diff --git a/gdb/ChangeLog b/gdb/ChangeLog
index ef8e493..b510cbc 100644
--- a/gdb/ChangeLog
+++ b/gdb/ChangeLog
@@ -1,3 +1,12 @@
+2015-08-19  Kevin Buettner  <kevinb@redhat.com>
+
+	* dwarf2read.c (dwarf2_string_attr): New function.
+	(lookup_dwo_unit, process_psymtab_comp_unit_reader)
+	(dwarf2_compute_name, dwarf2_physname, find_file_and_directory)
+	(read_call_site_scope, namespace_name, guess_full_die_structure_name)
+	(anonymous_struct_prefix, prepare_one_comp_unit): Use
+	dwarf2_string_attr in place of dwarf2_attr and DW_STRING.
+
 2015-08-18  Doug Evans  <dje@google.com>
 	    Adrian Sendroiu <adrian.sendroiu@freescale.com>
 
diff --git a/gdb/dwarf2read.c b/gdb/dwarf2read.c
index 445ad86..4cf0a44 100644
--- a/gdb/dwarf2read.c
+++ b/gdb/dwarf2read.c
@@ -1524,6 +1524,9 @@ static struct attribute *dwarf2_attr (struct die_info *, unsigned int,
 static struct attribute *dwarf2_attr_no_follow (struct die_info *,
 						unsigned int);
 
+static const char *dwarf2_string_attr (struct die_info *die, unsigned int name,
+                                       struct dwarf2_cu *cu);
+
 static int dwarf2_flag_true_p (struct die_info *die, unsigned name,
                                struct dwarf2_cu *cu);
 
@@ -5270,13 +5273,8 @@ lookup_dwo_unit (struct dwarf2_per_cu_data *this_cu,
   gdb_assert (cu != NULL);
 
   /* Yeah, we look dwo_name up again, but it simplifies the code.  */
-  attr = dwarf2_attr (comp_unit_die, DW_AT_GNU_dwo_name, cu);
-  gdb_assert (attr != NULL);
-  dwo_name = DW_STRING (attr);
-  comp_dir = NULL;
-  attr = dwarf2_attr (comp_unit_die, DW_AT_comp_dir, cu);
-  if (attr)
-    comp_dir = DW_STRING (attr);
+  dwo_name = dwarf2_string_attr (comp_unit_die, DW_AT_GNU_dwo_name, cu);
+  comp_dir = dwarf2_string_attr (comp_unit_die, DW_AT_comp_dir, cu);
 
   if (this_cu->is_debug_types)
     {
@@ -5938,7 +5936,6 @@ process_psymtab_comp_unit_reader (const struct die_reader_specs *reader,
   struct objfile *objfile = cu->objfile;
   struct gdbarch *gdbarch = get_objfile_arch (objfile);
   struct dwarf2_per_cu_data *per_cu = cu->per_cu;
-  struct attribute *attr;
   CORE_ADDR baseaddr;
   CORE_ADDR best_lowpc = 0, best_highpc = 0;
   struct partial_symtab *pst;
@@ -5956,18 +5953,14 @@ process_psymtab_comp_unit_reader (const struct die_reader_specs *reader,
   cu->list_in_scope = &file_symbols;
 
   /* Allocate a new partial symbol table structure.  */
-  attr = dwarf2_attr (comp_unit_die, DW_AT_name, cu);
-  if (attr == NULL || !DW_STRING (attr))
+  filename = dwarf2_string_attr (comp_unit_die, DW_AT_name, cu);
+  if (filename == NULL)
     filename = "";
-  else
-    filename = DW_STRING (attr);
 
   pst = create_partial_symtab (per_cu, filename);
 
   /* This must be done before calling dwarf2_build_include_psymtabs.  */
-  attr = dwarf2_attr (comp_unit_die, DW_AT_comp_dir, cu);
-  if (attr != NULL)
-    pst->dirname = DW_STRING (attr);
+  pst->dirname = dwarf2_string_attr (comp_unit_die, DW_AT_comp_dir, cu);
 
   baseaddr = ANOFFSET (objfile->section_offsets, SECT_OFF_TEXT (objfile));
 
