diff --git a/bfd/bfd.c b/bfd/bfd.c
index 4ae73701ce1..804acabf621 100644
--- a/bfd/bfd.c
+++ b/bfd/bfd.c
@@ -700,12 +700,16 @@ CODE_FRAGMENT
 .}
 .bfd_error_type;
 .
+INTERNAL
+.{* A buffer that is freed on bfd_close.  *}
+.extern char *_bfd_error_buf;
+.
 */
 
 static bfd_error_type bfd_error;
 static bfd_error_type input_error;
 static bfd *input_bfd;
-static char *input_error_msg;
+char *_bfd_error_buf;
 
 const char *const bfd_errmsgs[] =
 {
@@ -793,8 +797,8 @@ bfd_set_input_error (bfd *input, bfd_error_type error_tag)
   /* This is an error that occurred during bfd_close when writing an
      archive, but on one of the input files.  */
   bfd_error = bfd_error_on_input;
-  free (input_error_msg);
-  input_error_msg = NULL;
+  free (_bfd_error_buf);
+  _bfd_error_buf = NULL;
   input_bfd = input;
   input_error = error_tag;
   if (input_error >= bfd_error_on_input)
@@ -822,12 +826,10 @@ bfd_errmsg (bfd_error_type error_tag)
   if (error_tag == bfd_error_on_input)
     {
       const char *msg = bfd_errmsg (input_error);
-
-      free (input_error_msg);
-      input_error_msg = NULL;
-      if (asprintf (&input_error_msg, _(bfd_errmsgs [error_tag]),
-		    bfd_get_filename (input_bfd), msg) != -1)
-	return input_error_msg;
+      char *ret = bfd_asprintf (_(bfd_errmsgs[error_tag]),
+				bfd_get_filename (input_bfd), msg);
+      if (ret)
+	return ret;
 
       /* Ick, what to do on out of memory?  */
       return msg;
@@ -839,7 +841,7 @@ bfd_errmsg (bfd_error_type error_tag)
   if (error_tag > bfd_error_invalid_error_code)
     error_tag = bfd_error_invalid_error_code;	/* sanity check */
 
-  return _(bfd_errmsgs [error_tag]);
+  return _(bfd_errmsgs[error_tag]);
 }
 
 /*
@@ -868,6 +870,40 @@ bfd_perror (const char *message)
   fflush (stderr);
 }
 
+/*
+INTERNAL_FUNCTION
+	bfd_asprintf
+
+SYNOPSIS
+	char *bfd_asprintf (const char *fmt, ...);
+
+DESCRIPTION
+	Primarily for error reporting, this function is like
+	libiberty's xasprintf except that it can return NULL on no
+	memory and the returned string should not be freed.  Uses a
+	single malloc'd buffer managed by libbfd, _bfd_error_buf.
+	Be aware that a call to this function frees the result of any
+	previous call.  bfd_errmsg (bfd_error_on_input) also calls
+	this function.
+*/
+
+char *
+bfd_asprintf (const char *fmt, ...)
+{
+  free (_bfd_error_buf);
+  _bfd_error_buf = NULL;
+  va_list ap;
+  va_start (ap, fmt);
+  int count = vasprintf (&_bfd_error_buf, fmt, ap);
+  va_end (ap);
+  if (count == -1)
+    {
+      bfd_set_error (bfd_error_no_memory);
+      _bfd_error_buf = NULL;
+    }
+  return _bfd_error_buf;
+}
+
 /*
 SUBSECTION
 	BFD error handler
@@ -1663,8 +1699,8 @@ bfd_init (void)
 {
   bfd_error = bfd_error_no_error;
   input_bfd = NULL;
-  free (input_error_msg);
-  input_error_msg = NULL;
+  free (_bfd_error_buf);
+  _bfd_error_buf = NULL;
   input_error = bfd_error_no_error;
   _bfd_error_program_name = NULL;
   _bfd_error_internal = error_handler_fprintf;
diff --git a/bfd/elf32-arm.c b/bfd/elf32-arm.c
index cb22989f6f1..2afe67abdf1 100644
--- a/bfd/elf32-arm.c
+++ b/bfd/elf32-arm.c
@@ -7113,10 +7113,13 @@ find_thumb_glue (struct bfd_link_info *link_info,
   hash = elf_link_hash_lookup
     (&(hash_table)->root, tmp_name, false, false, true);
 
