diff --git a/gdb/dwarf2read.c b/gdb/dwarf2read.c
index df3ada1..cfb22fe 100644
--- a/gdb/dwarf2read.c
+++ b/gdb/dwarf2read.c
@@ -1844,6 +1844,12 @@ static void free_dwo_file_cleanup (void *);
 static void process_cu_includes (void);
 
 static void check_producer (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,
+		      const gdb_byte *additional_data, int additional_data_size);
+
 
 /* Various complaints about symbol reading that don't abort the process.  */
 
@@ -14240,29 +14246,92 @@ read_tag_string_type (struct die_info *die, struct dwarf2_cu *cu)
   struct gdbarch *gdbarch = get_objfile_arch (objfile);
   struct type *type, *range_type, *index_type, *char_type;
   struct attribute *attr;
-  unsigned int length;
+  unsigned int length = UINT_MAX;
 
+  index_type = objfile_type (objfile)->builtin_int;
+  range_type = create_static_range_type (NULL, index_type, 1, length);
+
+  /* If DW_AT_string_length is defined, the length is stored at some location
+   * 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, *bit_size;
+          struct dynamic_prop high;
+
+          byte_size = dwarf2_attr (die, DW_AT_byte_size, cu);
+          bit_size = dwarf2_attr (die, DW_AT_bit_size, cu);
+
+          /* DW_AT_byte_size should never occur together in combination with
+             DW_AT_string_length.  */
+          if ((byte_size == NULL && bit_size != NULL) ||
+                  (byte_size != NULL && bit_size == NULL))
+            complaint (&symfile_complaints, _("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, it
+             describes the number of bytes that should be read from the length
+             memory location.  */
+          if (byte_size != NULL && bit_size == NULL)
+            {
+              /* 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.  */
+                DW_UNSND (byte_size) };
+
+              if (!attr_to_dynamic_prop (attr, die, cu, &high,
+                      append_ops, ARRAY_SIZE (append_ops)))
+                complaint (&symfile_complaints,
+                        _("Could not parse DW_AT_byte_size"));
+            }
+          else if (bit_size != NULL && byte_size == NULL)
+            complaint (&symfile_complaints, _("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 (&symfile_complaints,
+                        _("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);
 
@@ -14579,13 +14648,15 @@ read_base_type (struct die_info *die, struct dwarf2_cu *cu)
   return set_die_type (die, type, cu);
 }
 
+
 /* Parse dwarf attribute if it's a block, reference or constant and put the
    resulting value of the attribute into struct bound_prop.
    Returns 1 if ATTR could be resolved into PROP, 0 otherwise.  */
 
 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 = &cu->objfile->objfile_obstack;
@@ -14598,8 +14669,25 @@ attr_to_dynamic_prop (const struct attribute *attr, struct die_info *die,
       baton = obstack_alloc (obstack, sizeof (*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 != NULL && additional_data_size > 0)
+        {
+          gdb_byte *data;
+
+          data = obstack_alloc (&cu->objfile->objfile_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);
@@ -14629,8 +14717,28 @@ attr_to_dynamic_prop (const struct attribute *attr, struct die_info *die,
 	  baton = obstack_alloc (obstack, sizeof (*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;
+
+	      data = obstack_alloc (&cu->objfile->objfile_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);
@@ -14720,17 +14828,17 @@ 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, NULL, 0);
   else if (!low_default_is_valid)
     complaint (&symfile_complaints, _("Missing DW_AT_lower_bound "
 				      "- DIE at 0x%x [in module %s]"),
 	       die->offset.sect_off, objfile_name (cu->objfile));
 
   attr = 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, NULL, 0))
     {
       attr = 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, NULL, 0))
 	{
 	  /* If bounds are constant do the final calculation here.  */
 	  if (low.kind == PROP_CONST && high.kind == PROP_CONST)
@@ -21863,7 +21971,7 @@ set_die_type (struct die_info *die, struct type *type, struct dwarf2_cu *cu)
     {
       struct dynamic_prop prop;
 
-      if (attr_to_dynamic_prop (attr, die, cu, &prop))
+      if (attr_to_dynamic_prop (attr, die, cu, &prop, NULL, 0))
         {
           TYPE_ALLOCATED_PROP (type)
             = obstack_alloc (&objfile->objfile_obstack, sizeof (prop));
@@ -21877,7 +21985,7 @@ set_die_type (struct die_info *die, struct type *type, struct dwarf2_cu *cu)
     {
       struct dynamic_prop prop;
 