@@ -8451,13 +8444,13 @@ dwarf2_compute_name (const char *name,
 	 to be able to reference.  Ideally, we want the user to be able
 	 to reference this entity using either natural or linkage name,
 	 but we haven't started looking at this enhancement yet.  */
-      struct attribute *attr;
+      const char *name;
 
-      attr = dwarf2_attr (die, DW_AT_linkage_name, cu);
-      if (attr == NULL)
-	attr = dwarf2_attr (die, DW_AT_MIPS_linkage_name, cu);
-      if (attr && DW_STRING (attr))
-	return DW_STRING (attr);
+      name = dwarf2_string_attr (die, DW_AT_linkage_name, cu);
+      if (name == NULL)
+	name = dwarf2_string_attr (die, DW_AT_MIPS_linkage_name, cu);
+      if (name != NULL)
+	return name;
     }
 
   /* These are the only languages we know how to qualify names in.  */
@@ -8710,18 +8703,16 @@ dwarf2_physname (const char *name, struct die_info *die, struct dwarf2_cu *cu)
 
   back_to = make_cleanup (null_cleanup, NULL);
 
-  attr = dwarf2_attr (die, DW_AT_linkage_name, cu);
-  if (!attr)
-    attr = dwarf2_attr (die, DW_AT_MIPS_linkage_name, cu);
+  mangled = dwarf2_string_attr (die, DW_AT_linkage_name, cu);
+  if (mangled == NULL)
+    mangled = dwarf2_string_attr (die, DW_AT_MIPS_linkage_name, cu);
 
   /* DW_AT_linkage_name is missing in some cases - depend on what GDB
      has computed.  */
-  if (attr && DW_STRING (attr))
+  if (mangled != NULL)
     {
       char *demangled;
 
-      mangled = DW_STRING (attr);
-
       /* Use DMGL_RET_DROP for C++ template functions to suppress their return
 	 type.  It is easier for GDB users to search for such functions as
 	 `name(params)' than `long name(params)'.  In such case the minimal
@@ -9051,24 +9042,14 @@ static void
 find_file_and_directory (struct die_info *die, struct dwarf2_cu *cu,
 			 const char **name, const char **comp_dir)
 {
-  struct attribute *attr;
-
-  *name = NULL;
-  *comp_dir = NULL;
-
   /* Find the filename.  Do not use dwarf2_name here, since the filename
      is not a source language identifier.  */
-  attr = dwarf2_attr (die, DW_AT_name, cu);
-  if (attr)
-    {
-      *name = DW_STRING (attr);
-    }
+  *name = dwarf2_string_attr (die, DW_AT_name, cu);
+  *comp_dir = dwarf2_string_attr (die, DW_AT_comp_dir, cu);
 
-  attr = dwarf2_attr (die, DW_AT_comp_dir, cu);
-  if (attr)
-    *comp_dir = DW_STRING (attr);
-  else if (producer_is_gcc_lt_4_3 (cu) && *name != NULL
-	   && IS_ABSOLUTE_PATH (*name))
+  if (*comp_dir == NULL
+      && producer_is_gcc_lt_4_3 (cu) && *name != NULL
+      && IS_ABSOLUTE_PATH (*name))
     {
       char *d = ldirname (*name);
 
@@ -11710,17 +11691,17 @@ read_call_site_scope (struct die_info *die, struct dwarf2_cu *cu)
       gdb_assert (target_cu->objfile == objfile);
       if (die_is_declaration (target_die, target_cu))
 	{
-	  const char *target_physname = NULL;
-	  struct attribute *target_attr;
+	  const char *target_physname;
 
 	  /* Prefer the mangled name; otherwise compute the demangled one.  */
-	  target_attr = dwarf2_attr (target_die, DW_AT_linkage_name, target_cu);
-	  if (target_attr == NULL)
-	    target_attr = dwarf2_attr (target_die, DW_AT_MIPS_linkage_name,
-				       target_cu);
-	  if (target_attr != NULL && DW_STRING (target_attr) != NULL)
-	    target_physname = DW_STRING (target_attr);
-	  else
+	  target_physname = dwarf2_string_attr (target_die,
+						DW_AT_linkage_name,
+						target_cu);
+	  if (target_physname == NULL)
+	    target_physname = dwarf2_string_attr (target_die,
+						 DW_AT_MIPS_linkage_name,
+						 target_cu);
+	  if (target_physname == NULL)
 	    target_physname = dwarf2_physname (NULL, target_die, target_cu);
 	  if (target_physname == NULL)
 	    complaint (&symfile_complaints,
@@ -14191,10 +14172,8 @@ namespace_name (struct die_info *die, int *is_anonymous, struct dwarf2_cu *cu)
     {
       /* We don't use dwarf2_name here so that we can detect the absence
 	 of a name -> anonymous namespace.  */
-      struct attribute *attr = dwarf2_attr (die, DW_AT_name, cu);
+      name = dwarf2_string_attr (die, DW_AT_name, cu);
 
