diff --git a/builtin/branch.c b/builtin/branch.c
index 0e060f2e4a..bdf8495aa6 100644
--- a/builtin/branch.c
+++ b/builtin/branch.c
@@ -196,7 +196,7 @@ static int delete_branches(int argc, const char **argv, int force, int kinds,
 
 		free(name);
 
-		name = xstrdup(mkpath(fmt, bname.buf));
+		name = mkpathdup(fmt, bname.buf);
 		if (read_ref(name, sha1)) {
 			error(remote_branch
 			      ? _("remote branch '%s' not found.")
diff --git a/builtin/clone.c b/builtin/clone.c
index e314b0b6d2..c819757b3a 100644
--- a/builtin/clone.c
+++ b/builtin/clone.c
@@ -236,7 +236,7 @@ static int add_one_reference(struct string_list_item *item, void *cb_data)
 	/* Beware: real_path() and mkpath() return static buffer */
 	ref_git = xstrdup(real_path(item->string));
 	if (is_directory(mkpath("%s/.git/objects", ref_git))) {
-		char *ref_git_git = xstrdup(mkpath("%s/.git", ref_git));
+		char *ref_git_git = mkpathdup("%s/.git", ref_git);
 		free(ref_git);
 		ref_git = ref_git_git;
 	} else if (!is_directory(mkpath("%s/objects", ref_git)))
@@ -700,7 +700,7 @@ int cmd_clone(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 		git_dir = xstrdup(dir);
 	else {
 		work_tree = dir;
-		git_dir = xstrdup(mkpath("%s/.git", dir));
+		git_dir = mkpathdup("%s/.git", dir);
 	}
 
 	if (!option_bare) {
diff --git a/builtin/prune.c b/builtin/prune.c
index b99b635e44..f66ff676eb 100644
--- a/builtin/prune.c
+++ b/builtin/prune.c
@@ -168,7 +168,7 @@ int cmd_prune(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 
 	prune_packed_objects(show_only);
 	remove_temporary_files(get_object_directory());
-	s = xstrdup(mkpath("%s/pack", get_object_directory()));
+	s = mkpathdup("%s/pack", get_object_directory());
 	remove_temporary_files(s);
 	free(s);
 	return 0;
diff --git a/merge-recursive.c b/merge-recursive.c
index 39b2e165e0..2f8febe0e0 100644
--- a/merge-recursive.c
+++ b/merge-recursive.c
@@ -862,14 +862,14 @@ static int merge_3way(struct merge_options *o,
 	if (strcmp(a->path, b->path) ||
 	    (o->ancestor != NULL && strcmp(a->path, one->path) != 0)) {
 		base_name = o->ancestor == NULL ? NULL :
-			xstrdup(mkpath("%s:%s", o->ancestor, one->path));
-		name1 = xstrdup(mkpath("%s:%s", branch1, a->path));
-		name2 = xstrdup(mkpath("%s:%s", branch2, b->path));
+			mkpathdup("%s:%s", o->ancestor, one->path);
+		name1 = mkpathdup("%s:%s", branch1, a->path);
+		name2 = mkpathdup("%s:%s", branch2, b->path);
 	} else {
 		base_name = o->ancestor == NULL ? NULL :
-			xstrdup(mkpath("%s", o->ancestor));
-		name1 = xstrdup(mkpath("%s", branch1));
-		name2 = xstrdup(mkpath("%s", branch2));
+			mkpathdup("%s", o->ancestor);
+		name1 = mkpathdup("%s", branch1);
+		name2 = mkpathdup("%s", branch2);
 	}
 
 	read_mmblob(&orig, one->sha1);
@@ -879,6 +879,7 @@ static int merge_3way(struct merge_options *o,
 	merge_status = ll_merge(result_buf, a->path, &orig, base_name,
 				&src1, name1, &src2, name2, &ll_opts);
 
+	free(base_name);
 	free(name1);
 	free(name2);
 	free(orig.ptr);