diff --git a/bin/sh/cd.c b/bin/sh/cd.c
index 7720fad7d64c..017dfa1e13ec 100644
--- a/bin/sh/cd.c
+++ b/bin/sh/cd.c
@@ -182,7 +182,6 @@ cdlogical(char *dest)
 	struct stat statb;
 	int first;
 	int badstat;
-	size_t len;
 
 	/*
 	 *  Check each component of the path. If we find a symlink or
@@ -190,9 +189,7 @@ cdlogical(char *dest)
 	 *  next time we get the value of the current directory.
 	 */
 	badstat = 0;
-	len = strlen(dest);
-	cdcomppath = stalloc(len + 1);
-	memcpy(cdcomppath, dest, len + 1);
+	cdcomppath = stsavestr(dest);
 	STARTSTACKSTR(p);
 	if (*dest == '/') {
 		STPUTC('/', p);
@@ -277,7 +274,6 @@ findcwd(char *dir)
 {
 	char *new;
 	char *p;
-	size_t len;
 
 	/*
 	 * If our argument is NULL, we don't know the current directory
@@ -286,9 +282,7 @@ findcwd(char *dir)
 	 */
 	if (dir == NULL || curdir == NULL)
 		return getpwd2();
-	len = strlen(dir);
-	cdcomppath = stalloc(len + 1);
-	memcpy(cdcomppath, dir, len + 1);
+	cdcomppath = stsavestr(dir);
 	STARTSTACKSTR(new);
 	if (*dir != '/') {
 		STPUTS(curdir, new);
diff --git a/bin/sh/expand.c b/bin/sh/expand.c
index b542303d239e..53b2c9bfd7d9 100644
--- a/bin/sh/expand.c
+++ b/bin/sh/expand.c
@@ -1284,11 +1284,8 @@ addfname(char *name)
 {
 	char *p;
 	struct strlist *sp;
-	size_t len;
 
-	len = strlen(name);
-	p = stalloc(len + 1);
-	memcpy(p, name, len + 1);
+	p = stsavestr(name);
 	sp = (struct strlist *)stalloc(sizeof *sp);
 	sp->text = p;
 	*exparg.lastp = sp;
diff --git a/bin/sh/memalloc.c b/bin/sh/memalloc.c
index 119f12e9fc74..a04020f80c97 100644
--- a/bin/sh/memalloc.c
+++ b/bin/sh/memalloc.c
@@ -180,6 +180,18 @@ stunalloc(pointer p)
 }
 
 
+char *
+stsavestr(const char *s)
+{
+	char *p;
+	size_t len;
+
+	len = strlen(s);
+	p = stalloc(len + 1);
+	memcpy(p, s, len + 1);
+	return p;
+}
+
 
 void
 setstackmark(struct stackmark *mark)
diff --git a/bin/sh/memalloc.h b/bin/sh/memalloc.h
index a22fa3919872..e8df7cb1c0b9 100644
--- a/bin/sh/memalloc.h
+++ b/bin/sh/memalloc.h
@@ -52,6 +52,7 @@ void ckfree(pointer);
 char *savestr(const char *);
 pointer stalloc(int);
 void stunalloc(pointer);
+char *stsavestr(const char *);
 void setstackmark(struct stackmark *);
 void popstackmark(struct stackmark *);
 char *growstackstr(void);