diff --git a/daemon/Makefile.am b/daemon/Makefile.am
index 0d3dde516..eedf09d52 100644
--- a/daemon/Makefile.am
+++ b/daemon/Makefile.am
@@ -49,6 +49,8 @@ endif
 guestfsd_SOURCES = \
 	../common/errnostring/errnostring.h \
 	../common/protocol/guestfs_protocol.h \
+	../common/utils/cleanups.h \
+	../common/utils/guestfs-utils.h \
 	9p.c \
 	acl.c \
 	actions.h \
@@ -62,7 +64,6 @@ guestfsd_SOURCES = \
 	cap.c \
 	checksum.c \
 	cleanups.c \
-	cleanups.h \
 	cmp.c \
 	command.c \
 	command.h \
@@ -178,6 +179,7 @@ guestfsd_SOURCES = \
 guestfsd_LDADD = \
 	../common/errnostring/liberrnostring.la \
 	../common/protocol/libprotocol.la \
+	../common/utils/libutils.la \
 	$(ACL_LIBS) \
 	$(CAP_LIBS) \
 	$(YAJL_LIBS) \
@@ -206,7 +208,9 @@ guestfsd_CPPFLAGS = \
 	-I$(top_srcdir)/common/errnostring \
 	-I$(top_builddir)/common/errnostring \
 	-I$(top_srcdir)/common/protocol \
-	-I$(top_builddir)/common/protocol
+	-I$(top_builddir)/common/protocol \
+	-I$(top_srcdir)/common/utils \
+	-I$(top_builddir)/common/utils
 guestfsd_CFLAGS = \
 	$(WARN_CFLAGS) $(WERROR_CFLAGS) \
 	$(RPC_CFLAGS) \
diff --git a/daemon/augeas.c b/daemon/augeas.c
index 5adc959a5..bd54c4849 100644
--- a/daemon/augeas.c
+++ b/daemon/augeas.c
@@ -436,7 +436,7 @@ do_aug_ls (const char *path)
   if (matches == NULL)
     return NULL;		/* do_aug_match has already sent the error */
 
-  sort_strings (matches, count_strings ((void *) matches));
+  sort_strings (matches, guestfs_int_count_strings ((void *) matches));
   return matches;		/* Caller frees. */
 }
 
diff --git a/daemon/btrfs.c b/daemon/btrfs.c
index ae2310b53..5f1e5d1d0 100644
--- a/daemon/btrfs.c
+++ b/daemon/btrfs.c
@@ -152,7 +152,7 @@ do_mkfs_btrfs (char *const *devices,
                int leafsize, const char *label, const char *metadata,
                int nodesize, int sectorsize)
 {
-  const size_t nr_devices = count_strings (devices);
+  const size_t nr_devices = guestfs_int_count_strings (devices);
   const size_t MAX_ARGS = nr_devices + 64;
   const char *argv[MAX_ARGS];
   size_t i = 0, j;
@@ -500,7 +500,7 @@ do_btrfs_subvolume_list (const mountable_t *fs)
 
   guestfs_int_btrfssubvolume_list *ret = NULL;
 
-  const size_t nr_subvolumes = count_strings (lines);
+  const size_t nr_subvolumes = guestfs_int_count_strings (lines);
 
   ret = malloc (sizeof *ret);
   if (!ret) {
@@ -733,7 +733,7 @@ int
 do_btrfs_device_add (char *const *devices, const char *fs)
 {
   static int btrfs_device_add_needs_force = -1;
-  const size_t nr_devices = count_strings (devices);
+  const size_t nr_devices = guestfs_int_count_strings (devices);
   const size_t MAX_ARGS = nr_devices + 8;
   const char *argv[MAX_ARGS];
   size_t i = 0, j;
@@ -781,7 +781,7 @@ do_btrfs_device_add (char *const *devices, const char *fs)
 int
 do_btrfs_device_delete (char *const *devices, const char *fs)
 {
-  const size_t nr_devices = count_strings (devices);
+  const size_t nr_devices = guestfs_int_count_strings (devices);
 
   if (nr_devices == 0)
     return 0;
@@ -1391,7 +1391,7 @@ do_btrfs_qgroup_show (const char *path)
    *  0/5        9249849344   9249849344
    *
    */
-  const size_t nr_qgroups = count_strings (lines) - 2;
+  const size_t nr_qgroups = guestfs_int_count_strings (lines) - 2;
   guestfs_int_btrfsqgroup_list *ret = NULL;
   ret = malloc (sizeof *ret);
   if (!ret) {
@@ -1821,7 +1821,7 @@ do_btrfs_balance_status (const char *path)
   if (!lines)
     return NULL;
 
