diff --git a/libgnucash/backend/xml/gnc-freqspec-xml-v2.cpp b/libgnucash/backend/xml/gnc-freqspec-xml-v2.cpp
index b266adedce..2bb083ace2 100644
--- a/libgnucash/backend/xml/gnc-freqspec-xml-v2.cpp
+++ b/libgnucash/backend/xml/gnc-freqspec-xml-v2.cpp
@@ -135,21 +135,18 @@ fs_uift_handler (xmlNodePtr node, gpointer data)
 {
     fsParseData* fspd = static_cast<decltype (fspd)> (data);
     int            i;
-    char*        nodeTxt;
 
-    nodeTxt = dom_tree_to_text (node);
+    auto nodeTxt = dom_tree_to_text (node);
 
     g_return_val_if_fail (nodeTxt, FALSE);
     for (i = 0; uiFreqTypeStrs[i].str != NULL; i++)
     {
-        if (g_strcmp0 (nodeTxt, uiFreqTypeStrs[i].str) == 0)
+        if (g_strcmp0 (nodeTxt->c_str(), uiFreqTypeStrs[i].str) == 0)
         {
             fspd->uift = uiFreqTypeStrs[i].uift;
-            g_free (nodeTxt);
             return TRUE;
         }
     }
-    g_free (nodeTxt);
     return FALSE;
 }
 
diff --git a/libgnucash/backend/xml/io-example-account.cpp b/libgnucash/backend/xml/io-example-account.cpp
index 1d89137186..3614c89479 100644
--- a/libgnucash/backend/xml/io-example-account.cpp
+++ b/libgnucash/backend/xml/io-example-account.cpp
@@ -210,7 +210,9 @@ squash_extra_whitespace (char* text)
 static char*
 grab_clean_string (xmlNodePtr tree)
 {
-    return squash_extra_whitespace (g_strstrip (dom_tree_to_text (tree)));
+    auto txt = dom_tree_to_text (tree);
+    auto str = g_strdup (txt ? txt->c_str() : "");
+    return squash_extra_whitespace (g_strstrip (str));
 }
 
 static gboolean
diff --git a/libgnucash/backend/xml/io-gncxml-v2.cpp b/libgnucash/backend/xml/io-gncxml-v2.cpp
index 327dae7226..3265ae2929 100644
--- a/libgnucash/backend/xml/io-gncxml-v2.cpp
+++ b/libgnucash/backend/xml/io-gncxml-v2.cpp
@@ -395,7 +395,7 @@ gnc_counter_end_handler (gpointer data_for_children,
     {
         auto strval = dom_tree_to_text (tree);
         PERR ("string_to_gint64 failed with input: %s",
-              strval ? strval : "(null)");
+              strval ? strval->c_str() : "(null)");
         ret = FALSE;
     }
     else if (g_strcmp0 (type, "transaction") == 0)
diff --git a/libgnucash/backend/xml/sixtp-dom-parsers.cpp b/libgnucash/backend/xml/sixtp-dom-parsers.cpp
index 6b9dcaaa6b..4f62bebdb2 100644
--- a/libgnucash/backend/xml/sixtp-dom-parsers.cpp
+++ b/libgnucash/backend/xml/sixtp-dom-parsers.cpp
@@ -320,19 +320,19 @@ dom_tree_to_kvp_frame_given (xmlNodePtr node, KvpFrame* frame)
         if (g_strcmp0 ((char*)mark->name, "slot") == 0)
         {
             xmlNodePtr mark2;
-            gchar* key = NULL;
+            const gchar* key = NULL;
+            std::optional<std::string> maybe_key;
             KvpValue* val = NULL;
-            bool must_free{false};
 
             for (mark2 = mark->xmlChildrenNode; mark2; mark2 = mark2->next)
             {
                 if (g_strcmp0 ((char*)mark2->name, "slot:key") == 0)
                 {
-                    key = const_cast<char*>(dom_node_to_text (mark2));
+                    key = dom_node_to_text (mark2);
                     if (!key)
                     {
-                        key = dom_tree_to_text (mark2);
-                        must_free = true;
+                        maybe_key = dom_tree_to_text (mark2);
+                        key = maybe_key ? maybe_key->c_str() : nullptr;
                     }
                 }
                 else if (g_strcmp0 ((char*)mark2->name, "slot:value") == 0)
@@ -357,8 +357,6 @@ dom_tree_to_kvp_frame_given (xmlNodePtr node, KvpFrame* frame)
                 {
                     /* FIXME: should put some error here */
                 }
-                if (must_free)
-                    g_free (key);
             }
         }
     }
@@ -388,7 +386,7 @@ dom_tree_create_instance_slots (xmlNodePtr node, QofInstance* inst)
     return dom_tree_to_kvp_frame_given (node, frame);
 }
 