-      if (attr != NULL)
-	name = DW_STRING (attr);
       if (name != NULL)
 	break;
     }
@@ -17097,6 +17076,33 @@ dwarf2_attr_no_follow (struct die_info *die, unsigned int name)
   return NULL;
 }
 
+/* Return the string associated with a string-typed attribute, or NULL if it
+   is either not found or is of an incorrect type.  */
+
+static const char *
+dwarf2_string_attr (struct die_info *die, unsigned int name, struct dwarf2_cu *cu)
+{
+  struct attribute *attr;
+  const char *str = NULL;
+
+  attr = dwarf2_attr (die, name, cu);
+
+  if (attr != NULL)
+    {
+      if (attr->form == DW_FORM_strp || attr->form == DW_FORM_string
+	  || attr->form == DW_FORM_GNU_strp_alt)
+	str = DW_STRING (attr);
+      else
+        complaint (&symfile_complaints,
+	           _("string type expected for attribute %s for "
+		     "DIE at 0x%x in module %s"),
+		   dwarf_attr_name (name), die->offset.sect_off,
+		   objfile_name (cu->objfile));
+    }
+
+  return str;
+}
+
 /* Return non-zero iff the attribute NAME is defined for the given DIE,
    and holds a non-zero value.  This function should only be used for
    DW_FORM_flag or DW_FORM_flag_present attributes.  */
@@ -19154,16 +19160,17 @@ guess_full_die_structure_name (struct die_info *die, struct dwarf2_cu *cu)
     {
       if (child->tag == DW_TAG_subprogram)
 	{
-	  struct attribute *attr;
+	  const char *linkage_name;
 
-	  attr = dwarf2_attr (child, DW_AT_linkage_name, cu);
-	  if (attr == NULL)
-	    attr = dwarf2_attr (child, DW_AT_MIPS_linkage_name, cu);
-	  if (attr != NULL)
+	  linkage_name = dwarf2_string_attr (child, DW_AT_linkage_name, cu);
+	  if (linkage_name == NULL)
+	    linkage_name = dwarf2_string_attr (child, DW_AT_MIPS_linkage_name,
+	                                       cu);
+	  if (linkage_name != NULL)
 	    {
 	      char *actual_name
 		= language_class_name_from_physname (cu->language_defn,
-						     DW_STRING (attr));
+						     linkage_name);
 	      char *name = NULL;
 
 	      if (actual_name != NULL)
@@ -19211,8 +19218,7 @@ anonymous_struct_prefix (struct die_info *die, struct dwarf2_cu *cu)
       && die->tag != DW_TAG_structure_type && die->tag != DW_TAG_union_type)
     return NULL;
 
-  attr = dwarf2_attr (die, DW_AT_name, cu);
-  if (attr != NULL && DW_STRING (attr) != NULL)
+  if (dwarf2_string_attr (die, DW_AT_name, cu) != NULL)
     return NULL;
 
   attr = dwarf2_attr (die, DW_AT_linkage_name, cu);
@@ -22083,9 +22089,7 @@ prepare_one_comp_unit (struct dwarf2_cu *cu, struct die_info *comp_unit_die,
       cu->language_defn = language_def (cu->language);
     }
 
-  attr = dwarf2_attr (comp_unit_die, DW_AT_producer, cu);
-  if (attr)
-    cu->producer = DW_STRING (attr);
+  cu->producer = dwarf2_string_attr (comp_unit_die, DW_AT_producer, cu);
 }
 