-  nlines = count_strings (lines);
+  nlines = guestfs_int_count_strings (lines);
 
   ret = calloc (1, sizeof *ret);
   if (ret == NULL) {
@@ -1938,7 +1938,7 @@ do_btrfs_scrub_status (const char *path)
   if (!lines)
     return NULL;
 
-  if (count_strings (lines) < 2) {
+  if (guestfs_int_count_strings (lines) < 2) {
     reply_with_error ("truncated output from 'btrfs scrub status -R' command");
     return NULL;
   }
@@ -2124,7 +2124,7 @@ int
 do_btrfs_image (char *const *sources, const char *image,
 		int compresslevel)
 {
-  const size_t nr_sources =  count_strings (sources);
+  const size_t nr_sources =  guestfs_int_count_strings (sources);
   const size_t MAX_ARGS = 64 + nr_sources;
   const char *argv[MAX_ARGS];
   size_t i = 0, j;
@@ -2229,7 +2229,7 @@ do_btrfs_filesystem_show (const char *device)
   if (!lines)
     return NULL;
 
-  if (count_strings (lines) < 3) {
+  if (guestfs_int_count_strings (lines) < 3) {
     reply_with_error ("truncated output from 'btrfs filesystem show' command");
     return NULL;
   }
diff --git a/daemon/cleanups.c b/daemon/cleanups.c
index 3102cf94b..b4767178a 100644
--- a/daemon/cleanups.c
+++ b/daemon/cleanups.c
@@ -24,51 +24,7 @@
 
 #include <augeas.h>
 
-#include "cleanups.h"
-
-/* Use by the CLEANUP_* macros.  Do not call these directly. */
-void
-cleanup_free (void *ptr)
-{
-  free (* (void **) ptr);
-}
-
-extern void free_strings (char **argv);
-
-void
-cleanup_free_string_list (void *ptr)
-{
-  free_strings (* (char ***) ptr);
-}
-
-void
-cleanup_unlink_free (void *ptr)
-{
-  char *filename = * (char **) ptr;
-
-  if (filename) {
-    unlink (filename);
-    free (filename);
-  }
-}
-
-void
-cleanup_close (void *ptr)
-{
-  const int fd = * (int *) ptr;
-
-  if (fd >= 0)
-    close (fd);
-}
-
-void
-cleanup_fclose (void *ptr)
-{
-  FILE *f = * (FILE **) ptr;
-
-  if (f)
-    fclose (f);
-}
+#include "daemon.h"
 
 void
 cleanup_aug_close (void *ptr)
@@ -79,9 +35,6 @@ cleanup_aug_close (void *ptr)
     aug_close (aug);
 }
 
-struct stringsbuf;
-extern void free_stringsbuf (struct stringsbuf *sb);
-
 void
 cleanup_free_stringsbuf (void *ptr)
 {
diff --git a/daemon/cleanups.h b/daemon/cleanups.h
deleted file mode 100644
index a791244cb..000000000
--- a/daemon/cleanups.h
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,51 +0,0 @@
-/* libguestfs - the guestfsd daemon
- * Copyright (C) 2009-2015 Red Hat 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.,
- * 51 Franklin Street, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA 02110-1301 USA.
- */
-
-#ifndef GUESTFSD_CLEANUPS_H
-#define GUESTFSD_CLEANUPS_H
-
-/* These functions are used internally by the CLEANUP_* macros.
- * Don't call them directly.
- */
-extern void cleanup_free (void *ptr);
-extern void cleanup_free_string_list (void *ptr);
-extern void cleanup_unlink_free (void *ptr);
-extern void cleanup_close (void *ptr);
-extern void cleanup_fclose (void *ptr);
-extern void cleanup_aug_close (void *ptr);
-extern void cleanup_free_stringsbuf (void *ptr);
-
-#ifdef HAVE_ATTRIBUTE_CLEANUP
-#define CLEANUP_FREE __attribute__((cleanup(cleanup_free)))
-#define CLEANUP_FREE_STRING_LIST                        \
-    __attribute__((cleanup(cleanup_free_string_list)))
-#define CLEANUP_UNLINK_FREE __attribute__((cleanup(cleanup_unlink_free)))
-#define CLEANUP_CLOSE __attribute__((cleanup(cleanup_close)))
-#define CLEANUP_FCLOSE __attribute__((cleanup(cleanup_fclose)))
-#define CLEANUP_AUG_CLOSE __attribute__((cleanup(cleanup_aug_close)))
-#define CLEANUP_FREE_STRINGSBUF __attribute__((cleanup(cleanup_free_stringsbuf)))
-#else
-#define CLEANUP_FREE
-#define CLEANUP_FREE_STRING_LIST
-#define CLEANUP_UNLINK_FREE
-#define CLEANUP_CLOSE
-#define CLEANUP_AUG_CLOSE
-#define CLEANUP_FREE_STRINGSBUF
-#endif
-
-#endif /* GUESTFSD_CLEANUPS_H */
diff --git a/daemon/daemon.h b/daemon/daemon.h
index 400116514..be7a3bedc 100644
--- a/daemon/daemon.h
+++ b/daemon/daemon.h
@@ -30,9 +30,11 @@
 