-      if (attr_to_dynamic_prop (attr, die, cu, &prop))
+      if (attr_to_dynamic_prop (attr, die, cu, &prop, NULL, 0))
         {
           TYPE_ASSOCIATED_PROP (type)
             = obstack_alloc (&objfile->objfile_obstack, sizeof (prop));
@@ -21887,7 +21995,7 @@ 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, NULL, 0))
     {
       TYPE_DATA_LOCATION (type)
         = obstack_alloc (&objfile->objfile_obstack, sizeof (prop));
diff --git a/gdb/gdbtypes.c b/gdb/gdbtypes.c
index 6695adb..967b9e5 100644
--- a/gdb/gdbtypes.c
+++ b/gdb/gdbtypes.c
@@ -1693,6 +1693,17 @@ is_dynamic_type_internal (struct type *type, int top_level)
 	      && is_dynamic_type_internal (TYPE_FIELD_TYPE (type, i), 0))
 	    return 1;
       }
+    case TYPE_CODE_PTR:
+      {
+        if (TYPE_TARGET_TYPE (type)
+            && TYPE_CODE (TYPE_TARGET_TYPE (type)) == TYPE_CODE_STRING)
+          return is_dynamic_type (check_typedef (TYPE_TARGET_TYPE (type)));
+
+        return 0;
+        break;
+      }
+    default:
+      return 0;
       break;
     }
 
@@ -1775,7 +1786,8 @@ resolve_dynamic_array (struct type *type, CORE_ADDR addr)
   struct dynamic_prop *prop;
   struct type *copy = copy_type (type);
 
-  gdb_assert (TYPE_CODE (type) == TYPE_CODE_ARRAY);
+  gdb_assert (TYPE_CODE (type) == TYPE_CODE_ARRAY
+              || TYPE_CODE (type) == TYPE_CODE_STRING);
 
   elt_type = type;
   range_type = check_typedef (TYPE_INDEX_TYPE (elt_type));
@@ -1797,14 +1809,20 @@ resolve_dynamic_array (struct type *type, CORE_ADDR addr)
 
   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 (TYPE_TARGET_TYPE (copy), addr);
   else
     elt_type = TYPE_TARGET_TYPE (type);
 
-  return create_array_type (copy,
-			    elt_type,
-			    range_type);
+  if (TYPE_CODE (type) == TYPE_CODE_STRING)
+    return create_string_type (copy,
+            elt_type,
+            range_type);
+  else
+    return create_array_type (copy,
+            elt_type,
+            range_type);
 }
 
 /* Resolve dynamic bounds of members of the union TYPE to static
@@ -1948,8 +1966,9 @@ resolve_dynamic_type_internal (struct type *type, CORE_ADDR addr,
 	  }
 
 	case TYPE_CODE_ARRAY:
+	case TYPE_CODE_STRING:
 	  resolved_type = resolve_dynamic_array (type, addr);
-	  break;
+		break;
 
