diff --git a/common.c b/common.c
index 2020032..8f35896 100644
--- a/common.c
+++ b/common.c
@@ -1137,6 +1137,17 @@ config_item_string (const struct str *s)
 	return self;
 }
 
+static struct config_item_ *
+config_item_string_from_cstr (const char *s)
+{
+	struct str tmp;
+	str_init (&tmp);
+	str_append (&tmp, s);
+	struct config_item_ *self = config_item_string (&tmp);
+	str_free (&tmp);
+	return self;
+}
+
 static struct config_item_ *
 config_item_string_array (const struct str *s)
 {
diff --git a/degesch.c b/degesch.c
index 34a7975..86b9a0e 100644
--- a/degesch.c
+++ b/degesch.c
@@ -1639,12 +1639,7 @@ set_config_string
 	struct config_item_ *item = config_item_get (root, key, NULL);
 	hard_assert (item);
 
-	struct str s;
-	str_init (&s);
-	str_append (&s, value);
-	struct config_item_ *new_ = config_item_string (&s);
-	str_free (&s);
-
+	struct config_item_ *new_ = config_item_string_from_cstr (value);
 	struct error *e = NULL;
 	if (config_item_set_from (item, new_, &e))
 		return true;
@@ -8700,12 +8695,7 @@ load_default_aliases (struct app_context *ctx)
 	for (size_t i = 0; i < N_ELEMENTS (g_default_aliases); i++)
 	{
 		const char **pair = g_default_aliases[i];
-
-		struct str tmp;
-		str_init (&tmp);
-		str_append (&tmp, pair[1]);
-		str_map_set (aliases, pair[0], config_item_string (&tmp));
-		str_free (&tmp);
+		str_map_set (aliases, pair[0], config_item_string_from_cstr (pair[1]));
 	}
 }