diff --git a/include/global.h b/include/global.h
index f7514f44f..3eb12b86c 100644
--- a/include/global.h
+++ b/include/global.h
@@ -297,6 +297,7 @@ typedef char nhptext;
 #ifdef MONITOR_HEAP
 extern long *FDECL(nhalloc, (unsigned int,const char *,int));
 extern void FDECL(nhfree, (genericptr_t,const char *,int));
+extern char *FDECL(nhdupstr, (const char *,const char *,int));
 # ifndef __FILE__
 #  define __FILE__ ""
 # endif
@@ -305,8 +306,10 @@ extern void FDECL(nhfree, (genericptr_t,const char *,int));
 # endif
 # define alloc(a) nhalloc(a,__FILE__,(int)__LINE__)
 # define free(a) nhfree(a,__FILE__,(int)__LINE__)
+# define dupstr(s) nhdupstr(s,__FILE__,(int)__LINE__)
 #else	/* !MONITOR_HEAP */
 extern long *FDECL(alloc, (unsigned int));		/* alloc.c */
+extern char *FDECL(dupstr, (const char *));		/* ditto */
 #endif
 
 /* Used for consistency checks of various data files; declare it here so
diff --git a/src/alloc.c b/src/alloc.c
index 54ad080ec..08066565b 100644
--- a/src/alloc.c
+++ b/src/alloc.c
@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
 /* NetHack 3.5	alloc.c	$Date$  $Revision$ */
-/*	SCCS Id: @(#)alloc.c	3.5	2006/07/07	*/
 /* Copyright (c) Stichting Mathematisch Centrum, Amsterdam, 1985. */
 /* NetHack may be freely redistributed.  See license for details. */
 
@@ -135,6 +134,28 @@ int line;
 	free(ptr);
 }
 
+/* strdup() which uses our alloc() rather than libc's malloc(),
+   with caller tracking */
+char *
+nhdupstr(string, file, line)
+const char *string;
+const char *file;
+int line;
+{
+    return strcpy((char *)nhalloc(strlen(string) + 1, file, line), string);
+}
+#undef dupstr
+
 #endif /* MONITOR_HEAP */
 
+/* strdup() which uses our alloc() rather than libc's malloc();
+   not used when MONITOR_HEAP is enabled, but included unconditionally
+   in case utility programs get built using a different setting for that */
+char *
+dupstr(string)
+const char *string;
+{
+    return strcpy((char *)alloc(strlen(string) + 1), string);
+}
+
 /*alloc.c*/
diff --git a/src/do.c b/src/do.c
index d8699db82..4681760f8 100644
--- a/src/do.c
+++ b/src/do.c
@@ -1444,9 +1444,9 @@ const char *pre_msg, *post_msg;
 	assign_level(&u.utolev, tolev);
 
 	if (pre_msg)
-	    dfr_pre_msg = strcpy((char *)alloc(strlen(pre_msg) + 1), pre_msg);
+	    dfr_pre_msg = dupstr(pre_msg);
 	if (post_msg)
-	    dfr_post_msg = strcpy((char *)alloc(strlen(post_msg)+1), post_msg);
+	    dfr_post_msg = dupstr(post_msg);
 }
 
 /* handle something like portal ejection */
@@ -1572,7 +1572,7 @@ struct obj *corpse;
 void
 revive_mon(arg, timeout)
 anything *arg;
-long timeout;
+long timeout UNUSED;
 {
     struct obj *body = arg->a_obj;
     struct permonst *mptr = &mons[body->corpsenm];
diff --git a/src/do_name.c b/src/do_name.c
index eb234ce94..9d19a1997 100644
--- a/src/do_name.c
+++ b/src/do_name.c
@@ -602,7 +602,7 @@ register struct obj *obj;
 		undiscover_object(obj->otyp);
 	    }
 	} else {
-	    *str1 = strcpy((char *) alloc((unsigned)strlen(buf)+1), buf);
+	    *str1 = dupstr(buf);
 	    discover_object(obj->otyp, FALSE, TRUE); /* possibly add to disco[] */
 	}
 }
diff --git a/src/eat.c b/src/eat.c
index 58eafcd2c..90efd5638 100644
--- a/src/eat.c
+++ b/src/eat.c
@@ -1025,7 +1025,7 @@ register int pm;
 			"You suddenly dread being peeled and mimic %s again!" :
 			"You now prefer mimicking %s again.",
 			an(Upolyd ? youmonst.data->mname : urace.noun));
-		    eatmbuf = strcpy((char *) alloc(strlen(buf) + 1), buf);
+		    eatmbuf = dupstr(buf);
 		    nomovemsg = eatmbuf;
 		    afternmv = eatmdone;
 		    /* ??? what if this was set before? */