diff --git a/vm/os-genunix.c b/vm/os-genunix.c
index a0bd3e05ae..f582483ce7 100755
--- a/vm/os-genunix.c
+++ b/vm/os-genunix.c
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ void init_signals(void)
 void early_init(void) { }
 
 #define SUFFIX ".image"
+#define SUFFIX_LEN 6
 
 const char *default_image_path(void)
 {
@@ -21,8 +22,14 @@ const char *default_image_path(void)
 	if(!path)
 		return "factor.image";
 
-	char *new_path = safe_malloc(PATH_MAX + strlen(SUFFIX) + 1);
-	memcpy(new_path,path,strlen(path) + 1);
-	strcat(new_path,SUFFIX); 
+	/* We can't call strlen() here because with gcc 4.1.2 this
+	causes an internal compiler error. */
+	int len = 0;
+	const char *iter = path;
+	while(*iter) { len++; iter++; }
+
+	char *new_path = safe_malloc(PATH_MAX + SUFFIX_LEN + 1);
+	memcpy(new_path,path,len + 1);
+	memcpy(new_path + len,SUFFIX,SUFFIX_LEN + 1);
 	return new_path;
 }
diff --git a/vm/types.c b/vm/types.c
index 24b5e7ff07..11e92ec754 100755
--- a/vm/types.c
+++ b/vm/types.c
@@ -471,8 +471,6 @@ F_STRING* allot_string_internal(CELL capacity)
 	string->hashcode = F;
 	string->aux = F;
 
-	set_string_nth(string,capacity,0);
-
 	return string;
 }
 
@@ -645,14 +643,7 @@ F_BYTE_ARRAY *allot_c_string(CELL capacity, CELL size)
 	} \
 	type *to_##type##_string(F_STRING *s, bool check) \
 	{ \
-		if(sizeof(type) == sizeof(char)) \
-		{ \
-			if(check && !check_string(s,sizeof(type))) \
-				general_error(ERROR_C_STRING,tag_object(s),F,NULL); \
-			return (type*)(s + 1); \
-		} \
-		else \
-			return (type*)(string_to_##type##_alien(s,check) + 1); \
+		return (type*)(string_to_##type##_alien(s,check) + 1); \
 	} \
 	type *unbox_##type##_string(void) \
 	{ \