diff --git a/src/dict.c b/src/dict.c
index e3332f52..b42d07ba 100644
--- a/src/dict.c
+++ b/src/dict.c
@@ -85,12 +85,9 @@ getdns_dict_find_and_add(struct getdns_dict *dict, const char *key)
 /*---------------------------------------- getdns_dict_get_names
 */
 getdns_return_t
-getdns_dict_get_names(const struct getdns_dict * dict,
-	struct getdns_list ** answer)
+getdns_dict_get_names(const getdns_dict *dict, getdns_list **answer)
 {
 	struct getdns_dict_item *item;
-	size_t index;
-	struct getdns_bindata bindata;
 
 	if (!dict || !answer)
 		return GETDNS_RETURN_INVALID_PARAMETER;
@@ -103,11 +100,7 @@ getdns_dict_get_names(const struct getdns_dict * dict,
 
 	RBTREE_FOR(item, struct getdns_dict_item *,
 		(getdns_rbtree_t *)&(dict->root)) {
-		if (getdns_list_add_item(*answer, &index) != GETDNS_RETURN_GOOD)
-			continue;
-		bindata.size = strlen(item->node.key) + 1;
-		bindata.data = (void *) item->node.key;
-		getdns_list_set_bindata(*answer, index, &bindata);
+		getdns_list_append_string(*answer, item->node.key);
 	}
 	return GETDNS_RETURN_GOOD;
 }				/* getdns_dict_get_names */
@@ -465,6 +458,35 @@ getdns_dict_set_bindata(struct getdns_dict * dict, const char *name,
 	return GETDNS_RETURN_GOOD;
 }				/* getdns_dict_set_bindata */
 
+/*---------------------------------------- getdns_dict_set_bindata */
+getdns_return_t
+getdns_dict_util_set_string(getdns_dict *dict, char *name, const char *value)
+{
+	struct getdns_dict_item *item;
+	getdns_bindata          *newbindata;
+
+	if (!dict || !name || !value)
+		return GETDNS_RETURN_INVALID_PARAMETER;
+
+	if (!(newbindata = GETDNS_MALLOC(dict->mf, getdns_bindata)))
+		return GETDNS_RETURN_MEMORY_ERROR;
+
+	newbindata->size = strlen(value);
+	if (!(newbindata->data = (void *)getdns_strdup(&dict->mf, value)))
+		goto error_free_bindata;
+
+	if ((item = getdns_dict_find_and_add(dict, name))) {
+
+		item->dtype = t_bindata;
+		item->data.bindata = newbindata;
+		return GETDNS_RETURN_GOOD;
+	}
+	GETDNS_FREE(dict->mf, newbindata->data);
+error_free_bindata:
+	GETDNS_FREE(dict->mf, newbindata);
+	return GETDNS_RETURN_MEMORY_ERROR;
+}				/* getdns_dict_util_set_dict */
+
 /*---------------------------------------- getdns_dict_set_int */
 getdns_return_t
 getdns_dict_set_int(struct getdns_dict * dict, const char *name,
diff --git a/src/list.c b/src/list.c
index 0da051dd..896df4ad 100644
--- a/src/list.c
+++ b/src/list.c
@@ -456,6 +456,43 @@ getdns_list_set_bindata(struct getdns_list * list, size_t index,
 	return GETDNS_RETURN_GOOD;
 }				/* getdns_list_set_bindata */
 
