diff --git a/src/force.cpp b/src/force.cpp
index 0073366c27..e56e250ffc 100644
--- a/src/force.cpp
+++ b/src/force.cpp
@@ -61,20 +61,12 @@ Force::Force(LAMMPS *lmp) : Pointers(lmp)
   improper = nullptr;
   kspace = nullptr;
 
-  char *str = (char *) "none";
-  int n = strlen(str) + 1;
-  pair_style = new char[n];
-  strcpy(pair_style,str);
-  bond_style = new char[n];
-  strcpy(bond_style,str);
-  angle_style = new char[n];
-  strcpy(angle_style,str);
-  dihedral_style = new char[n];
-  strcpy(dihedral_style,str);
-  improper_style = new char[n];
-  strcpy(improper_style,str);
-  kspace_style = new char[n];
-  strcpy(kspace_style,str);
+  pair_style = utils::strdup("none");
+  bond_style = utils::strdup("none");
+  angle_style = utils::strdup("none");
+  dihedral_style = utils::strdup("none");
+  improper_style = utils::strdup("none");
+  kspace_style = utils::strdup("none");
 
   pair_restart = nullptr;
   create_factories();
diff --git a/src/imbalance_store.cpp b/src/imbalance_store.cpp
index 9815744b2d..879b434bfd 100644
--- a/src/imbalance_store.cpp
+++ b/src/imbalance_store.cpp
@@ -36,10 +36,7 @@ ImbalanceStore::~ImbalanceStore()
 int ImbalanceStore::options(int narg, char **arg)
 {
   if (narg < 1) error->all(FLERR,"Illegal balance weight command");
-
-  int len = strlen(arg[0]) + 1;
-  name = new char[len];
-  memcpy(name,arg[0],len);
+  name = utils::strdup(arg[0]);
 
   return 1;
 }
diff --git a/src/imbalance_var.cpp b/src/imbalance_var.cpp
index 2265e6e4c0..d2a4f0d691 100644
--- a/src/imbalance_var.cpp
+++ b/src/imbalance_var.cpp
@@ -40,10 +40,7 @@ ImbalanceVar::~ImbalanceVar()
 int ImbalanceVar::options(int narg, char **arg)
 {
   if (narg < 1) error->all(FLERR,"Illegal balance weight command");
-
-  int len = strlen(arg[0]) + 1;
-  name = new char[len];
-  memcpy(name,arg[0],len);
+  name = utils::strdup(arg[0]);
   init(0);
 
   return 1;
diff --git a/src/input.cpp b/src/input.cpp
index eeb211a6d1..9ac140753a 100644
--- a/src/input.cpp
+++ b/src/input.cpp
@@ -1013,9 +1013,7 @@ void Input::jump()
   if (narg == 2) {
     label_active = 1;
     if (labelstr) delete [] labelstr;
-    int n = strlen(arg[1]) + 1;
-    labelstr = new char[n];
-    strcpy(labelstr,arg[1]);
+    labelstr = utils::strdup(arg[1]);
   }
 }
 
@@ -1840,17 +1838,12 @@ void Input::suffix()
 
     if (strcmp(arg[0],"hybrid") == 0) {
       if (narg != 3) error->all(FLERR,"Illegal suffix command");
-      int n = strlen(arg[1]) + 1;
-      lmp->suffix = new char[n];
-      strcpy(lmp->suffix,arg[1]);
+      lmp->suffix = utils::strdup(arg[1]);
       n = strlen(arg[2]) + 1;
-      lmp->suffix2 = new char[n];
-      strcpy(lmp->suffix2,arg[2]);
+      lmp->suffix2 = utils::strdup(arg[2]);
     } else {
       if (narg != 1) error->all(FLERR,"Illegal suffix command");
-      int n = strlen(arg[0]) + 1;
-      lmp->suffix = new char[n];
-      strcpy(lmp->suffix,arg[0]);
+      lmp->suffix = utils::strdup(arg[0]);
     }
   }
 }