5 files changed, 20 insertions, 8 deletions
diff --git a/src/nvim/api/buffer.c b/src/nvim/api/buffer.c
index bf30ccf856..ef2f9e9d0e 100644
--- a/src/nvim/api/buffer.c
+++ b/src/nvim/api/buffer.c
@@ -307,7 +307,7 @@ Integer buffer_get_number(Buffer buffer, Error *err)
 
 String buffer_get_name(Buffer buffer, Error *err)
 {
-  String rv = {.size = 0, .data = ""};
+  String rv = STRING_INIT;
   buf_T *buf = find_buffer(buffer, err);
 
   if (!buf || buf->b_ffname == NULL) {
diff --git a/src/nvim/api/private/defs.h b/src/nvim/api/private/defs.h
index a91907f4f8..4d9f5fb708 100644
--- a/src/nvim/api/private/defs.h
+++ b/src/nvim/api/private/defs.h
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 #include <string.h>
 
 #define ARRAY_DICT_INIT {.size = 0, .items = NULL}
+#define STRING_INIT {.data = NULL, .size = 0}
 #define REMOTE_TYPE(type) typedef uint64_t type
 
 #define TYPED_ARRAY_OF(type)                                                  \
diff --git a/src/nvim/api/private/helpers.c b/src/nvim/api/private/helpers.c
index a43e7a8d2a..206129dd78 100644
--- a/src/nvim/api/private/helpers.c
+++ b/src/nvim/api/private/helpers.c
@@ -319,7 +319,7 @@ tabpage_T * find_tab(Tabpage tabpage, Error *err)
 
 String cstr_to_string(const char *str) {
     if (str == NULL) {
-        return (String) { .data = NULL, .size = 0 };
+        return (String) STRING_INIT;
     }
 
     size_t len = strlen(str);
diff --git a/src/nvim/os/msgpack_rpc.c b/src/nvim/os/msgpack_rpc.c
index d7ffa6f559..8ca1e0a8c0 100644
--- a/src/nvim/os/msgpack_rpc.c
+++ b/src/nvim/os/msgpack_rpc.c
@@ -147,9 +147,13 @@ bool msgpack_rpc_to_float(msgpack_object *obj, Float *arg)
 
 bool msgpack_rpc_to_string(msgpack_object *obj, String *arg)
 {
-  arg->data = (char *)obj->via.raw.ptr;
+  if (obj->type != MSGPACK_OBJECT_RAW) {
+    return false;
+  }
+
+  arg->data = xmemdup(obj->via.raw.ptr, obj->via.raw.size);
   arg->size = obj->via.raw.size;
-  return obj->type == MSGPACK_OBJECT_RAW;
+  return true;
 }
 
 bool msgpack_rpc_to_object(msgpack_object *obj, Object *arg)
@@ -328,6 +332,15 @@ void msgpack_rpc_from_dictionary(Dictionary result, msgpack_packer *res)
   }
 }
 
+void msgpack_rpc_free_string(String value)
+{
+  if (!value.data) {
+    return;
+  }
+
+  free(value.data);
+}
+
 void msgpack_rpc_free_object(Object value)
 {
   switch (value.type) {
diff --git a/src/nvim/os/msgpack_rpc.h b/src/nvim/os/msgpack_rpc.h
index a6a909ac1f..aab284f2c8 100644
--- a/src/nvim/os/msgpack_rpc.h
+++ b/src/nvim/os/msgpack_rpc.h
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ void msgpack_rpc_from_dictionary(Dictionary result, msgpack_packer *res);
 #define msgpack_rpc_init_integer
 #define msgpack_rpc_init_float
 #define msgpack_rpc_init_position
-#define msgpack_rpc_init_string
+#define msgpack_rpc_init_string = STRING_INIT
 #define msgpack_rpc_init_buffer
 #define msgpack_rpc_init_window
 #define msgpack_rpc_init_tabpage
@@ -100,9 +100,7 @@ void msgpack_rpc_from_dictionary(Dictionary result, msgpack_packer *res);
 #define msgpack_rpc_free_integer(value)
 #define msgpack_rpc_free_float(value)
 #define msgpack_rpc_free_position(value)
-// Strings are not copied from msgpack and so don't need to be freed(they
-// probably "live" in the msgpack streaming buffer)
-#define msgpack_rpc_free_string(value)
+void msgpack_rpc_free_string(String value);
 #define msgpack_rpc_free_buffer(value)
 #define msgpack_rpc_free_window(value)
 #define msgpack_rpc_free_tabpage(value)