 #include "guestfs_protocol.h"
 
+#include "cleanups.h"
+#include "guestfs-utils.h"
+
 #include "guestfs-internal-all.h"
 
-#include "cleanups.h"
 #include "structs-cleanups.h"
 #include "command.h"
 
@@ -76,6 +78,22 @@ extern int xread (int sock, void *buf, size_t len)
 
 extern char *mountable_to_string (const mountable_t *mountable);
 
+/*-- in cleanups.c --*/
+
+/* These functions are used internally by the CLEANUP_* macros.
+ * Don't call them directly.
+ */
+extern void cleanup_aug_close (void *ptr);
+extern void cleanup_free_stringsbuf (void *ptr);
+
+#ifdef HAVE_ATTRIBUTE_CLEANUP
+#define CLEANUP_AUG_CLOSE __attribute__((cleanup(cleanup_aug_close)))
+#define CLEANUP_FREE_STRINGSBUF __attribute__((cleanup(cleanup_free_stringsbuf)))
+#else
+#define CLEANUP_AUG_CLOSE
+#define CLEANUP_FREE_STRINGSBUF
+#endif
+
 /*-- in mount.c --*/
 
 extern int mount_vfs_nochroot (const char *options, const char *vfstype,
@@ -109,21 +127,12 @@ extern int end_stringsbuf (struct stringsbuf *sb);
 extern char **take_stringsbuf (struct stringsbuf *sb);
 extern void free_stringsbuf (struct stringsbuf *sb);
 
-extern size_t count_strings (char *const *argv);
 extern void sort_strings (char **argv, size_t len);
-extern void free_strings (char **argv);
 extern void free_stringslen (char **argv, size_t len);
 
 extern void sort_device_names (char **argv, size_t len);
 extern int compare_device_names (const char *a, const char *b);
 
-/* Concatenate strings, optionally with a separator string between
- * each.  On error, these return NULL but do NOT call reply_with_* nor
- * free anything.
- */
-extern char *concat_strings (char *const *argv);
-extern char *join_strings (const char *separator, char *const *argv);
-
 extern struct stringsbuf split_lines_sb (char *str);
 extern char **split_lines (char *str);
 
diff --git a/daemon/debug.c b/daemon/debug.c
index b18d87c26..e2d43a7ca 100644
--- a/daemon/debug.c
+++ b/daemon/debug.c
@@ -444,7 +444,7 @@ debug_ldd (const char *subcmd, size_t argc, char *const *const argv)
 static char *
 debug_ls (const char *subcmd, size_t argc, char *const *const argv)
 {
-  const size_t len = count_strings (argv);
+  const size_t len = guestfs_int_count_strings (argv);
   CLEANUP_FREE const char **cargv = NULL;
   size_t i;
   int r;
@@ -477,7 +477,7 @@ debug_ls (const char *subcmd, size_t argc, char *const *const argv)
 static char *
 debug_ll (const char *subcmd, size_t argc, char *const *const argv)
 {
-  const size_t len = count_strings (argv);
+  const size_t len = guestfs_int_count_strings (argv);
   CLEANUP_FREE const char **cargv = NULL;
   size_t i;
   int r;
diff --git a/daemon/echo-daemon.c b/daemon/echo-daemon.c
index d566a9bb2..15429f072 100644
--- a/daemon/echo-daemon.c
+++ b/daemon/echo-daemon.c
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ do_echo_daemon (char *const *argv)
 {
   char *out;
 