+/*----------------------------------------- getdns_list_set_string */
+static getdns_return_t
+getdns_list_set_string(getdns_list *list, size_t index, const char *value)
+{
+	getdns_bindata *newbindata;
+	getdns_return_t retval;
+
+	if (!list || !value)
+		return GETDNS_RETURN_INVALID_PARAMETER;
+
+	if (index > list->numinuse)
+		return GETDNS_RETURN_NO_SUCH_LIST_ITEM;
+
+	if (!(newbindata = GETDNS_MALLOC(list->mf, getdns_bindata)))
+		return GETDNS_RETURN_MEMORY_ERROR;
+
+	newbindata->size = strlen(value);
+	if (!(newbindata->data = (void *)getdns_strdup(&list->mf, value))) {
+		GETDNS_FREE(list->mf, newbindata);
+		return GETDNS_RETURN_MEMORY_ERROR;
+	}
+
+	if (index == list->numinuse) {
+		retval = getdns_list_add_item(list, &index);
+		if (retval != GETDNS_RETURN_GOOD) {
+			GETDNS_FREE(list->mf, newbindata->data);
+			GETDNS_FREE(list->mf, newbindata);
+			return retval;
+		}
+	} else
+		getdns_list_destroy_item(list, index);
+
+	list->items[index].dtype = t_bindata;
+	list->items[index].data.bindata = newbindata;
+	return GETDNS_RETURN_GOOD;
+}				/* getdns_list_set_string */
+
 /*---------------------------------------- getdns_list_set_int */
 getdns_return_t
 getdns_list_set_int(struct getdns_list * list, size_t index,
@@ -500,6 +537,12 @@ getdns_list_append_bindata(getdns_list *list, const getdns_bindata *child_bindat
 	return getdns_list_set_bindata(list, list->numinuse, child_bindata);
 }
 getdns_return_t
+getdns_list_append_string(getdns_list *list, const char *value)
+{
+	if (!list) return GETDNS_RETURN_INVALID_PARAMETER;
+	return getdns_list_set_string(list, list->numinuse, value);
+}
+getdns_return_t
 getdns_list_append_int(getdns_list *list, uint32_t child_int)
 {
 	if (!list) return GETDNS_RETURN_INVALID_PARAMETER;
diff --git a/src/util-internal.c b/src/util-internal.c
index 0cf964d5..ffd63941 100644
--- a/src/util-internal.c
+++ b/src/util-internal.c
@@ -73,19 +73,6 @@ static getdns_extension_format extformats[] = {
 	{"specify_class", t_int},
 };
 
-static struct getdns_bindata IPv4_str_bindata = { 5, (void *)"IPv4" };
-static struct getdns_bindata IPv6_str_bindata = { 5, (void *)"IPv6" };
-
-getdns_return_t
-getdns_dict_util_set_string(struct getdns_dict * dict, char *name, const char *value)
-{
-	/* account for the null term */
-	if (value == NULL) {
-		return GETDNS_RETURN_WRONG_TYPE_REQUESTED;
-	}
-	struct getdns_bindata type_bin = { strlen(value) + 1, (uint8_t *) value };
-	return getdns_dict_set_bindata(dict, name, &type_bin);
-}
 
 getdns_return_t
 getdns_dict_util_get_string(struct getdns_dict * dict, char *name, char **result)
@@ -606,9 +593,8 @@ priv_getdns_create_reply_dict(getdns_context *context, getdns_network_req *req,
 		bindata.data = rdf_iter->pos;
 		if (!set_dict(&rr_dict, getdns_dict_create_with_context(context)) ||
 
-		    getdns_dict_set_bindata(rr_dict, "address_type",
-		    rr_type == GETDNS_RRTYPE_A ?
-		    &IPv4_str_bindata : &IPv6_str_bindata) ||
+		    getdns_dict_util_set_string(rr_dict, "address_type",
+			    rr_type == GETDNS_RRTYPE_A ? "IPv4" : "IPv6" ) ||
 
 		    getdns_dict_set_bindata(rr_dict,"address_data",&bindata) ||
 
diff --git a/src/util-internal.h b/src/util-internal.h
index 9236ac0b..bdb2a73d 100644
--- a/src/util-internal.h
+++ b/src/util-internal.h
@@ -76,6 +76,9 @@ getdns_return_t getdns_list_append_list(getdns_list *list,
     const getdns_list *child_list);
 getdns_return_t getdns_list_append_bindata(getdns_list *list,
     const getdns_bindata *child_bindata);
+getdns_return_t getdns_list_append_string(getdns_list *list,
+    const char *value);
+
 getdns_return_t getdns_list_append_int(getdns_list *list,
     uint32_t child_uint32);