diff --git a/guile-readline/readline.c b/guile-readline/readline.c
index 5f6719dd7..2d3617d8d 100644
--- a/guile-readline/readline.c
+++ b/guile-readline/readline.c
@@ -557,7 +557,7 @@ scm_init_readline ()
   rl_basic_word_break_characters = "\t\n\"'`;()";
   rl_readline_name = "Guile";
 
-  reentry_barrier_mutex = scm_permanent_object (scm_make_mutex ());
+  reentry_barrier_mutex = scm_make_mutex ();
   scm_init_opts (scm_readline_options,
 		 scm_readline_opts);
 #if HAVE_RL_GET_KEYMAP
diff --git a/libguile/array-map.c b/libguile/array-map.c
index 747747a96..c673b4df3 100644
--- a/libguile/array-map.c
+++ b/libguile/array-map.c
@@ -645,11 +645,7 @@ ramap (SCM ra0, SCM proc, SCM ras)
       unsigned long k, i1 = SCM_I_ARRAY_BASE (ra1);
       long inc1 = SCM_I_ARRAY_DIMS (ra1)->inc;
       ra1 = SCM_I_ARRAY_V (ra1);
-      ras = SCM_CDR (ras);
-      if (scm_is_null(ras))
-	ras = scm_nullvect;
-      else
-	ras = scm_vector (ras);
+      ras = scm_vector (SCM_CDR (ras));
       
       for (; i <= n; i++, i1 += inc1)
 	{
@@ -706,11 +702,8 @@ rafe (SCM ra0, SCM proc, SCM ras)
       unsigned long k, i1 = SCM_I_ARRAY_BASE (ra1);
       long inc1 = SCM_I_ARRAY_DIMS (ra1)->inc;
       ra1 = SCM_I_ARRAY_V (ra1);
-      ras = SCM_CDR (ras);
-      if (scm_is_null(ras))
-	ras = scm_nullvect;
-      else
-	ras = scm_vector (ras);
+      ras = scm_vector (SCM_CDR (ras));
+
       for (; i <= n; i++, i0 += inc0, i1 += inc1)
 	{
 	  args = SCM_EOL;
diff --git a/libguile/async.c b/libguile/async.c
index 664264f3c..7ec8b6e1d 100644
--- a/libguile/async.c
+++ b/libguile/async.c
@@ -501,7 +501,6 @@ scm_async_tick (void)
 void
 scm_init_async ()
 {
-  scm_asyncs = SCM_EOL;
   tc16_async = scm_make_smob_type ("async", 0);
 
 #include "libguile/async.x"
diff --git a/libguile/eval.c b/libguile/eval.c
index eb56f4ab7..ec19c2345 100644
--- a/libguile/eval.c
+++ b/libguile/eval.c
@@ -923,8 +923,6 @@ scm_init_eval ()
   scm_init_opts (scm_eval_options_interface,
 		 scm_eval_opts);
   
-  scm_listofnull = scm_list_1 (SCM_EOL);
-
   f_apply = scm_c_define_gsubr ("apply", 2, 0, 1, scm_apply);
 
   scm_tc16_boot_closure = scm_make_smob_type ("boot-closure", 0);
diff --git a/libguile/gc.c b/libguile/gc.c
index b527e4955..4bd1d5d7e 100644
--- a/libguile/gc.c
+++ b/libguile/gc.c
@@ -90,6 +90,9 @@ int scm_debug_cells_gc_interval = 0;
  */
 int scm_i_cell_validation_already_running ;
 
+static SCM protects;
+
+
 #if (SCM_DEBUG_CELL_ACCESSES == 1)
 
 
@@ -505,7 +508,7 @@ scm_gc_protect_object (SCM obj)
      critsec/mutex inconsistency here. */
   SCM_CRITICAL_SECTION_START;
 
-  handle = scm_hashq_create_handle_x (scm_protects, obj, scm_from_int (0));
+  handle = scm_hashq_create_handle_x (protects, obj, scm_from_int (0));
   SCM_SETCDR (handle, scm_sum (SCM_CDR (handle), scm_from_int (1)));
 
   protected_obj_count ++;
@@ -535,7 +538,7 @@ scm_gc_unprotect_object (SCM obj)
       abort ();
     }
  
