	SCM_ASSERT (SCM_STRINGP (address), address, which_arg, proc);
 	/* the static buffer size in sockaddr_un seems to be arbitrary
 	   and not necessarily a hard limit.  e.g., the glibc manual
 	   suggests it may be possible to declare it size 0.  let's
@@ -791,15 +797,14 @@ scm_fill_sockaddr (int fam, SCM address, SCM *args, int which_arg,
 	   connect/bind etc., to fail.  sun_path is always the last
 	   member of the structure.  */
 	addr_size = sizeof (struct sockaddr_un)
-	  + max (0, SCM_STRING_LENGTH (address) + 1 - (sizeof soka->sun_path));
+	  + max (0, strlen (c_address) + 1 - (sizeof soka->sun_path));
 	soka = (struct sockaddr_un *) scm_malloc (addr_size);
-	if (!soka)
-	  scm_memory_error (proc);
 	memset (soka, 0, addr_size);  /* for sun_len: see sin_len above. */
 	soka->sun_family = AF_UNIX;
-	memcpy (soka->sun_path, SCM_STRING_CHARS (address),
-		SCM_STRING_LENGTH (address));
+	strcpy (soka->sun_path, c_address);
 	*size = SUN_LEN (soka);
+
+	scm_frame_end ();
 	return (struct sockaddr *) soka;
       }
 #endif
diff --git a/libguile/stime.c b/libguile/stime.c
index c237ae7fb..f08ae28b5 100644
--- a/libguile/stime.c
+++ b/libguile/stime.c
@@ -293,10 +293,14 @@ setzone (SCM zone, int pos, const char *subr)
     {
       static char *tmpenv[2];
       char *buf;
-
-      SCM_ASSERT (SCM_STRINGP (zone), zone, pos, subr);
-      buf = scm_malloc (SCM_STRING_LENGTH (zone) + sizeof (tzvar) + 1);
-      sprintf (buf, "%s=%s", tzvar, SCM_STRING_CHARS (zone));
+      size_t zone_len;
+      
+      zone_len = scm_to_locale_stringbuf (zone, NULL, 0);
+      buf = scm_malloc (zone_len + sizeof (tzvar) + 1);
+      strcpy (buf, tzvar);
+      buf[sizeof(tzvar)-1] = '=';
+      scm_to_locale_stringbuf (zone, buf+sizeof(tzvar), zone_len);
+      buf[sizeof(tzvar)+zone_len] = '\0';
       oldenv = environ;
       tmpenv[0] = buf;
       tmpenv[1] = 0;
@@ -459,7 +463,7 @@ bdtime2c (SCM sbd_time, struct tm *lt, int pos, const char *subr)
     {
       SCM_ASSERT (scm_is_integer (velts[i]), sbd_time, pos, subr);
     }
-  SCM_ASSERT (scm_is_false (velts[10]) || SCM_STRINGP (velts[10]),
+  SCM_ASSERT (scm_is_false (velts[10]) || scm_is_string (velts[10]),
 	      sbd_time, pos, subr);
 
   lt->tm_sec = scm_to_int (velts[0]);