diff --git a/subprojects/gst-plugins-bad/ext/teletextdec/gstteletextdec.c b/subprojects/gst-plugins-bad/ext/teletextdec/gstteletextdec.c
index 38d6f69b5c..b891f7964c 100644
--- a/subprojects/gst-plugins-bad/ext/teletextdec/gstteletextdec.c
+++ b/subprojects/gst-plugins-bad/ext/teletextdec/gstteletextdec.c
@@ -874,9 +874,8 @@ gst_teletextdec_export_text_page (GstTeletextDec * teletext, vbi_page * page,
     if (!g_strcmp0 (subs->str, ""))
       g_string_append (subs, "\n");
 
-    text = subs->str;
     size = subs->len + 1;
-    g_string_free (subs, FALSE);
+    text = g_string_free (subs, FALSE);
     g_strfreev (lines);
   } else {
     size = page->columns * page->rows;
@@ -935,6 +934,7 @@ gst_teletextdec_export_pango_page (GstTeletextDec * teletext, vbi_page * page,
   gchar **lines;
   GString *subs;
   guint start, stop, k;
+  gsize len;
   gint i, j;
 
   colors = (gchar **) g_malloc (sizeof (gchar *) * (rows + 1));
@@ -965,11 +965,11 @@ gst_teletextdec_export_pango_page (GstTeletextDec * teletext, vbi_page * page,
   }
 
   /* Allocate new buffer */
-  *buf = gst_buffer_new_wrapped (subs->str, subs->len + 1);
+  len = subs->len + 1;
+  *buf = gst_buffer_new_wrapped (g_string_free (subs, FALSE), len);
 
   g_strfreev (lines);
   g_strfreev (colors);
-  g_string_free (subs, FALSE);
   return GST_FLOW_OK;
 }
 
diff --git a/subprojects/gst-plugins-bad/sys/winks/gstksvideodevice.c b/subprojects/gst-plugins-bad/sys/winks/gstksvideodevice.c
index 7a379b1eca..ac57ffa70d 100644
--- a/subprojects/gst-plugins-bad/sys/winks/gstksvideodevice.c
+++ b/subprojects/gst-plugins-bad/sys/winks/gstksvideodevice.c
@@ -237,8 +237,7 @@ gst_ks_video_device_parse_win32_error (const gchar * func_name,
           : "failed to retrieve system error message");
     }
 
-    *ret_error_str = message->str;
-    g_string_free (message, FALSE);
+    *ret_error_str = g_string_free (message, FALSE);
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/subprojects/gst-plugins-bad/sys/winks/kshelpers.c b/subprojects/gst-plugins-bad/sys/winks/kshelpers.c
index 80bb4775b2..61484615ec 100644
--- a/subprojects/gst-plugins-bad/sys/winks/kshelpers.c
+++ b/subprojects/gst-plugins-bad/sys/winks/kshelpers.c
@@ -383,7 +383,6 @@ ks_state_to_string (KSSTATE state)
 gchar *
 ks_options_flags_to_string (gulong flags)
 {
-  gchar *ret;
   GString *str;
 
   str = g_string_sized_new (128);
@@ -404,10 +403,7 @@ ks_options_flags_to_string (gulong flags)
   if (flags != 0)
     g_string_append_printf (str, "|0x%08x", (guint) flags);
 
-  ret = str->str;
-  g_string_free (str, FALSE);
-
-  return ret;
+  return g_string_free (str, FALSE);
 }
 
 typedef struct
diff --git a/subprojects/gst-plugins-bad/tools/gst-app-maker b/subprojects/gst-plugins-bad/tools/gst-app-maker
index c96892a6fd..492ac8cdc9 100755
--- a/subprojects/gst-plugins-bad/tools/gst-app-maker
+++ b/subprojects/gst-plugins-bad/tools/gst-app-maker
@@ -261,7 +261,7 @@ gst_replace_create_pipeline (GstReplace *replace)
   if (verbose) g_print ("pipeline: %s\n", pipe_desc->str);
 
   pipeline = (GstElement *) gst_parse_launch (pipe_desc->str, &error);
-  g_string_free (pipe_desc, FALSE);
+  g_string_free (pipe_desc, TRUE);
 
   if (error) {
     g_print("pipeline parsing error: %s\n", error->message);
diff --git a/subprojects/gst-plugins-base/gst/subparse/gstsubparse.c b/subprojects/gst-plugins-base/gst/subparse/gstsubparse.c
index ffa00d0a15..0f7425d863 100644
--- a/subprojects/gst-plugins-base/gst/subparse/gstsubparse.c
+++ b/subprojects/gst-plugins-base/gst/subparse/gstsubparse.c
@@ -608,8 +608,7 @@ parse_mdvdsub (ParserState * state, const gchar * line)
       break;
     }
   }
-  ret = markup->str;
-  g_string_free (markup, FALSE);
+  ret = g_string_free (markup, FALSE);
   GST_DEBUG ("parse_mdvdsub returning (%f+%f): %s",
       state->start_time / (double) GST_SECOND,
       state->duration / (double) GST_SECOND, ret);
diff --git a/subprojects/gstreamer/gst/gsttaglist.c b/subprojects/gstreamer/gst/gsttaglist.c
index 14fd397d13..eb3f9ce64a 100644
--- a/subprojects/gstreamer/gst/gsttaglist.c
+++ b/subprojects/gstreamer/gst/gsttaglist.c
@@ -455,8 +455,7 @@ gst_tag_merge_strings_with_comma (GValue * dest, const GValue * src)
   }
 
   g_value_init (dest, G_TYPE_STRING);
-  g_value_take_string (dest, str->str);
-  g_string_free (str, FALSE);
+  g_value_take_string (dest, g_string_free (str, FALSE));
 }
 
 static GstTagInfo *