-  handle = scm_hashq_get_handle (scm_protects, obj);
+  handle = scm_hashq_get_handle (protects, obj);
 
   if (scm_is_false (handle))
     {
@@ -546,7 +549,7 @@ scm_gc_unprotect_object (SCM obj)
     {
       SCM count = scm_difference (SCM_CDR (handle), scm_from_int (1));
       if (scm_is_eq (count, scm_from_int (0)))
-	scm_hashq_remove_x (scm_protects, obj);
+	scm_hashq_remove_x (protects, obj);
       else
 	SCM_SETCDR (handle, count);
     }
@@ -634,7 +637,7 @@ scm_storage_prehistory ()
   /* GC_REGISTER_DISPLACEMENT (scm_tc3_unused); */
 
   /* Sanity check.  */
-  if (!GC_is_visible (scm_sys_protects))
+  if (!GC_is_visible (&protects))
     abort ();
 
   scm_c_hook_init (&scm_before_gc_c_hook, 0, SCM_C_HOOK_NORMAL);
@@ -649,11 +652,7 @@ scm_i_pthread_mutex_t scm_i_gc_admin_mutex = SCM_I_PTHREAD_MUTEX_INITIALIZER;
 void
 scm_init_gc_protect_object ()
 {
-  size_t j;
-
-  j = SCM_NUM_PROTECTS;
-  while (j)
-    scm_sys_protects[--j] = SCM_BOOL_F;
+  protects = scm_c_make_hash_table (31);
 
 #if 0
   /* We can't have a cleanup handler since we have no thread to run it
@@ -668,8 +667,6 @@ scm_init_gc_protect_object ()
 #endif
 
 #endif
-
-  scm_protects = scm_c_make_hash_table (31);
 }
 
 
diff --git a/libguile/keywords.c b/libguile/keywords.c
index c415ccbab..0740801ae 100644
--- a/libguile/keywords.c
+++ b/libguile/keywords.c
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-/* Copyright (C) 1995,1996,1997,1998,1999,2000,2001, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2008 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
+/* Copyright (C) 1995,1996,1997,1998,1999,2000,2001, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2009 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
  * 
  * This library is free software; you can redistribute it and/or
  * modify it under the terms of the GNU Lesser General Public License
@@ -37,6 +37,8 @@
 
 
 
+static SCM keyword_obarray;
+
 scm_t_bits scm_tc16_keyword;
 
 #define KEYWORDP(X)	(SCM_SMOB_PREDICATE (scm_tc16_keyword, (X)))
@@ -71,11 +73,11 @@ SCM_DEFINE (scm_symbol_to_keyword, "symbol->keyword", 1, 0, 0,
 
   SCM_CRITICAL_SECTION_START;
   /* njrev: NEWSMOB and hashq_set_x can raise errors */
-  keyword = scm_hashq_ref (scm_keyword_obarray, symbol, SCM_BOOL_F);
+  keyword = scm_hashq_ref (keyword_obarray, symbol, SCM_BOOL_F);
   if (scm_is_false (keyword))
     {
       SCM_NEWSMOB (keyword, scm_tc16_keyword, SCM_UNPACK (symbol));
-      scm_hashq_set_x (scm_keyword_obarray, symbol, keyword);
+      scm_hashq_set_x (keyword_obarray, symbol, keyword);
     }
   SCM_CRITICAL_SECTION_END;
   return keyword;
@@ -117,7 +119,7 @@ scm_init_keywords ()
   scm_tc16_keyword = scm_make_smob_type ("keyword", 0);
   scm_set_smob_print (scm_tc16_keyword, keyword_print);
 
-  scm_keyword_obarray = scm_c_make_hash_table (0);
+  keyword_obarray = scm_c_make_hash_table (0);
 #include "libguile/keywords.x"
 }
 
diff --git a/libguile/numbers.c b/libguile/numbers.c
index 6232ddc6c..358a1cdf8 100644
--- a/libguile/numbers.c
+++ b/libguile/numbers.c
@@ -98,6 +98,8 @@
 /* the macro above will not work as is with fractions */
 