-  out = join_strings (" ", argv);
+  out = guestfs_int_join_strings (" ", argv);
   if (out == NULL) {
     reply_with_perror ("malloc");
     return NULL;
diff --git a/daemon/guestfsd.c b/daemon/guestfsd.c
index db2bb702f..b3f40628b 100644
--- a/daemon/guestfsd.c
+++ b/daemon/guestfsd.c
@@ -583,16 +583,6 @@ take_stringsbuf (struct stringsbuf *sb)
   return ret;
 }
 
-size_t
-count_strings (char *const *argv)
-{
-  size_t argc;
-
-  for (argc = 0; argv[argc] != NULL; ++argc)
-    ;
-  return argc;
-}
-
 /**
  * Returns true if C<v> is a power of 2.
  *
@@ -619,19 +609,6 @@ sort_strings (char **argv, size_t len)
   qsort (argv, len, sizeof (char *), compare);
 }
 
-void
-free_strings (char **argv)
-{
-  size_t argc;
-
-  if (!argv)
-    return;
-
-  for (argc = 0; argv[argc] != NULL; ++argc)
-    free (argv[argc]);
-  free (argv);
-}
-
 void
 free_stringslen (char **argv, size_t len)
 {
@@ -720,47 +697,6 @@ sort_device_names (char **argv, size_t len)
   qsort (argv, len, sizeof (char *), compare_device_names_vp);
 }
 
-char *
-concat_strings (char *const *argv)
-{
-  return join_strings ("", argv);
-}
-
-char *
-join_strings (const char *separator, char *const *argv)
-{
-  size_t i, len, seplen, rlen;
-  char *r;
-
-  seplen = strlen (separator);
-
-  len = 0;
-  for (i = 0; argv[i] != NULL; ++i) {
-    if (i > 0)
-      len += seplen;
-    len += strlen (argv[i]);
-  }
-  len++; /* for final \0 */
-
-  r = malloc (len);
-  if (r == NULL)
-    return NULL;
-
-  rlen = 0;
-  for (i = 0; argv[i] != NULL; ++i) {
-    if (i > 0) {
-      memcpy (&r[rlen], separator, seplen);
-      rlen += seplen;
-    }
-    len = strlen (argv[i]);
-    memcpy (&r[rlen], argv[i], len);
-    rlen += len;
-  }
-  r[rlen] = '\0';
-
-  return r;
-}
-
 /**
  * Split an output string into a NULL-terminated list of lines,
  * wrapped into a stringsbuf.
diff --git a/daemon/ldm.c b/daemon/ldm.c
index 7753b0d82..75418e8d3 100644
--- a/daemon/ldm.c
+++ b/daemon/ldm.c
@@ -320,7 +320,7 @@ do_ldmtool_scan_devices (char * const * devices)
   int r;
   CLEANUP_FREE char *out = NULL, *err = NULL;
 
-  nr_devices = count_strings (devices);
+  nr_devices = guestfs_int_count_strings (devices);
   argv = malloc ((3 + nr_devices) * sizeof (char *));
   if (argv == NULL) {
     reply_with_perror ("malloc");
diff --git a/daemon/lvm.c b/daemon/lvm.c
index 6c57046ff..5d12b009f 100644
--- a/daemon/lvm.c
+++ b/daemon/lvm.c
@@ -337,7 +337,7 @@ do_vgcreate (const char *volgroup, char *const *physvols)
   CLEANUP_FREE char *err = NULL;
   CLEANUP_FREE const char **argv = NULL;
 
-  argc = count_strings (physvols) + 3;
+  argc = guestfs_int_count_strings (physvols) + 3;
   argv = malloc (sizeof (char *) * (argc + 1));
   if (argv == NULL) {
     reply_with_perror ("malloc");
@@ -643,7 +643,7 @@ do_vg_activate (int activate, char *const *volgroups)
   CLEANUP_FREE char *err = NULL;
   CLEANUP_FREE const char **argv = NULL;
 
-  argc = count_strings (volgroups) + 4;
+  argc = guestfs_int_count_strings (volgroups) + 4;
   argv = malloc (sizeof (char *) * (argc+1));
   if (argv == NULL) {
     reply_with_perror ("malloc");
diff --git a/daemon/md.c b/daemon/md.c
index 3f31529e2..64d98fae5 100644
--- a/daemon/md.c
+++ b/daemon/md.c
@@ -97,7 +97,8 @@ do_md_create (const char *name, char *const *devices,
     }
   }
   else
-    nrdevices = count_strings (devices) + count_bits (umissingbitmap);
+    nrdevices =
+      guestfs_int_count_strings (devices) + count_bits (umissingbitmap);
 
   if (optargs_bitmask & GUESTFS_MD_CREATE_LEVEL_BITMASK) {
     if (STRNEQ (level, "linear") && STRNEQ (level, "raid0") &&
@@ -124,10 +125,11 @@ do_md_create (const char *name, char *const *devices,
   }
 