 /* Release one cached compilation unit, CU.  We unlink it from the tree
diff --git a/gdb/testsuite/ChangeLog b/gdb/testsuite/ChangeLog
index eac803a..955c9f7 100644
--- a/gdb/testsuite/ChangeLog
+++ b/gdb/testsuite/ChangeLog
@@ -1,3 +1,8 @@
+2015-08-19  Kevin Buettner  <kevinb@redhat.com>
+    
+	* gdb.dwarf2/dw2-bad-mips-linkage-name.c: New file.
+	* gdb.dwarf2/dw2-bad-mips-linkage-name.exp: New file.
+
 2015-08-18  Doug Evans  <dje@google.com>
 	    Adrian Sendroiu <adrian.sendroiu@freescale.com>
 
diff --git a/gdb/testsuite/gdb.dwarf2/dw2-bad-mips-linkage-name.c b/gdb/testsuite/gdb.dwarf2/dw2-bad-mips-linkage-name.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ffbebf6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/gdb/testsuite/gdb.dwarf2/dw2-bad-mips-linkage-name.c
@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+/* This testcase is part of GDB, the GNU debugger.
+
+   Copyright 2015 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
+
+   This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
+   it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+   the Free Software Foundation; either version 3 of the License, or
+   (at your option) any later version.
+
+   This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+   but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+   MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+   GNU General Public License for more details.
+
+   You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+   along with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.  */
+
+/* Dummy main function.  */
+
+int
+main (void)
+{
+  asm ("main_label: .globl main_label");
+  return 0;
+}
+
+/* dummy f function, DWARF will describe arguments and type differently.  */
+int
+f (char *x)
+{
+  asm (".global f_end_lbl\nf_end_lbl:");
+  return 0;
+}
+
+/* dummy g function, DWARF will describe arguments and type differently.  */
+int
+g (char *x)
+{
+  asm (".global g_end_lbl\ng_end_lbl:");
+  return 0;
+}
diff --git a/gdb/testsuite/gdb.dwarf2/dw2-bad-mips-linkage-name.exp b/gdb/testsuite/gdb.dwarf2/dw2-bad-mips-linkage-name.exp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..77f6175
--- /dev/null
+++ b/gdb/testsuite/gdb.dwarf2/dw2-bad-mips-linkage-name.exp
@@ -0,0 +1,72 @@
+# Copyright 2015 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
+
+# This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
+# it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+# the Free Software Foundation; either version 3 of the License, or
+# (at your option) any later version.
+#
+# This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+# but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+# MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+# GNU General Public License for more details.
+#
+# You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+# along with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+
+load_lib dwarf.exp
+
+# This test can only be run on targets which support DWARF-2 and use gas.
+if {![dwarf2_support]} {
+    return 0  
+}
+
+standard_testfile dw2-bad-mips-linkage-name.c dw2-bad-mips-linkage-name.S
+
+# Set up the DWARF for the test.
+
+set asm_file [standard_output_file $srcfile2]
+Dwarf::assemble $asm_file {
+    cu {} {
+	DW_TAG_compile_unit {
+                {DW_AT_language @DW_LANG_C}
+                {DW_AT_name     dw2-bad-mips-linkage-name.c}
+                {DW_AT_comp_dir /tmp}
+
+        } {
+	    declare_labels b_l
+
+	    b_l: DW_TAG_base_type {
+		{DW_AT_byte_size 1 DW_FORM_sdata}
+		{DW_AT_encoding  @DW_ATE_signed}
+		{DW_AT_name      bool}
+	    }
+            DW_TAG_subprogram {
+                {name f}
+                {low_pc f addr}
+                {high_pc f_end_lbl addr}
+                {type :$b_l}
+		{DW_AT_MIPS_linkage_name _Z1fv}
+	    }
+            DW_TAG_subprogram {
+                {name g}
+                {low_pc g addr}
+                {high_pc g_end_lbl addr}
+                {type :$b_l}
+		{DW_AT_MIPS_linkage_name 42 DW_FORM_data1}
+	    }
+	}
+    }
+}
+
+if { [prepare_for_testing ${testfile}.exp ${testfile} \
+	  [list $srcfile $asm_file] {nodebug}] } {
+    return -1
+}
+
+# A successful run will have two PASSes.  A GDB that's lacking
+# attribute type checking will segfault at some point.  It doesn't
+# much matter what we test here, so long as we do something to make
+# sure that the DWARF is read.
+
+gdb_test "ptype f" " = bool \\(\\)"
+gdb_test "ptype g" " = bool \\(\\)"
