diff --git a/gdb/guile/guile-internal.h b/gdb/guile/guile-internal.h
index 2bf0cf72b2..7289d25cf1 100644
--- a/gdb/guile/guile-internal.h
+++ b/gdb/guile/guile-internal.h
@@ -526,14 +526,14 @@ extern SCM gdbscm_scm_from_c_string (const char *string);
 extern SCM gdbscm_scm_from_printf (const char *format, ...)
     ATTRIBUTE_PRINTF (1, 2);
 
-extern char *gdbscm_scm_to_string (SCM string, size_t *lenp,
-				   const char *charset,
-				   int strict, SCM *except_scmp);
+extern gdb::unique_xmalloc_ptr<char> gdbscm_scm_to_string
+    (SCM string, size_t *lenp, const char *charset, int strict, SCM *except_scmp);
 
 extern SCM gdbscm_scm_from_string (const char *string, size_t len,
 				   const char *charset, int strict);
 
-extern char *gdbscm_scm_to_host_string (SCM string, size_t *lenp, SCM *except);
+extern gdb::unique_xmalloc_ptr<char> gdbscm_scm_to_host_string
+    (SCM string, size_t *lenp, SCM *except);
 
 extern SCM gdbscm_scm_from_host_string (const char *string, size_t len);
 
diff --git a/gdb/guile/scm-cmd.c b/gdb/guile/scm-cmd.c
index 8bb46622a9..88a98643a9 100644
--- a/gdb/guile/scm-cmd.c
+++ b/gdb/guile/scm-cmd.c
@@ -362,8 +362,8 @@ cmdscm_add_completion (SCM completion, completion_tracker &tracker)
     }
 
   gdb::unique_xmalloc_ptr<char> item
-    (gdbscm_scm_to_string (completion, NULL, host_charset (), 1,
-			   &except_scm));
+    = gdbscm_scm_to_string (completion, NULL, host_charset (), 1,
+			    &except_scm);
   if (item == NULL)
     {
       /* Inform the user, but otherwise ignore the entire result.  */
diff --git a/gdb/guile/scm-math.c b/gdb/guile/scm-math.c
index 750b6bb415..5507dd7d89 100644
--- a/gdb/guile/scm-math.c
+++ b/gdb/guile/scm-math.c
@@ -826,7 +826,6 @@ vlscm_convert_typed_value_from_scheme (const char *func_name,
 	}
       else if (scm_is_string (obj))
 	{
-	  char *s;
 	  size_t len;
 	  struct cleanup *cleanup;
 
@@ -840,19 +839,15 @@ vlscm_convert_typed_value_from_scheme (const char *func_name,
 	  else
 	    {
 	      /* TODO: Provide option to specify conversion strategy.  */
-	      s = gdbscm_scm_to_string (obj, &len,
+	      gdb::unique_xmalloc_ptr<char> s
+		= gdbscm_scm_to_string (obj, &len,
 					target_charset (gdbarch),
 					0 /*non-strict*/,
 					&except_scm);
 	      if (s != NULL)
-		{
-		  cleanup = make_cleanup (xfree, s);
-		  value
-		    = value_cstring (s, len,
-				     language_string_char_type (language,
-								gdbarch));
-		  do_cleanups (cleanup);
-		}
+		value = value_cstring (s.get (), len,
+				       language_string_char_type (language,
+								  gdbarch));
 	      else
 		value = NULL;
 	    }
diff --git a/gdb/guile/scm-param.c b/gdb/guile/scm-param.c
index 7ff4af9501..29ebf0ec69 100644
--- a/gdb/guile/scm-param.c
+++ b/gdb/guile/scm-param.c
@@ -273,8 +273,6 @@ pascm_set_func (const char *args, int from_tty, struct cmd_list_element *c)
 {
   param_smob *p_smob = (param_smob *) get_cmd_context (c);
   SCM self, result, exception;
-  char *msg;
-  struct cleanup *cleanups;
 
   gdb_assert (gdbscm_is_procedure (p_smob->set_func));
 
@@ -291,18 +289,17 @@ pascm_set_func (const char *args, int from_tty, struct cmd_list_element *c)
   if (!scm_is_string (result))
     error (_("Result of %s set-func is not a string."), p_smob->name);
 