 
+static SCM flo0;
+
 #define SCM_SWAP(x, y) do { SCM __t = x; x = y; y = __t; } while (0)
 
 /* FLOBUFLEN is the maximum number of characters neccessary for the
@@ -5828,7 +5830,7 @@ scm_imag_part (SCM z)
   else if (SCM_BIGP (z))
     return SCM_INUM0;
   else if (SCM_REALP (z))
-    return scm_flo0;
+    return flo0;
   else if (SCM_COMPLEXP (z))
     return scm_from_double (SCM_COMPLEX_IMAG (z));
   else if (SCM_FRACTIONP (z))
@@ -5923,13 +5925,13 @@ SCM
 scm_angle (SCM z)
 {
   /* atan(0,-1) is pi and it'd be possible to have that as a constant like
-     scm_flo0 to save allocating a new flonum with scm_from_double each time.
+     flo0 to save allocating a new flonum with scm_from_double each time.
      But if atan2 follows the floating point rounding mode, then the value
      is not a constant.  Maybe it'd be close enough though.  */
   if (SCM_I_INUMP (z))
     {
       if (SCM_I_INUM (z) >= 0)
-        return scm_flo0;
+        return flo0;
       else
 	return scm_from_double (atan2 (0.0, -1.0));
     }
@@ -5940,12 +5942,12 @@ scm_angle (SCM z)
       if (sgn < 0)
 	return scm_from_double (atan2 (0.0, -1.0));
       else
-        return scm_flo0;
+        return flo0;
     }
   else if (SCM_REALP (z))
     {
       if (SCM_REAL_VALUE (z) >= 0)
-        return scm_flo0;
+        return flo0;
       else
         return scm_from_double (atan2 (0.0, -1.0));
     }
@@ -5954,7 +5956,7 @@ scm_angle (SCM z)
   else if (SCM_FRACTIONP (z))
     {
       if (scm_is_false (scm_negative_p (SCM_FRACTION_NUMERATOR (z))))
-	return scm_flo0;
+	return flo0;
       else return scm_from_double (atan2 (0.0, -1.0));
     }
   else
@@ -6594,7 +6596,7 @@ scm_init_numbers ()
 
   scm_add_feature ("complex");
   scm_add_feature ("inexact");
-  scm_flo0 = scm_from_double (0.0);
+  flo0 = scm_from_double (0.0);
 
   /* determine floating point precision */
   for (i=2; i <= SCM_MAX_DBL_RADIX; ++i)
diff --git a/libguile/objprop.c b/libguile/objprop.c
index 6dd1da631..39fcfb5ca 100644
--- a/libguile/objprop.c
+++ b/libguile/objprop.c
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-/*	Copyright (C) 1995,1996, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2006, 2008 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
+/*	Copyright (C) 1995,1996, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2006, 2008, 2009 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
  * 
  * This library is free software; you can redistribute it and/or
  * modify it under the terms of the GNU Lesser General Public License
@@ -35,12 +35,14 @@
 /* {Object Properties}
  */
 
+static SCM object_whash;
+
 SCM_DEFINE (scm_object_properties, "object-properties", 1, 0, 0, 
            (SCM obj),
 	    "Return @var{obj}'s property list.")
 #define FUNC_NAME s_scm_object_properties
 {
-  return scm_hashq_ref (scm_object_whash, obj, SCM_EOL);
+  return scm_hashq_ref (object_whash, obj, SCM_EOL);
 }
 #undef FUNC_NAME
 
@@ -50,7 +52,7 @@ SCM_DEFINE (scm_set_object_properties_x, "set-object-properties!", 2, 0, 0,
 	    "Set @var{obj}'s property list to @var{alist}.")
 #define FUNC_NAME s_scm_set_object_properties_x
 {
-  SCM handle = scm_hashq_create_handle_x (scm_object_whash, obj, alist);
+  SCM handle = scm_hashq_create_handle_x (object_whash, obj, alist);
   SCM_SETCDR (handle, alist);
   return alist;
 }
@@ -75,7 +77,7 @@ SCM_DEFINE (scm_set_object_property_x, "set-object-property!", 3, 0, 0,
 {
   SCM h;
   SCM assoc;
-  h = scm_hashq_create_handle_x (scm_object_whash, obj, SCM_EOL);
+  h = scm_hashq_create_handle_x (object_whash, obj, SCM_EOL);
   SCM_CRITICAL_SECTION_START;
   assoc = scm_assq (key, SCM_CDR (h));
   if (SCM_NIMP (assoc))
@@ -94,7 +96,7 @@ SCM_DEFINE (scm_set_object_property_x, "set-object-property!", 3, 0, 0,
 void
 scm_init_objprop ()
 {
-  scm_object_whash = scm_make_weak_key_hash_table (SCM_UNDEFINED);
+  object_whash = scm_make_weak_key_hash_table (SCM_UNDEFINED);
 #include "libguile/objprop.x"
 }
 
