diff --git a/gdb/dwarf2read.c b/gdb/dwarf2read.c
index 902aad3fbc..3e1965e5b4 100644
--- a/gdb/dwarf2read.c
+++ b/gdb/dwarf2read.c
@@ -1805,7 +1805,9 @@ static void read_signatured_type (struct signatured_type *);
 
 static int attr_to_dynamic_prop (const struct attribute *attr,
 				 struct die_info *die, struct dwarf2_cu *cu,
-				 struct dynamic_prop *prop);
+				 struct dynamic_prop *prop,
+				 const gdb_byte *additional_data,
+				 int additional_data_size);
 
 /* memory allocation interface */
 
@@ -13826,7 +13828,7 @@ read_func_scope (struct die_info *die, struct dwarf2_cu *cu)
     {
       newobj->static_link
 	= XOBNEW (&objfile->objfile_obstack, struct dynamic_prop);
-      attr_to_dynamic_prop (attr, die, cu, newobj->static_link);
+      attr_to_dynamic_prop (attr, die, cu, newobj->static_link, nullptr, 0);
     }
 
   cu->list_in_scope = cu->builder->get_local_symbols ();
@@ -16584,7 +16586,8 @@ read_array_type (struct die_info *die, struct dwarf2_cu *cu)
 
       byte_stride_prop
 	= (struct dynamic_prop *) alloca (sizeof (struct dynamic_prop));
-      stride_ok = attr_to_dynamic_prop (attr, die, cu, byte_stride_prop);
+      stride_ok = attr_to_dynamic_prop (attr, die, cu, byte_stride_prop,
+					nullptr, 0);
       if (!stride_ok)
 	{
 	  complaint (_("unable to read array DW_AT_byte_stride "
@@ -17343,31 +17346,90 @@ read_tag_string_type (struct die_info *die, struct dwarf2_cu *cu)
 {
   struct objfile *objfile = cu->per_cu->dwarf2_per_objfile->objfile;
   struct gdbarch *gdbarch = get_objfile_arch (objfile);
-  struct type *type, *range_type, *index_type, *char_type;
+  struct type *type, *char_type;
   struct attribute *attr;
-  unsigned int length;
+  unsigned int length = UINT_MAX;
+
+  struct type *index_type = objfile_type (objfile)->builtin_int;
+  struct type *range_type = create_static_range_type (nullptr, index_type, 1, length);
 
+  /* If DW_AT_string_length is defined, the length is stored in memory. */
   attr = dwarf2_attr (die, DW_AT_string_length, cu);
   if (attr)
     {
-      length = DW_UNSND (attr);
+      if (attr_form_is_block (attr))
+	{
+	  struct attribute *byte_size = dwarf2_attr (die, DW_AT_byte_size, cu);
+          struct attribute *bit_size = dwarf2_attr (die, DW_AT_bit_size, cu);
+	  struct dynamic_prop high;
+
+	  /* DW_AT_byte_size should never occur in combination with
+	     DW_AT_bit_size.  */
+	  if (byte_size != nullptr && bit_size != nullptr)
+	    complaint (_("DW_AT_byte_size AND "
+			 "DW_AT_bit_size found together at the same time."));
+
+	  /* If DW_AT_string_length AND DW_AT_byte_size exist together,
+	     DW_AT_byte_size describes the number of bytes that should be read
+	     from the length memory location.  */
+	  if (byte_size != nullptr)
+	    {
+	      /* Build new dwarf2_locexpr_baton structure with additions to the
+		 data attribute, to reflect DWARF specialities to get address
+		 sizes.  */
+	      const gdb_byte append_ops[] =
+		{
+		  /* DW_OP_deref_size: size of an address on the target machine
+		     (bytes), where the size will be specified by the next
+		     operand.  */
+		  DW_OP_deref_size,
+		  /* Operand for DW_OP_deref_size.  */
+		  gdb_byte (DW_UNSND (byte_size))
+		};
+
+	      if (!attr_to_dynamic_prop (attr, die, cu, &high, append_ops,
+					 ARRAY_SIZE(append_ops)))
+		complaint (_("Could not parse DW_AT_byte_size"));
+	    }
+	  else if (bit_size != NULL)
+	    complaint (_("DW_AT_string_length AND "
+			 "DW_AT_bit_size found but not supported yet."));
+	  /* If DW_AT_string_length WITHOUT DW_AT_byte_size exist, the default
+	     is the address size of the target machine.  */
+	  else
+	    {
+	      const gdb_byte append_ops[] = { DW_OP_deref };
+
+	      if (!attr_to_dynamic_prop (attr, die, cu, &high, append_ops,
+					 ARRAY_SIZE (append_ops)))
+		complaint (_("Could not parse DW_AT_string_length"));
+	    }
+
+	  TYPE_RANGE_DATA (range_type)->high = high;
+	}
+      else
+	{
+	  TYPE_HIGH_BOUND (range_type) = DW_UNSND (attr);
+	  TYPE_HIGH_BOUND_KIND (range_type) = PROP_CONST;
+	}
     }
   else
     {
-      /* Check for the DW_AT_byte_size attribute.  */
+      /* Check for the DW_AT_byte_size attribute, which represents the length
+	 in this case.  */
       attr = dwarf2_attr (die, DW_AT_byte_size, cu);
       if (attr)
-        {
-          length = DW_UNSND (attr);
-        }
+	{
+	  TYPE_HIGH_BOUND (range_type) = DW_UNSND (attr);
+	  TYPE_HIGH_BOUND_KIND (range_type) = PROP_CONST;
+	}
       else
-        {
-          length = 1;
-        }
+	{
+	  TYPE_HIGH_BOUND (range_type) = 1;
+	  TYPE_HIGH_BOUND_KIND (range_type) = PROP_CONST;
+	}
     }
 
