diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index dc3f806679..f55a87b233 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ include config.mk
 TARGET = ssnes tools/ssnes-joyconfig
 
 OBJ = ssnes.o file.o driver.o settings.o dynamic.o message.o rewind.o movie.o autosave.o gfx/gfx_common.o ups.o bps.o strl.o screenshot.o
-JOYCONFIG_OBJ = tools/ssnes-joyconfig.o conf/config_file.o
+JOYCONFIG_OBJ = tools/ssnes-joyconfig.o conf/config_file.o strl.o
 HEADERS = $(wildcard */*.h) $(wildcard *.h)
 
 LIBS = -lm
diff --git a/Makefile.win32 b/Makefile.win32
index 2b2c2f91b8..d8fb1bb099 100644
--- a/Makefile.win32
+++ b/Makefile.win32
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 TARGET = ssnes.exe
 JTARGET = ssnes-joyconfig.exe
 OBJ = ssnes.o file.o driver.o conf/config_file.o settings.o dynamic.o message.o rewind.o movie.o autosave.o gfx/gfx_common.o bps.o ups.o strl.o screenshot.o audio/hermite.o
-JOBJ = conf/config_file.o tools/main-stub.o tools/ssnes-joyconfig.o
+JOBJ = conf/config_file.o tools/main-stub.o tools/ssnes-joyconfig.o strl.o
 
 CC = gcc
 CXX = g++
diff --git a/Makefile.win64 b/Makefile.win64
index d43ac62606..e24a684c0c 100644
--- a/Makefile.win64
+++ b/Makefile.win64
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 TARGET = ssnes.exe
 JTARGET = ssnes-joyconfig.exe
 OBJ = ssnes.o file.o driver.o conf/config_file.o settings.o dynamic.o message.o rewind.o movie.o autosave.o gfx/gfx_common.o bps.o ups.o strl.o screenshot.o audio/hermite.o
-JOBJ = conf/config_file.o tools/main-stub.o tools/ssnes-joyconfig.o
+JOBJ = conf/config_file.o tools/main-stub.o tools/ssnes-joyconfig.o strl.o
 
 CC = gcc
 CXX = g++
diff --git a/conf/config_file.c b/conf/config_file.c
index 9dbdc773ce..d6bf82fa92 100644
--- a/conf/config_file.c
+++ b/conf/config_file.c
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@
 #include <string.h>
 #include <stdio.h>
 #include <ctype.h>
+#include "strl.h"
 
 struct entry_list
 {
@@ -247,7 +248,7 @@ bool config_get_char(config_file_t *conf, const char *key, char *in)
    {
       if (strcmp(key, list->key) == 0)
       {
-         if (strlen(list->value) > 1)
+         if (list->value[0] && list->value[1])
             return false;
          *in = *list->value;
          return true;
@@ -273,6 +274,22 @@ bool config_get_string(config_file_t *conf, const char *key, char **str)
    return false;
 }
 
+bool config_get_array(config_file_t *conf, const char *key, char *buf, size_t size)
+{
+   struct entry_list *list = conf->entries;
+
+   while (list != NULL)
+   {
+      if (strcmp(key, list->key) == 0)
+      {
+         strlcpy(buf, list->value, size);
+         return true;
+      }
+      list = list->next;
+   }
+   return false;
+}
+
 bool config_get_bool(config_file_t *conf, const char *key, bool *in)
 {
    struct entry_list *list = conf->entries;
diff --git a/conf/config_file.h b/conf/config_file.h
index c413ab7185..757d1e3934 100644
--- a/conf/config_file.h
+++ b/conf/config_file.h
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@
 #include <stdint.h>
 #include <stdbool.h>
 #include <stdio.h>
+#include <stddef.h>
 
 typedef struct config_file config_file_t;
 
@@ -48,6 +49,8 @@ bool config_get_hex(config_file_t *conf, const char *entry, unsigned *in);
 bool config_get_char(config_file_t *conf, const char *entry, char *in);
 // Extracts an allocated string in *in. This must be free()-d if this function succeeds.
 bool config_get_string(config_file_t *conf, const char *entry, char **in);
+// Extracts a string to a preallocated buffer. Avoid memory allocation.
+bool config_get_array(config_file_t *conf, const char *entry, char *in, size_t size);
 // Extracts a boolean from config. Valid boolean true are "true" and "1". Valid false are "false" and "0". Other values will be treated as an error.
 bool config_get_bool(config_file_t *conf, const char *entry, bool *in);
 
diff --git a/settings.c b/settings.c
index 5bb7cf4345..9e5544d944 100644
--- a/settings.c
+++ b/settings.c
@@ -261,10 +261,9 @@ static config_file_t *open_default_config_file(void)
    g_settings.var = tmp_double
 
 #define CONFIG_GET_STRING(var, key) do { \
-   if (config_get_string(conf, key, &tmp_str)) \
+   if (config_get_array(conf, key, tmp_str, sizeof(tmp_str))) \
    { \
       strlcpy(g_settings.var, tmp_str, sizeof(g_settings.var)); \
-      free(tmp_str); \
    } \
 } while(0)
 
@@ -294,7 +293,7 @@ static void parse_config_file(void)
    int tmp_int;
    double tmp_double;
    bool tmp_bool;
-   char *tmp_str;
+   char tmp_str[MAXPATHLEN];
 
    CONFIG_GET_DOUBLE(video.xscale, "video_xscale");
    CONFIG_GET_DOUBLE(video.yscale, "video_yscale");
@@ -339,7 +338,7 @@ static void parse_config_file(void)
 #endif
 
 #if defined(HAVE_CG) || defined(HAVE_XML)
-   if (config_get_string(conf, "video_shader_type", &tmp_str))
+   if (config_get_array(conf, "video_shader_type", tmp_str, sizeof(tmp_str)))
    {
       if (strcmp("cg", tmp_str) == 0)
          g_settings.video.shader_type = SSNES_SHADER_CG;
@@ -349,8 +348,6 @@ static void parse_config_file(void)
          g_settings.video.shader_type = SSNES_SHADER_AUTO;
       else if (strcmp("none", tmp_str) == 0)
          g_settings.video.shader_type = SSNES_SHADER_NONE;
-
-      free(tmp_str);
    }
 #endif