diff --git a/libguile/properties.c b/libguile/properties.c
index 60ff2ff65..1f3c668a2 100644
--- a/libguile/properties.c
+++ b/libguile/properties.c
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-/* Copyright (C) 1995,1996,2000,2001, 2003, 2006, 2008 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
+/* Copyright (C) 1995,1996,2000,2001, 2003, 2006, 2008, 2009 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
  * 
  * This library is free software; you can redistribute it and/or
  * modify it under the terms of the GNU Lesser General Public License
@@ -36,6 +36,8 @@
 /* {Properties}
  */
 
+static SCM properties_whash;
+
 SCM_DEFINE (scm_primitive_make_property, "primitive-make-property", 1, 0, 0,
 	    (SCM not_found_proc),
 	    "Create a @dfn{property token} that can be used with\n"
@@ -67,7 +69,7 @@ SCM_DEFINE (scm_primitive_property_ref, "primitive-property-ref", 2, 0, 0,
 
   SCM_VALIDATE_CONS (SCM_ARG1, prop);
 
-  h = scm_hashq_get_handle (scm_properties_whash, obj);
+  h = scm_hashq_get_handle (properties_whash, obj);
   if (scm_is_true (h))
     {
       SCM assoc = scm_assq (prop, SCM_CDR (h));
@@ -81,7 +83,7 @@ SCM_DEFINE (scm_primitive_property_ref, "primitive-property-ref", 2, 0, 0,
     {
       SCM val = scm_call_2 (SCM_CAR (prop), prop, obj);
       if (scm_is_false (h))
-	h = scm_hashq_create_handle_x (scm_properties_whash, obj, SCM_EOL);
+	h = scm_hashq_create_handle_x (properties_whash, obj, SCM_EOL);
       SCM_SETCDR (h, scm_acons (prop, val, SCM_CDR (h)));
       return val;
     }
@@ -96,7 +98,7 @@ SCM_DEFINE (scm_primitive_property_set_x, "primitive-property-set!", 3, 0, 0,
 {
   SCM h, assoc;
   SCM_VALIDATE_CONS (SCM_ARG1, prop);
-  h = scm_hashq_create_handle_x (scm_properties_whash, obj, SCM_EOL);
+  h = scm_hashq_create_handle_x (properties_whash, obj, SCM_EOL);
   assoc = scm_assq (prop, SCM_CDR (h));
   if (SCM_NIMP (assoc))
     SCM_SETCDR (assoc, val);
@@ -117,7 +119,7 @@ SCM_DEFINE (scm_primitive_property_del_x, "primitive-property-del!", 2, 0, 0,
 {
   SCM h;
   SCM_VALIDATE_CONS (SCM_ARG1, prop);
-  h = scm_hashq_get_handle (scm_properties_whash, obj);
+  h = scm_hashq_get_handle (properties_whash, obj);
   if (scm_is_true (h))
     SCM_SETCDR (h, scm_assq_remove_x (SCM_CDR (h), prop));
   return SCM_UNSPECIFIED;
@@ -128,7 +130,7 @@ SCM_DEFINE (scm_primitive_property_del_x, "primitive-property-del!", 2, 0, 0,
 void
 scm_init_properties ()
 {
-  scm_properties_whash = scm_make_weak_key_hash_table (SCM_UNDEFINED);
+  properties_whash = scm_make_weak_key_hash_table (SCM_UNDEFINED);
 #include "libguile/properties.x"
 }
 
diff --git a/libguile/root.c b/libguile/root.c
index 83960b5d8..d35d8e89e 100644
--- a/libguile/root.c
+++ b/libguile/root.c
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-/* Copyright (C) 1995,1996,1997,1998,1999,2000, 2001, 2002, 2006, 2008 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
+/* Copyright (C) 1995,1996,1997,1998,1999,2000, 2001, 2002, 2006, 2008, 2009 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
  * 
  * This library is free software; you can redistribute it and/or
  * modify it under the terms of the GNU Lesser General Public License
@@ -38,10 +38,6 @@
 #include "libguile/root.h"
 