-  if (hash == NULL
-      && asprintf (error_message, _("unable to find %s glue '%s' for '%s'"),
-		   "Thumb", tmp_name, name) == -1)
-    *error_message = (char *) bfd_errmsg (bfd_error_system_call);
+  if (hash == NULL)
+    {
+      *error_message = bfd_asprintf (_("unable to find %s glue '%s' for '%s'"),
+				     "Thumb", tmp_name, name);
+      if (*error_message == NULL)
+	*error_message = (char *) bfd_errmsg (bfd_error_system_call);
+    }
 
   free (tmp_name);
 
@@ -7148,11 +7151,13 @@ find_arm_glue (struct bfd_link_info *link_info,
   myh = elf_link_hash_lookup
     (&(hash_table)->root, tmp_name, false, false, true);
 
-  if (myh == NULL
-      && asprintf (error_message, _("unable to find %s glue '%s' for '%s'"),
-		   "ARM", tmp_name, name) == -1)
-    *error_message = (char *) bfd_errmsg (bfd_error_system_call);
-
+  if (myh == NULL)
+    {
+      *error_message = bfd_asprintf (_("unable to find %s glue '%s' for '%s'"),
+				     "ARM", tmp_name, name);
+      if (*error_message == NULL)
+	*error_message = (char *) bfd_errmsg (bfd_error_system_call);
+    }
   free (tmp_name);
 
   return myh;
diff --git a/bfd/elf32-nios2.c b/bfd/elf32-nios2.c
index a699b0cfa9d..b02de7417a2 100644
--- a/bfd/elf32-nios2.c
+++ b/bfd/elf32-nios2.c
@@ -3724,7 +3724,6 @@ nios2_elf32_relocate_section (bfd *output_bfd,
       const char *name = NULL;
       int r_type;
       const char *format;
-      char *msgbuf = NULL;
       char *msg = NULL;
       bool unresolved_reloc;
       bfd_vma off;
@@ -3825,10 +3824,7 @@ nios2_elf32_relocate_section (bfd *output_bfd,
 
 		  format = _("global pointer relative relocation at address "
 			     "%#" PRIx64 " when _gp not defined\n");
-		  if (asprintf (&msgbuf, format,
-				(uint64_t) reloc_address) == -1)
-		    msgbuf = NULL;
-		  msg = msgbuf;
+		  msg = bfd_asprintf (format, (uint64_t) reloc_address);
 		  r = bfd_reloc_dangerous;
 		}
 	      else
@@ -3857,11 +3853,10 @@ nios2_elf32_relocate_section (bfd *output_bfd,
 				 "the global pointer (at %#" PRIx64 ") "
 				 "because the offset (%" PRId64 ") is out of "
 				 "the allowed range, -32678 to 32767\n" );
-		      if (asprintf (&msgbuf, format, name,
-				    (uint64_t) symbol_address, (uint64_t) gp,
-				    (int64_t) relocation) == -1)
-			msgbuf = NULL;
-		      msg = msgbuf;
+		      msg = bfd_asprintf (format, name,
+					  (uint64_t) symbol_address,
+					  (uint64_t) gp,
+					  (int64_t) relocation);
 		      r = bfd_reloc_outofrange;
 		    }
 		  else
@@ -4531,7 +4526,6 @@ nios2_elf32_relocate_section (bfd *output_bfd,
 	    {
 	      (*info->callbacks->warning) (info, msg, name, input_bfd,
 					   input_section, rel->r_offset);
-	      free (msgbuf);
 	      return false;
 	    }
 	}
diff --git a/bfd/elf32-ppc.c b/bfd/elf32-ppc.c
index 2cff158a5f5..2c544b11de5 100644
--- a/bfd/elf32-ppc.c
+++ b/bfd/elf32-ppc.c
@@ -987,14 +987,8 @@ ppc_elf_unhandled_reloc (bfd *abfd,
 				  input_section, output_bfd, error_message);
 
   if (error_message != NULL)
-    {
-      static char *message;
-      free (message);
-      if (asprintf (&message, _("generic linker can't handle %s"),
-		    reloc_entry->howto->name) < 0)
-	message = NULL;
-      *error_message = message;
-    }
+    *error_message = bfd_asprintf (_("generic linker can't handle %s"),
+				     reloc_entry->howto->name);
   return bfd_reloc_dangerous;
 }
 
diff --git a/bfd/elf64-ppc.c b/bfd/elf64-ppc.c
index 0e9a7ff96c3..dea9408ca49 100644
--- a/bfd/elf64-ppc.c
+++ b/bfd/elf64-ppc.c
@@ -1750,14 +1750,8 @@ ppc64_elf_unhandled_reloc (bfd *abfd, arelent *reloc_entry, asymbol *symbol,
 				  input_section, output_bfd, error_message);
 