-  index_type = objfile_type (objfile)->builtin_int;
-  range_type = create_static_range_type (NULL, index_type, 1, length);
   char_type = language_string_char_type (cu->language_defn, gdbarch);
   type = create_string_type (NULL, char_type, range_type);
 
@@ -17735,7 +17797,8 @@ read_base_type (struct die_info *die, struct dwarf2_cu *cu)
 
 static int
 attr_to_dynamic_prop (const struct attribute *attr, struct die_info *die,
-		      struct dwarf2_cu *cu, struct dynamic_prop *prop)
+		      struct dwarf2_cu *cu, struct dynamic_prop *prop,
+		      const gdb_byte *additional_data, int additional_data_size)
 {
   struct dwarf2_property_baton *baton;
   struct obstack *obstack
@@ -17749,11 +17812,26 @@ attr_to_dynamic_prop (const struct attribute *attr, struct die_info *die,
       baton = XOBNEW (obstack, struct dwarf2_property_baton);
       baton->referenced_type = NULL;
       baton->locexpr.per_cu = cu->per_cu;
-      baton->locexpr.size = DW_BLOCK (attr)->size;
-      baton->locexpr.data = DW_BLOCK (attr)->data;
+
+      if (additional_data != nullptr && additional_data_size > 0)
+	{
+	  gdb_byte *data = (gdb_byte *) obstack_alloc (obstack,
+	      DW_BLOCK (attr)->size + additional_data_size);
+	  memcpy (data, DW_BLOCK (attr)->data, DW_BLOCK (attr)->size);
+	  memcpy (data + DW_BLOCK (attr)->size, additional_data,
+		  additional_data_size);
+
+	  baton->locexpr.data = data;
+	  baton->locexpr.size = DW_BLOCK (attr)->size + additional_data_size;
+	}
+      else
+	{
+	  baton->locexpr.data = DW_BLOCK (attr)->data;
+	  baton->locexpr.size = DW_BLOCK (attr)->size;
+	}
+
       prop->data.baton = baton;
       prop->kind = PROP_LOCEXPR;
-      gdb_assert (prop->data.baton != NULL);
     }
   else if (attr_form_is_ref (attr))
     {
@@ -17786,11 +17864,28 @@ attr_to_dynamic_prop (const struct attribute *attr, struct die_info *die,
 		baton = XOBNEW (obstack, struct dwarf2_property_baton);
 		baton->referenced_type = die_type (target_die, target_cu);
 		baton->locexpr.per_cu = cu->per_cu;
-		baton->locexpr.size = DW_BLOCK (target_attr)->size;
-		baton->locexpr.data = DW_BLOCK (target_attr)->data;
+
+		if (additional_data != NULL && additional_data_size > 0)
+		  {
+		    gdb_byte *data = (gdb_byte *) obstack_alloc (obstack,
+		      DW_BLOCK (target_attr)->size + additional_data_size);
+		    memcpy (data, DW_BLOCK (target_attr)->data,
+			    DW_BLOCK (target_attr)->size);
+		    memcpy (data + DW_BLOCK (target_attr)->size,
+			    additional_data, additional_data_size);
+
+		    baton->locexpr.data = data;
+		    baton->locexpr.size = (DW_BLOCK (target_attr)->size
+					   + additional_data_size);
+		  }
+		else
+		  {
+		    baton->locexpr.data = DW_BLOCK (target_attr)->data;
+		    baton->locexpr.size = DW_BLOCK (target_attr)->size;
+		  }
+
 		prop->data.baton = baton;
 		prop->kind = PROP_LOCEXPR;
-		gdb_assert (prop->data.baton != NULL);
 	      }
 	    else
 	      {
@@ -17898,7 +17993,7 @@ read_subrange_type (struct die_info *die, struct dwarf2_cu *cu)
 