 	case TYPE_CODE_RANGE:
 	  resolved_type = resolve_dynamic_range (type, addr);
diff --git a/gdb/testsuite/gdb.fortran/vla-strings.exp b/gdb/testsuite/gdb.fortran/vla-strings.exp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1d41e41
--- /dev/null
+++ b/gdb/testsuite/gdb.fortran/vla-strings.exp
@@ -0,0 +1,104 @@
+# 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/>.
+
+standard_testfile ".f90"
+
+if { [prepare_for_testing ${testfile}.exp ${testfile} ${srcfile} \
+    {debug f90 quiet}] } {
+    return -1
+}
+
+# check that all fortran standard datatypes will be
+# handled correctly when using as VLA's
+
+if ![runto MAIN__] then {
+    perror "couldn't run to breakpoint MAIN__"
+    continue
+}
+
+gdb_breakpoint [gdb_get_line_number "var_char-allocated-1"]
+gdb_continue_to_breakpoint "var_char-allocated-1"
+gdb_test "print var_char" \
+  " = \\(PTR TO -> \\( character\\*10 \\)\\) ${hex}" \
+  "print var_char after allocated first time"
+gdb_test "print *var_char" \
+  " = '\\\\000\\\\000\\\\000\\\\000\\\\000\\\\000\\\\000\\\\000\\\\000\\\\000'" \
+  "print *var_char after allocated first time"
+gdb_test "whatis var_char" "type = PTR TO -> \\( character\\*10 \\)" \
+  "whatis var_char first time"
+gdb_test "ptype var_char" "type = PTR TO -> \\( character\\*10 \\)" \
+  "ptype var_char first time"
+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"
+gdb_test "print var_char" \
+  " = \\(PTR TO -> \\( character\\*3 \\)\\) ${hex}" \
+  "print var_char after filled first time"
+gdb_test "print *var_char" " = 'foo'" \
+  "print *var_char after filled first time"
+gdb_test "whatis var_char" "type = PTR TO -> \\( character\\*3 \\)" \
+  "whatis var_char after filled first time"
+gdb_test "ptype var_char" "type = PTR TO -> \\( character\\*3 \\)" \
+  "ptype var_char after filled first time"
+gdb_test "print var_char(1)" " = 102 'f'" "print var_char(1)"
+gdb_test "print var_char(3)" " = 111 'o'" "print var_char(3)"
+
+gdb_breakpoint [gdb_get_line_number "var_char-filled-2"]
+gdb_continue_to_breakpoint "var_char-filled-2"
+gdb_test "print var_char" \
+  " = \\(PTR TO -> \\( character\\*6 \\)\\) ${hex}" \
+  "print var_char after allocated second time"
+gdb_test "print *var_char" " = 'foobar'" \
+  "print *var_char after allocated second time"
+gdb_test "whatis var_char" "type = PTR TO -> \\( character\\*6 \\)" \
+  "whatis var_char second time"
+gdb_test "ptype var_char" "type = PTR TO -> \\( character\\*6 \\)" \
+  "ptype var_char second time"
+
+gdb_breakpoint [gdb_get_line_number "var_char-empty"]
+gdb_continue_to_breakpoint "var_char-empty"
+gdb_test "print var_char" \
+  " = \\(PTR TO -> \\( character\\*0 \\)\\) ${hex}" \
+  "print var_char after set empty"
+gdb_test "print *var_char" " = \"\"" "print *var_char after set empty"
+gdb_test "whatis var_char" "type = PTR TO -> \\( character\\*0 \\)" \
+  "whatis var_char after set empty"
+gdb_test "ptype var_char" "type = PTR TO -> \\( character\\*0 \\)" \
+  "ptype var_char after set empty"
+
+gdb_breakpoint [gdb_get_line_number "var_char-allocated-3"]
+gdb_continue_to_breakpoint "var_char-allocated-3"
+gdb_test "print var_char" \
+  " = \\(PTR TO -> \\( character\\*21 \\)\\) ${hex}" \
+  "print var_char after allocated third time"
+gdb_test "whatis var_char" "type = PTR TO -> \\( character\\*21 \\)" \
+  "whatis var_char after allocated third time"
+gdb_test "ptype var_char" "type = PTR TO -> \\( character\\*21 \\)" \
+  "ptype var_char after allocated third time"
+
+gdb_breakpoint [gdb_get_line_number "var_char_p-associated"]
+gdb_continue_to_breakpoint "var_char_p-associated"
+gdb_test "print var_char_p" \
+  " = \\(PTR TO -> \\( character\\*7 \\)\\) ${hex}" \
+  "print var_char_p after associated"
+gdb_test "print *var_char_p" " = 'johndoe'" \
+  "print *var_char_ after associated"
+gdb_test "whatis var_char_p" "type = PTR TO -> \\( character\\*7 \\)" \
+  "whatis var_char_p after associated"
+gdb_test "ptype var_char_p" "type = PTR TO -> \\( character\\*7 \\)" \
+  "ptype var_char_p after associated"
diff --git a/gdb/testsuite/gdb.fortran/vla-strings.f90 b/gdb/testsuite/gdb.fortran/vla-strings.f90
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..98d48d6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/gdb/testsuite/gdb.fortran/vla-strings.f90
@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+! 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 2 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, write to the Free Software
+! Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place - Suite 330, Boston, MA 02111-1307, USA.
+
+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