   if (error_message != NULL)
-    {
-      static char *message;
-      free (message);
-      if (asprintf (&message, _("generic linker can't handle %s"),
-		    reloc_entry->howto->name) < 0)
-	message = NULL;
-      *error_message = message;
-    }
+    *error_message = bfd_asprintf (_("generic linker can't handle %s"),
+				   reloc_entry->howto->name);
   return bfd_reloc_dangerous;
 }
 
diff --git a/bfd/elfnn-riscv.c b/bfd/elfnn-riscv.c
index 30d2faa405d..09aa7be225e 100644
--- a/bfd/elfnn-riscv.c
+++ b/bfd/elfnn-riscv.c
@@ -2090,14 +2090,14 @@ riscv_resolve_pcrel_lo_relocs (riscv_pcrel_relocs *p)
 	       != RISCV_CONST_HIGH_PART (entry->value + r->reloc->r_addend))
 	{
 	  /* Check the overflow when adding reloc addend.  */
-	  if (asprintf (&string,
-			_("%%pcrel_lo overflow with an addend, the "
-			  "value of %%pcrel_hi is 0x%" PRIx64 " without "
-			  "any addend, but may be 0x%" PRIx64 " after "
-			  "adding the %%pcrel_lo addend"),
-			(int64_t) RISCV_CONST_HIGH_PART (entry->value),
-			(int64_t) RISCV_CONST_HIGH_PART
-				(entry->value + r->reloc->r_addend)) == -1)
+	  string = bfd_asprintf (_("%%pcrel_lo overflow with an addend,"
+				   " the value of %%pcrel_hi is 0x%" PRIx64
+				   " without any addend, but may be 0x%" PRIx64
+				   " after adding the %%pcrel_lo addend"),
+				 (int64_t) RISCV_CONST_HIGH_PART (entry->value),
+				 (int64_t) RISCV_CONST_HIGH_PART
+				 (entry->value + r->reloc->r_addend));
+	  if (string == NULL)
 	    string = _("%pcrel_lo overflow with an addend");
 	}
 
@@ -2184,7 +2184,6 @@ riscv_elf_relocate_section (bfd *output_bfd,
       int r_type = ELFNN_R_TYPE (rel->r_info), tls_type;
       reloc_howto_type *howto = riscv_elf_rtype_to_howto (input_bfd, r_type);
       const char *msg = NULL;
-      char *msg_buf = NULL;
       bool resolved_to_zero;
 
       if (howto == NULL)
@@ -2705,14 +2704,12 @@ riscv_elf_relocate_section (bfd *output_bfd,
 
 		     Perhaps we also need the similar checks for the
 		     R_RISCV_BRANCH and R_RISCV_RVC_BRANCH relocations.  */
-		  if (asprintf (&msg_buf,
-				_("%%X%%P: relocation %s against `%s' which "
-				  "may bind externally can not be used when "
-				  "making a shared object; recompile "
-				  "with -fPIC\n"),
-				howto->name, h->root.root.string) == -1)
-		    msg_buf = NULL;
-		  msg = msg_buf;
+		  msg = bfd_asprintf (_("%%X%%P: relocation %s against `%s'"
+					" which may bind externally"
+					" can not be used"
+					" when making a shared object;"
+					" recompile with -fPIC\n"),
+				      howto->name, h->root.root.string);
 		  r = bfd_reloc_notsupported;
 		}
 	    }
@@ -2999,13 +2996,10 @@ riscv_elf_relocate_section (bfd *output_bfd,
 	  && _bfd_elf_section_offset (output_bfd, info, input_section,
 				      rel->r_offset) != (bfd_vma) -1)
 	{
-	  if (asprintf (&msg_buf,
-			_("%%X%%P: unresolvable %s relocation against "
-			  "symbol `%s'\n"),
-			howto->name,
-			h->root.root.string) == -1)
-	    msg_buf = NULL;
-	  msg = msg_buf;
+	  msg = bfd_asprintf (_("%%X%%P: unresolvable %s relocation against "
+				"symbol `%s'\n"),
+			      howto->name,
+			      h->root.root.string);
 	  r = bfd_reloc_notsupported;
 	}
 
@@ -3062,9 +3056,6 @@ riscv_elf_relocate_section (bfd *output_bfd,
       if (msg && r != bfd_reloc_dangerous)
 	info->callbacks->einfo (msg);
 