   attr = dwarf2_attr (die, DW_AT_byte_stride, cu);
   if (attr)
-    if (!attr_to_dynamic_prop (attr, die, cu, &stride))
+    if (!attr_to_dynamic_prop (attr, die, cu, &stride, nullptr, 0))
         complaint (_("Missing DW_AT_byte_stride "
 				      "- DIE at 0x%s [in module %s]"),
 		   sect_offset_str (die->sect_off),
@@ -17906,7 +18001,7 @@ read_subrange_type (struct die_info *die, struct dwarf2_cu *cu)
 
   attr = dwarf2_attr (die, DW_AT_lower_bound, cu);
   if (attr)
-    attr_to_dynamic_prop (attr, die, cu, &low);
+    attr_to_dynamic_prop (attr, die, cu, &low, nullptr, 0);
   else if (!low_default_is_valid)
     complaint (_("Missing DW_AT_lower_bound "
 				      "- DIE at %s [in module %s]"),
@@ -17915,10 +18010,10 @@ read_subrange_type (struct die_info *die, struct dwarf2_cu *cu)
 
   struct attribute *attr_ub, *attr_count;
   attr = attr_ub = dwarf2_attr (die, DW_AT_upper_bound, cu);
-  if (!attr_to_dynamic_prop (attr, die, cu, &high))
+  if (!attr_to_dynamic_prop (attr, die, cu, &high, nullptr, 0))
     {
       attr = attr_count = dwarf2_attr (die, DW_AT_count, cu);
-      if (attr_to_dynamic_prop (attr, die, cu, &high))
+      if (attr_to_dynamic_prop (attr, die, cu, &high, nullptr, 0))
 	{
 	  /* If bounds are constant do the final calculation here.  */
 	  if (low.kind == PROP_CONST && high.kind == PROP_CONST)
@@ -25510,7 +25605,7 @@ set_die_type (struct die_info *die, struct type *type, struct dwarf2_cu *cu)
   attr = dwarf2_attr (die, DW_AT_allocated, cu);
   if (attr_form_is_block (attr))
     {
-      if (attr_to_dynamic_prop (attr, die, cu, &prop))
+      if (attr_to_dynamic_prop (attr, die, cu, &prop, nullptr, 0))
         add_dyn_prop (DYN_PROP_ALLOCATED, prop, type);
     }
   else if (attr != NULL)
@@ -25524,7 +25619,7 @@ set_die_type (struct die_info *die, struct type *type, struct dwarf2_cu *cu)
   attr = dwarf2_attr (die, DW_AT_associated, cu);
   if (attr_form_is_block (attr))
     {
-      if (attr_to_dynamic_prop (attr, die, cu, &prop))
+      if (attr_to_dynamic_prop (attr, die, cu, &prop, nullptr, 0))
         add_dyn_prop (DYN_PROP_ASSOCIATED, prop, type);
     }
   else if (attr != NULL)
@@ -25536,7 +25631,7 @@ set_die_type (struct die_info *die, struct type *type, struct dwarf2_cu *cu)
 