-  msg = gdbscm_scm_to_host_string (result, NULL, &exception);
+  gdb::unique_xmalloc_ptr<char> msg = gdbscm_scm_to_host_string (result, NULL,
+								 &exception);
   if (msg == NULL)
     {
       gdbscm_print_gdb_exception (SCM_BOOL_F, exception);
       error (_("Error converting show text to host string."));
     }
 
-  cleanups = make_cleanup (xfree, msg);
   /* GDB is usually silent when a parameter is set.  */
-  if (*msg != '\0')
-    fprintf_filtered (gdb_stdout, "%s\n", msg);
-  do_cleanups (cleanups);
+  if (*msg.get () != '\0')
+    fprintf_filtered (gdb_stdout, "%s\n", msg.get ());
 }
 
 /* A callback function that is registered against the respective
@@ -316,8 +313,6 @@ pascm_show_func (struct ui_file *file, int from_tty,
 {
   param_smob *p_smob = (param_smob *) get_cmd_context (c);
   SCM value_scm, self, result, exception;
-  char *msg;
-  struct cleanup *cleanups;
 
   gdb_assert (gdbscm_is_procedure (p_smob->show_func));
 
@@ -338,16 +333,15 @@ pascm_show_func (struct ui_file *file, int from_tty,
 				  _("Error occurred showing parameter."));
     }
 
-  msg = gdbscm_scm_to_host_string (result, NULL, &exception);
+  gdb::unique_xmalloc_ptr<char> msg = gdbscm_scm_to_host_string (result, NULL,
+								 &exception);
   if (msg == NULL)
     {
       gdbscm_print_gdb_exception (SCM_BOOL_F, exception);
       error (_("Error converting show text to host string."));
     }
 
-  cleanups = make_cleanup (xfree, msg);
-  fprintf_filtered (file, "%s\n", msg);
-  do_cleanups (cleanups);
+  fprintf_filtered (file, "%s\n", msg.get ());
 }
 
 /* A helper function that dispatches to the appropriate add_setshow
@@ -516,7 +510,8 @@ compute_enum_list (SCM enum_values_scm, int arg_pos, const char *func_name)
 	  freeargv (enum_values);
 	  SCM_ASSERT_TYPE (0, value, arg_pos, func_name, _("string"));
 	}
-      enum_values[i] = gdbscm_scm_to_host_string (value, NULL, &exception);
+      enum_values[i] = gdbscm_scm_to_host_string (value, NULL,
+						  &exception).release ();
       if (enum_values[i] == NULL)
 	{
 	  freeargv (enum_values);
@@ -683,34 +678,33 @@ pascm_set_param_value_x (enum var_types type, union pascm_variable *var,
 	}
       else
 	{
-	  char *string;
 	  SCM exception;
 
-	  string = gdbscm_scm_to_host_string (value, NULL, &exception);
+	  gdb::unique_xmalloc_ptr<char> string
+	    = gdbscm_scm_to_host_string (value, NULL, &exception);
 	  if (string == NULL)
 	    gdbscm_throw (exception);
 	  xfree (var->stringval);
-	  var->stringval = string;
+	  var->stringval = string.release ();
 	}
       break;
 
     case var_enum:
       {
 	int i;
-	char *str;
 	SCM exception;
 
 	SCM_ASSERT_TYPE (scm_is_string (value), value, arg_pos, func_name,
 		       _("string"));
-	str = gdbscm_scm_to_host_string (value, NULL, &exception);
+	gdb::unique_xmalloc_ptr<char> str
+	  = gdbscm_scm_to_host_string (value, NULL, &exception);
 	if (str == NULL)
 	  gdbscm_throw (exception);
 	for (i = 0; enumeration[i]; ++i)
 	  {
-	    if (strcmp (enumeration[i], str) == 0)
+	    if (strcmp (enumeration[i], str.get ()) == 0)
 	      break;
 	  }
-	xfree (str);
 	if (enumeration[i] == NULL)
 	  {
 	    gdbscm_out_of_range_error (func_name, arg_pos, value,
@@ -1059,17 +1053,17 @@ gdbscm_parameter_value (SCM self)
     }
   else
     {
-      char *name;
       SCM except_scm;
       struct cmd_list_element *alias, *prefix, *cmd;
       char *newarg;
       int found = -1;
       struct gdb_exception except = exception_none;
 
