diff --git a/src/ex_cmds.c b/src/ex_cmds.c
index f412901..11dac06 100644
--- a/src/ex_cmds.c
+++ b/src/ex_cmds.c
@@ -1957,8 +1957,7 @@
 		    if (!shortname && st_new.st_dev == st_old.st_dev
 						&& st_new.st_ino == st_old.st_ino)
 		    {
-			vim_free(tempname);
-			tempname = NULL;
+			VIM_CLEAR(tempname);
 			shortname = TRUE;
 			break;
 		    }
@@ -5225,8 +5224,7 @@
 		    lnum += regmatch.startpos[0].lnum;
 		    sub_firstlnum += regmatch.startpos[0].lnum;
 		    nmatch -= regmatch.startpos[0].lnum;
-		    vim_free(sub_firstline);
-		    sub_firstline = NULL;
+		    VIM_CLEAR(sub_firstline);
 		}
 
 		if (sub_firstline == NULL)
@@ -5388,10 +5386,7 @@
 						     sub_firstline + copycol);
 
 				    if (new_line == NULL)
-				    {
-					vim_free(orig_line);
-					orig_line = NULL;
-				    }
+					VIM_CLEAR(orig_line);
 				    else
 				    {
 					/* Position the cursor relative to the
@@ -5820,8 +5815,7 @@
 	    if (did_sub)
 		++sub_nlines;
 	    vim_free(new_start);	/* for when substitute was cancelled */
-	    vim_free(sub_firstline);	/* free the copy of the original line */
-	    sub_firstline = NULL;
+	    VIM_CLEAR(sub_firstline);	/* free the copy of the original line */
 	}
 
 	line_breakcheck();
@@ -6975,8 +6969,7 @@
 				    && fnamecmp(e1, fname + 4) != 0)
 				{
 				    /* Not .txt and not .abx, remove it. */
-				    vim_free(fnames[i1]);
-				    fnames[i1] = NULL;
+				    VIM_CLEAR(fnames[i1]);
 				    continue;
 				}
 				if (e1 - f1 != e2 - f2
@@ -6984,11 +6977,8 @@
 				    continue;
 				if (fnamecmp(e1, ".txt") == 0
 				    && fnamecmp(e2, fname + 4) == 0)
-				{
 				    /* use .abx instead of .txt */
-				    vim_free(fnames[i1]);
-				    fnames[i1] = NULL;
-				}
+				    VIM_CLEAR(fnames[i1]);
 			    }
 			}
 #endif