   /* Read DW_AT_data_location and set in type.  */
   attr = dwarf2_attr (die, DW_AT_data_location, cu);
-  if (attr_to_dynamic_prop (attr, die, cu, &prop))
+  if (attr_to_dynamic_prop (attr, die, cu, &prop, nullptr, 0))
     add_dyn_prop (DYN_PROP_DATA_LOCATION, prop, type);
 
   if (dwarf2_per_objfile->die_type_hash == NULL)
diff --git a/gdb/gdbtypes.c b/gdb/gdbtypes.c
index 228b680a26..bb692caebf 100644
--- a/gdb/gdbtypes.c
+++ b/gdb/gdbtypes.c
@@ -1948,6 +1948,7 @@ is_dynamic_type_internal (struct type *type, int top_level)
       }
 
     case TYPE_CODE_ARRAY:
+    case TYPE_CODE_STRING:
       {
 	gdb_assert (TYPE_NFIELDS (type) == 1);
 
@@ -2065,7 +2066,8 @@ resolve_dynamic_array (struct type *type,
   struct dynamic_prop *prop;
   unsigned int bit_stride = 0;
 
-  gdb_assert (TYPE_CODE (type) == TYPE_CODE_ARRAY);
+  gdb_assert (TYPE_CODE (type) == TYPE_CODE_ARRAY
+	      || TYPE_CODE (type) == TYPE_CODE_STRING);
 
   type = copy_type (type);
 
@@ -2090,7 +2092,8 @@ resolve_dynamic_array (struct type *type,
 
   ary_dim = check_typedef (TYPE_TARGET_TYPE (elt_type));
 
-  if (ary_dim != NULL && TYPE_CODE (ary_dim) == TYPE_CODE_ARRAY)
+  if (ary_dim != NULL && (TYPE_CODE (ary_dim) == TYPE_CODE_ARRAY
+      || TYPE_CODE (ary_dim) == TYPE_CODE_STRING))
     elt_type = resolve_dynamic_array (ary_dim, addr_stack);
   else
     elt_type = TYPE_TARGET_TYPE (type);
@@ -2118,8 +2121,11 @@ resolve_dynamic_array (struct type *type,
   else
     bit_stride = TYPE_FIELD_BITSIZE (type, 0);
 
-  return create_array_type_with_stride (type, elt_type, range_type, NULL,
-                                        bit_stride);
+  if (TYPE_CODE (type) == TYPE_CODE_STRING)
+    return create_string_type (type, elt_type, range_type);
+  else
+    return create_array_type_with_stride (type, elt_type, range_type,
+					  nullptr, bit_stride);
 }
 
 /* Resolve dynamic bounds of members of the union TYPE to static
@@ -2324,6 +2330,7 @@ resolve_dynamic_type_internal (struct type *type,
  	  break;
 
 	case TYPE_CODE_ARRAY:
+	case TYPE_CODE_STRING:
 	  resolved_type = resolve_dynamic_array (type, addr_stack);
 	  break;
 