 
-SCM scm_sys_protects[SCM_NUM_PROTECTS];
-
-
-
 /* {call-with-dynamic-root}
  *
  * Suspending the current thread to evaluate a thunk on the
diff --git a/libguile/root.h b/libguile/root.h
index 46b9be013..68ab5c7ce 100644
--- a/libguile/root.h
+++ b/libguile/root.h
@@ -29,22 +29,6 @@
 
 
 
-#define scm_flo0 scm_sys_protects[0]
-#define scm_listofnull scm_sys_protects[1]
-#define scm_nullvect scm_sys_protects[2]
-#define scm_nullstr scm_sys_protects[3]
-#define scm_keyword_obarray scm_sys_protects[4]
-#define scm_object_whash scm_sys_protects[5]
-#define scm_asyncs scm_sys_protects[6]
-#define scm_protects scm_sys_protects[7]
-#define scm_properties_whash scm_sys_protects[8]
-#define scm_source_whash scm_sys_protects[9]
-#define SCM_NUM_PROTECTS 10
-
-SCM_API SCM scm_sys_protects[];
-
-
-
 SCM_API SCM scm_internal_cwdr (scm_t_catch_body body,
 			       void *body_data,
 			       scm_t_catch_handler handler,
diff --git a/libguile/snarf.h b/libguile/snarf.h
index 720cff582..ef1fcd01d 100644
--- a/libguile/snarf.h
+++ b/libguile/snarf.h
@@ -237,37 +237,37 @@ SCM_SNARF_INIT(								\
 
 # define SCM_SYMBOL(c_name, scheme_name)				\
 SCM_SNARF_HERE(static SCM c_name)					\
-SCM_SNARF_INIT(c_name = scm_permanent_object (scm_from_locale_symbol (scheme_name)))
+SCM_SNARF_INIT(c_name = scm_from_locale_symbol (scheme_name))
 
 # define SCM_GLOBAL_SYMBOL(c_name, scheme_name)				\
 SCM_SNARF_HERE(SCM c_name)						\
-SCM_SNARF_INIT(c_name = scm_permanent_object (scm_from_locale_symbol (scheme_name)))
+SCM_SNARF_INIT(c_name = scm_from_locale_symbol (scheme_name))
 
 #endif /* !SCM_SUPPORT_STATIC_ALLOCATION */
 
 #define SCM_KEYWORD(c_name, scheme_name) \
 SCM_SNARF_HERE(static SCM c_name) \
-SCM_SNARF_INIT(c_name = scm_permanent_object (scm_from_locale_keyword (scheme_name)))
+SCM_SNARF_INIT(c_name = scm_from_locale_keyword (scheme_name))
 
 #define SCM_GLOBAL_KEYWORD(c_name, scheme_name) \
 SCM_SNARF_HERE(SCM c_name) \
-SCM_SNARF_INIT(c_name = scm_permanent_object (scm_from_locale_keyword (scheme_name)))
+SCM_SNARF_INIT(c_name = scm_from_locale_keyword (scheme_name))
 
 #define SCM_VARIABLE(c_name, scheme_name) \
 SCM_SNARF_HERE(static SCM c_name) \
-SCM_SNARF_INIT(c_name = scm_permanent_object (scm_c_define (scheme_name, SCM_BOOL_F));)
+SCM_SNARF_INIT(c_name = scm_c_define (scheme_name, SCM_BOOL_F);)
 