-      /* Free the unused `msg_buf`.  */
-      free (msg_buf);
-
       /* We already reported the error via a callback, so don't try to report
 	 it again by returning false.  That leads to spurious errors.  */
       ret = true;
diff --git a/bfd/libbfd.h b/bfd/libbfd.h
index a9fa1111a3d..55aa8f91cbd 100644
--- a/bfd/libbfd.h
+++ b/bfd/libbfd.h
@@ -933,6 +933,11 @@ bool bfd_write_bigendian_4byte_int (bfd *, unsigned int) ATTRIBUTE_HIDDEN;
 unsigned int bfd_log2 (bfd_vma x) ATTRIBUTE_HIDDEN;
 
 /* Extracted from bfd.c.  */
+/* A buffer that is freed on bfd_close.  */
+extern char *_bfd_error_buf;
+
+char *bfd_asprintf (const char *fmt, ...) ATTRIBUTE_HIDDEN;
+
 bfd_error_handler_type _bfd_set_error_handler_caching (bfd *) ATTRIBUTE_HIDDEN;
 
 const char *_bfd_get_error_program_name (void) ATTRIBUTE_HIDDEN;
diff --git a/bfd/opncls.c b/bfd/opncls.c
index 7cb09a108e5..ee34a1231d7 100644
--- a/bfd/opncls.c
+++ b/bfd/opncls.c
@@ -929,6 +929,8 @@ bfd_close_all_done (bfd *abfd)
     }
 
   _bfd_delete_bfd (abfd);
+  free (_bfd_error_buf);
+  _bfd_error_buf = NULL;
 
   return ret;
 }
diff --git a/gas/read.c b/gas/read.c
index b4b628f2e5c..0cceca8a802 100644
--- a/gas/read.c
+++ b/gas/read.c
@@ -322,6 +322,8 @@ read_end (void)
   stabs_end ();
   poend ();
   _obstack_free (&cond_obstack, NULL);
+  free (current_name);
+  free (current_label);
 }
 
 #ifndef TC_ADDRESS_BYTES
@@ -6048,6 +6050,8 @@ do_s_func (int end_p, const char *default_prefix)
       if (debug_type == DEBUG_STABS)
 	stabs_generate_asm_endfunc (current_name, current_label);
 
+      free (current_name);
+      free (current_label);
       current_name = current_label = NULL;
     }
   else /* ! end_p */
@@ -6084,7 +6088,7 @@ do_s_func (int end_p, const char *default_prefix)
 		    as_fatal ("%s", xstrerror (errno));
 		}
 	      else
-		label = name;
+		label = xstrdup (name);
 	    }
 	}
       else
diff --git a/ld/pe-dll.c b/ld/pe-dll.c
index e45ae104265..371915ac1cb 100644
--- a/ld/pe-dll.c
+++ b/ld/pe-dll.c
@@ -2107,6 +2107,7 @@ make_head (bfd *parent)
   tmp_seq++;
 
   abfd = bfd_create (oname, parent);
+  free (oname);
   bfd_find_target (pe_details->object_target, abfd);
   bfd_make_writable (abfd);
 
@@ -2200,6 +2201,7 @@ make_tail (bfd *parent)
   tmp_seq++;
 
   abfd = bfd_create (oname, parent);
+  free (oname);
   bfd_find_target (pe_details->object_target, abfd);
   bfd_make_writable (abfd);
 
@@ -2392,6 +2394,7 @@ make_one (def_file_export *exp, bfd *parent, bool include_jmp_stub)
   tmp_seq++;
 
   abfd = bfd_create (oname, parent);
+  free (oname);
   bfd_find_target (pe_details->object_target, abfd);
   bfd_make_writable (abfd);
 
@@ -2586,6 +2589,7 @@ make_singleton_name_thunk (const char *import, bfd *parent)
   tmp_seq++;
 
   abfd = bfd_create (oname, parent);
+  free (oname);
   bfd_find_target (pe_details->object_target, abfd);
   bfd_make_writable (abfd);
 
@@ -2666,6 +2670,7 @@ make_import_fixup_entry (const char *name,
   tmp_seq++;
 
   abfd = bfd_create (oname, parent);
+  free (oname);
   bfd_find_target (pe_details->object_target, abfd);
   bfd_make_writable (abfd);
 
@@ -2724,6 +2729,7 @@ make_runtime_pseudo_reloc (const char *name ATTRIBUTE_UNUSED,
   tmp_seq++;
 
   abfd = bfd_create (oname, parent);
+  free (oname);
   bfd_find_target (pe_details->object_target, abfd);
   bfd_make_writable (abfd);
 
@@ -2816,6 +2822,7 @@ pe_create_runtime_relocator_reference (bfd *parent)
   tmp_seq++;
 
   abfd = bfd_create (oname, parent);
+  free (oname);
   bfd_find_target (pe_details->object_target, abfd);
   bfd_make_writable (abfd);
 