diff --git a/gdb/testsuite/gdb.fortran/vla-strings.exp b/gdb/testsuite/gdb.fortran/vla-strings.exp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..be9107514c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/gdb/testsuite/gdb.fortran/vla-strings.exp
@@ -0,0 +1,100 @@
+# Copyright 2018 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/>.
+
+standard_testfile ".f90"
+
+if { [prepare_for_testing ${testfile}.exp ${testfile} ${srcfile} \
+    {debug f90 quiet}] } {
+    return -1
+}
+
+if ![runto_main] {
+    untested "could not run to main"
+    return -1
+}
+
+gdb_breakpoint [gdb_get_line_number "var_char-allocated-1"]
+gdb_continue_to_breakpoint "var_char-allocated-1"
+set test "whatis var_char first time"
+gdb_test_multiple "whatis var_char" $test {
+  -re "type = PTR TO -> \\( character\\*10 \\)\r\n$gdb_prompt $" {
+    pass $test
+  }
+  -re "type = character\\*10\r\n$gdb_prompt $" {
+    pass $test
+  }
+}
+set test "ptype var_char first time"
+gdb_test_multiple "ptype var_char" $test {
+  -re "type = PTR TO -> \\( character\\*10 \\)\r\n$gdb_prompt $" {
+    pass $test
+  }
+  -re "type = character\\*10\r\n$gdb_prompt $" {
+    pass $test
+  }
+}
+
+
+gdb_test "next" "\\d+.*var_char = 'foo'.*" \
+  "next to allocation status of var_char"
+gdb_test "print l" " = \\.TRUE\\." "print allocation status first time"
+
+
+gdb_breakpoint [gdb_get_line_number "var_char-filled-1"]
+gdb_continue_to_breakpoint "var_char-filled-1"
+set test "print var_char, var_char-filled-1"
+gdb_test_multiple "print var_char" $test {
+  -re "= \\(PTR TO -> \\( character\\*3 \\)\\) $hex\r\n$gdb_prompt $" {
+    gdb_test "print *var_char" "= 'foo'" "print *var_char, var_char-filled-1"
+    pass $test
+  }
+  -re "= 'foo'\r\n$gdb_prompt $" {
+    pass $test
+  }
+}
+set test "ptype var_char, var_char-filled-1"
+gdb_test_multiple "ptype var_char" $test {
+  -re "type = PTR TO -> \\( character\\*3 \\)\r\n$gdb_prompt $" {
+    pass $test
+  }
+  -re "type = character\\*3\r\n$gdb_prompt $" {
+    pass $test
+  }
+}
+gdb_test "print var_char(1)" " = 102" "print var_char(1)"
+gdb_test "print var_char(3)" " = 111" "print var_char(3)"
+
+
+gdb_breakpoint [gdb_get_line_number "var_char-filled-2"]
+gdb_continue_to_breakpoint "var_char-filled-2"
+set test "print var_char, var_char-filled-2"
+gdb_test_multiple "print var_char" $test {
+  -re "= \\(PTR TO -> \\( character\\*6 \\)\\) $hex\r\n$gdb_prompt $" {
+    gdb_test "print *var_char" "= 'foobar'" "print *var_char, var_char-filled-2"
+    pass $test
+  }
+  -re "= 'foobar'\r\n$gdb_prompt $" {
+    pass $test
+  }
+}
+set test "ptype var_char, var_char-filled-2"
+gdb_test_multiple "ptype var_char" $test {
+  -re "type = PTR TO -> \\( character\\*6 \\)\r\n$gdb_prompt $" {
+    pass $test
+  }
+  -re "type = character\\*6\r\n$gdb_prompt $" {
+    pass $test
+  }
+}
diff --git a/gdb/testsuite/gdb.fortran/vla-strings.f90 b/gdb/testsuite/gdb.fortran/vla-strings.f90
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..5d393f9f40
--- /dev/null
+++ b/gdb/testsuite/gdb.fortran/vla-strings.f90
@@ -0,0 +1,39 @@
+! Copyright 2018 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/>.
+
+program vla_strings
+  character(len=:), target, allocatable   :: var_char
+  character(len=:), pointer               :: var_char_p
+  logical                                 :: l
+
+  allocate(character(len=10) :: var_char)
+  l = allocated(var_char)                 ! var_char-allocated-1
+  var_char = 'foo'
+  deallocate(var_char)                    ! var_char-filled-1
+  l = allocated(var_char)                 ! var_char-deallocated
+  allocate(character(len=42) :: var_char)
+  l = allocated(var_char)
+  var_char = 'foobar'
+  var_char = ''                           ! var_char-filled-2
+  var_char = 'bar'                        ! var_char-empty
+  deallocate(var_char)
+  allocate(character(len=21) :: var_char)
+  l = allocated(var_char)                 ! var_char-allocated-3
+  var_char = 'johndoe'
+  var_char_p => var_char
+  l = associated(var_char_p)              ! var_char_p-associated
+  var_char_p => null()
+  l = associated(var_char_p)              ! var_char_p-not-associated
+end program vla_strings