   /* Check invariant. */
-  if (count_strings (devices) + count_bits (umissingbitmap) !=
+  if (guestfs_int_count_strings (devices) + count_bits (umissingbitmap) !=
       (size_t) (nrdevices + spare)) {
     reply_with_error ("devices (%zu) + bits set in missingbitmap (%zu) is not equal to nrdevices (%d) + spare (%d)",
-                      count_strings (devices), count_bits (umissingbitmap),
+                      guestfs_int_count_strings (devices),
+                      count_bits (umissingbitmap),
                       nrdevices, spare);
     return -1;
   }
diff --git a/daemon/stat.c b/daemon/stat.c
index 73f19226b..a1cd49245 100644
--- a/daemon/stat.c
+++ b/daemon/stat.c
@@ -127,7 +127,7 @@ do_internal_lstatnslist (const char *path, char *const *names)
   guestfs_int_statns_list *ret;
   size_t i, nr_names;
 
-  nr_names = count_strings (names);
+  nr_names = guestfs_int_count_strings (names);
 
   ret = malloc (sizeof *ret);
   if (!ret) {
diff --git a/docs/C_SOURCE_FILES b/docs/C_SOURCE_FILES
index bfb837178..8ce6b5865 100644
--- a/docs/C_SOURCE_FILES
+++ b/docs/C_SOURCE_FILES
@@ -74,7 +74,6 @@ daemon/btrfs.c
 daemon/cap.c
 daemon/checksum.c
 daemon/cleanups.c
-daemon/cleanups.h
 daemon/cmp.c
 daemon/command.c
 daemon/command.h
diff --git a/generator/daemon.ml b/generator/daemon.ml
index 0300dc54b..2ae462864 100644
--- a/generator/daemon.ml
+++ b/generator/daemon.ml
@@ -397,7 +397,7 @@ let generate_daemon_stubs actions () =
         | RStringList (RPlainString, n)
         | RHashtable (RPlainString, RPlainString, n) ->
             pr "  struct guestfs_%s_ret ret;\n" name;
-            pr "  ret.%s.%s_len = count_strings (r);\n" n n;
+            pr "  ret.%s.%s_len = guestfs_int_count_strings (r);\n" n n;
             pr "  ret.%s.%s_val = r;\n" n n;
             pr "  reply ((xdrproc_t) &xdr_guestfs_%s_ret, (char *) &ret);\n"
               name
@@ -413,7 +413,7 @@ let generate_daemon_stubs actions () =
             pr "    free (r[i]);\n";
             pr "    r[i] = rr;\n";
             pr "  }\n";
-            pr "  ret.%s.%s_len = count_strings (r);\n" n n;
+            pr "  ret.%s.%s_len = guestfs_int_count_strings (r);\n" n n;
             pr "  ret.%s.%s_val = r;\n" n n;
             pr "  reply ((xdrproc_t) &xdr_guestfs_%s_ret, (char *) &ret);\n"
               name
@@ -428,7 +428,7 @@ let generate_daemon_stubs actions () =
             pr "    free (r[i]);\n";
             pr "    r[i] = rr;\n";
             pr "  }\n";
-            pr "  ret.%s.%s_len = count_strings (r);\n" n n;
+            pr "  ret.%s.%s_len = guestfs_int_count_strings (r);\n" n n;
             pr "  ret.%s.%s_val = r;\n" n n;
             pr "  reply ((xdrproc_t) &xdr_guestfs_%s_ret, (char *) &ret);\n"
               name
@@ -443,7 +443,7 @@ let generate_daemon_stubs actions () =
             pr "    free (r[i+1]);\n";
             pr "    r[i+1] = rr;\n";
             pr "  }\n";
-            pr "  ret.%s.%s_len = count_strings (r);\n" n n;
+            pr "  ret.%s.%s_len = guestfs_int_count_strings (r);\n" n n;
             pr "  ret.%s.%s_val = r;\n" n n;
             pr "  reply ((xdrproc_t) &xdr_guestfs_%s_ret, (char *) &ret);\n"
               name