 #define SCM_GLOBAL_VARIABLE(c_name, scheme_name) \
 SCM_SNARF_HERE(SCM c_name) \
-SCM_SNARF_INIT(c_name = scm_permanent_object (scm_c_define (scheme_name, SCM_BOOL_F));)
+SCM_SNARF_INIT(c_name = scm_c_define (scheme_name, SCM_BOOL_F);)
 
 #define SCM_VARIABLE_INIT(c_name, scheme_name, init_val) \
 SCM_SNARF_HERE(static SCM c_name) \
-SCM_SNARF_INIT(c_name = scm_permanent_object (scm_c_define (scheme_name, init_val));)
+SCM_SNARF_INIT(c_name = scm_c_define (scheme_name, init_val);)
 
 #define SCM_GLOBAL_VARIABLE_INIT(c_name, scheme_name, init_val) \
 SCM_SNARF_HERE(SCM c_name) \
-SCM_SNARF_INIT(c_name = scm_permanent_object (scm_c_define (scheme_name, init_val));)
+SCM_SNARF_INIT(c_name = scm_c_define (scheme_name, init_val);)
 
 #define SCM_MUTEX(c_name) \
 SCM_SNARF_HERE(static scm_t_mutex c_name) \
diff --git a/libguile/srcprop.c b/libguile/srcprop.c
index f9d5ed18b..b57fc32d3 100644
--- a/libguile/srcprop.c
+++ b/libguile/srcprop.c
@@ -59,6 +59,7 @@ SCM_GLOBAL_SYMBOL (scm_sym_copy, "copy");
 SCM_GLOBAL_SYMBOL (scm_sym_line, "line");
 SCM_GLOBAL_SYMBOL (scm_sym_column, "column");
 SCM_GLOBAL_SYMBOL (scm_sym_breakpoint, "breakpoint");
+SCM scm_source_whash;
 
 
 
diff --git a/libguile/srcprop.h b/libguile/srcprop.h
index a0f4772b5..34538d012 100644
--- a/libguile/srcprop.h
+++ b/libguile/srcprop.h
@@ -57,6 +57,7 @@ do { \
 #define SCM_SOURCE_PROPERTY_FLAG_BREAK 1
 
 SCM_API scm_t_bits scm_tc16_srcprops;
+SCM_INTERNAL SCM scm_source_whash;
 
 SCM_API SCM scm_sym_filename;
 SCM_API SCM scm_sym_copy;
diff --git a/libguile/strings.c b/libguile/strings.c
index 0ea50fdeb..651b0193d 100644
--- a/libguile/strings.c
+++ b/libguile/strings.c
@@ -253,6 +253,8 @@ scm_i_pthread_mutex_t stringbuf_write_mutex = SCM_I_PTHREAD_MUTEX_INITIALIZER;
 
 #define IS_SH_STRING(str)   (SCM_CELL_TYPE(str)==SH_STRING_TAG)
 
+SCM scm_nullstr;
+
 /* Create a scheme string with space for LEN 8-bit Latin-1-encoded
    characters.  CHARSP, if not NULL, will be set to location of the
    char array.  */
diff --git a/libguile/strings.h b/libguile/strings.h
index 601bd9c6b..edff0f825 100644
--- a/libguile/strings.h
+++ b/libguile/strings.h
@@ -98,6 +98,8 @@ typedef enum
   SCM_FAILED_CONVERSION_ESCAPE_SEQUENCE = SCM_ICONVEH_ESCAPE_SEQUENCE
 } scm_t_string_failed_conversion_handler;
 
+SCM_INTERNAL SCM scm_nullstr;
+
 SCM_API SCM scm_string_p (SCM x);
 SCM_API SCM scm_string (SCM chrs);
 SCM_API SCM scm_make_string (SCM k, SCM chr);
diff --git a/libguile/vectors.c b/libguile/vectors.c
index 405ebb163..fddf0ce51 100644
--- a/libguile/vectors.c
+++ b/libguile/vectors.c
@@ -637,8 +637,6 @@ SCM_VECTOR_IMPLEMENTATION (SCM_ARRAY_ELEMENT_TYPE_SCM, scm_make_vector);
 void
 scm_init_vectors ()
 {
-  scm_nullvect = scm_c_make_vector (0, SCM_UNDEFINED);
-
 #include "libguile/vectors.x"
 }