diff --git a/lib/getdef.c b/lib/getdef.c
index 383cf3f4a..56731feb1 100644
--- a/lib/getdef.c
+++ b/lib/getdef.c
@@ -453,13 +453,9 @@ static /*@observer@*/ /*@null@*/struct itemdef *def_find (const char *name, cons
 void setdef_config_file (const char* file)
 {
 #ifdef USE_ECONF
-	char  *cp;
-
-	cp = xaprintf("%s/%s", file, sysconfdir);
-	sysconfdir = cp;
+	sysconfdir = xaprintf("%s/%s", file, sysconfdir);
 #ifdef VENDORDIR
-	cp = xaprintf("%s/%s", file, vendordir);
-	vendordir = cp;
+	vendordir = xaprintf("%s/%s", file, vendordir);
 #endif
 #else
 	def_fname = file;
diff --git a/src/su.c b/src/su.c
index c9b7494f8..a55d94062 100644
--- a/src/su.c
+++ b/src/su.c
@@ -1204,15 +1204,12 @@ int main (int argc, char **argv)
 	 * case they will be provided to the new user's shell as arguments.
 	 */
 	if (fakelogin) {
-		char  *arg0;
-
 		cp = getdef_str ("SU_NAME");
 		if (NULL == cp) {
 			cp = Basename (shellstr);
 		}
 
-		arg0 = xaprintf("-%s", cp);
-		cp = arg0;
+		cp = xaprintf("-%s", cp);
 	} else {
 		cp = Basename (shellstr);
 	}
diff --git a/src/useradd.c b/src/useradd.c
index 3adf2e1f1..e88d59679 100644
--- a/src/useradd.c
+++ b/src/useradd.c
@@ -444,14 +444,10 @@ get_defaults(void)
 			if (streq(ccp, ""))
 				ccp = SKEL_DIR;
 
-			if (prefix[0]) {
-				char  *dt;
-
-				dt = xaprintf("%s/%s", prefix, ccp);
-				def_template = dt;
-			} else {
+			if (prefix[0])
+				def_template = xaprintf("%s/%s", prefix, ccp);
+			else
 				def_template = xstrdup(ccp);
-			}
 		}
 
 		/*
diff --git a/src/usermod.c b/src/usermod.c
index fba1c4af9..a64757947 100644
--- a/src/usermod.c
+++ b/src/usermod.c
@@ -427,15 +427,12 @@ usage (int status)
 static char *new_pw_passwd (char *pw_pass)
 {
 	if (Lflg && ('!' != pw_pass[0])) {
-		char  *buf;
-
 #ifdef WITH_AUDIT
 		audit_logger (AUDIT_USER_CHAUTHTOK, Prog,
 		              "updating passwd", user_newname, user_newid, 0);
 #endif
 		SYSLOG ((LOG_INFO, "lock user '%s' password", user_newname));
-		buf = xaprintf("!%s", pw_pass);
-		pw_pass = buf;
+		pw_pass = xaprintf("!%s", pw_pass);
 	} else if (Uflg && pw_pass[0] == '!') {
 		if (pw_pass[1] == '\0') {
 			fprintf (stderr,