-      name = gdbscm_scm_to_host_string (self, NULL, &except_scm);
+      gdb::unique_xmalloc_ptr<char> name
+	= gdbscm_scm_to_host_string (self, NULL, &except_scm);
       if (name == NULL)
 	gdbscm_throw (except_scm);
-      newarg = concat ("show ", name, (char *) NULL);
+      newarg = concat ("show ", name.get (), (char *) NULL);
       TRY
 	{
 	  found = lookup_cmd_composition (newarg, &alias, &prefix, &cmd);
@@ -1080,7 +1074,6 @@ gdbscm_parameter_value (SCM self)
 	}
       END_CATCH
 
-      xfree (name);
       xfree (newarg);
       GDBSCM_HANDLE_GDB_EXCEPTION (except);
       if (!found)
diff --git a/gdb/guile/scm-pretty-print.c b/gdb/guile/scm-pretty-print.c
index eea524b104..f406c1f812 100644
--- a/gdb/guile/scm-pretty-print.c
+++ b/gdb/guile/scm-pretty-print.c
@@ -668,18 +668,16 @@ ppscm_print_string_repr (SCM printer, enum display_hint hint,
     }
   else if (scm_is_string (str_scm))
     {
-      struct cleanup *cleanup;
       size_t length;
-      char *string
+      gdb::unique_xmalloc_ptr<char> string
 	= gdbscm_scm_to_string (str_scm, &length,
 				target_charset (gdbarch), 0 /*!strict*/, NULL);
 
-      cleanup = make_cleanup (xfree, string);
       if (hint == HINT_STRING)
 	{
 	  struct type *type = builtin_type (gdbarch)->builtin_char;
 	  
-	  LA_PRINT_STRING (stream, type, (gdb_byte *) string,
+	  LA_PRINT_STRING (stream, type, (gdb_byte *) string.get (),
 			   length, NULL, 0, options);
 	}
       else
@@ -690,14 +688,13 @@ ppscm_print_string_repr (SCM printer, enum display_hint hint,
 
 	  for (i = 0; i < length; ++i)
 	    {
-	      if (string[i] == '\0')
+	      if (string.get ()[i] == '\0')
 		fputs_filtered ("\\000", stream);
 	      else
-		fputc_filtered (string[i], stream);
+		fputc_filtered (string.get ()[i], stream);
 	    }
 	}
       result = STRING_REPR_OK;
-      do_cleanups (cleanup);
     }
   else if (lsscm_is_lazy_string (str_scm))
     {
diff --git a/gdb/guile/scm-string.c b/gdb/guile/scm-string.c
index 63c60f068a..56e14c3320 100644
--- a/gdb/guile/scm-string.c
+++ b/gdb/guile/scm-string.c
@@ -113,10 +113,9 @@ gdbscm_call_scm_to_stringn (void *datap)
    If STRICT is zero, then escape sequences are used for characters that
    can't be converted, and EXCEPT_SCMP may be passed as NULL.
 
-   Space for the result is allocated with malloc, caller must free.
    It is an error to call this if STRING is not a string.  */
 
-char *
+gdb::unique_xmalloc_ptr<char>
 gdbscm_scm_to_string (SCM string, size_t *lenp,
 		      const char *charset, int strict, SCM *except_scmp)
 {
@@ -136,7 +135,7 @@ gdbscm_scm_to_string (SCM string, size_t *lenp,
   if (gdbscm_is_false (scm_result))
     {
       gdb_assert (data.result != NULL);
-      return data.result;
+      return gdb::unique_xmalloc_ptr<char> (data.result);
     }
   gdb_assert (gdbscm_is_exception (scm_result));
   *except_scmp = scm_result;
@@ -214,10 +213,9 @@ gdbscm_scm_from_string (const char *string, size_t len,
 
    Returns NULL if there is a conversion error, with the exception object
    stored in *EXCEPT_SCMP.
-   Space for the result is allocated with malloc, caller must free.
    It is an error to call this if STRING is not a string.  */
 
-char *
+gdb::unique_xmalloc_ptr<char>
 gdbscm_scm_to_host_string (SCM string, size_t *lenp, SCM *except_scmp)
 {
   return gdbscm_scm_to_string (string, lenp, host_charset (), 1, except_scmp);