-gchar*
+std::optional<std::string>
 dom_tree_to_text (xmlNodePtr tree)
 {
     /* Expect *only* text and comment sibling nodes in the given tree --
@@ -400,29 +398,29 @@ dom_tree_to_text (xmlNodePtr tree)
        Ignores comment nodes and collapse text nodes into one string.
        Returns NULL if expectations are unsatisfied.
     */
-    gchar* result;
+    std::string rv;
     gchar* temp;
 
-    g_return_val_if_fail (tree, NULL);
+    g_return_val_if_fail (tree, std::nullopt);
 
     /* no nodes means it's an empty string text */
     if (!tree->xmlChildrenNode)
     {
         DEBUG ("No children");
-        return g_strdup ("");
+        return "";
     }
 
     temp = (char*)xmlNodeListGetString (NULL, tree->xmlChildrenNode, TRUE);
     if (!temp)
     {
         DEBUG ("Null string");
-        return NULL;
+        return std::nullopt;
     }
 
     DEBUG ("node string [%s]", (temp == NULL ? "(null)" : temp));
-    result = g_strdup (temp);
+    rv = temp;
     xmlFree (temp);
-    return result;
+    return rv;
 }
 
 gnc_numeric
diff --git a/libgnucash/backend/xml/sixtp-dom-parsers.h b/libgnucash/backend/xml/sixtp-dom-parsers.h
index 0538b4b68a..5f554520a0 100644
--- a/libgnucash/backend/xml/sixtp-dom-parsers.h
+++ b/libgnucash/backend/xml/sixtp-dom-parsers.h
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ time64 dom_tree_to_time64 (xmlNodePtr node);
 gboolean dom_tree_valid_time64 (time64 ts, const xmlChar* name);
 GDate* dom_tree_to_gdate (xmlNodePtr node);
 gnc_numeric dom_tree_to_gnc_numeric (xmlNodePtr node);
-gchar* dom_tree_to_text (xmlNodePtr tree);
+std::optional<std::string> dom_tree_to_text (xmlNodePtr tree);
 const char* dom_node_to_text (xmlNodePtr node) noexcept;
 gboolean string_to_binary (const gchar* str,  void** v, guint64* data_len);
 gboolean dom_tree_create_instance_slots (xmlNodePtr node, QofInstance* inst);
@@ -85,11 +85,7 @@ apply_xmlnode_text (F&& f, xmlNodePtr node, T default_val = T{})
         return f(txt);
 
     if (auto txt = dom_tree_to_text(node))
-    {
-        auto rv = f(txt);
-        g_free(txt);
-        return rv;
-    }
+        return f(txt->c_str());
 
     return default_val;
 }
diff --git a/libgnucash/backend/xml/test/test-dom-converters1.cpp b/libgnucash/backend/xml/test/test-dom-converters1.cpp
index 62fdfaa33b..55be6622ca 100644
--- a/libgnucash/backend/xml/test/test-dom-converters1.cpp
+++ b/libgnucash/backend/xml/test/test-dom-converters1.cpp
@@ -90,7 +90,6 @@ test_dom_tree_to_text (void)
     for (i = 0; i < 20; i++)
     {
         gchar* test_string1;
-        gchar* test_string2;
         xmlNodePtr test_node;
 
         test_node = xmlNewNode (NULL, BAD_CAST "test-node");
@@ -98,7 +97,7 @@ test_dom_tree_to_text (void)
 
         xmlNodeAddContent (test_node, BAD_CAST test_string1);
 
-        test_string2 = dom_tree_to_text (test_node);
+        auto test_string2 = dom_tree_to_text (test_node);
 
         if (!test_string2)
         {
@@ -106,7 +105,7 @@ test_dom_tree_to_text (void)
                           "null return from dom_tree_to_text");
             xmlElemDump (stdout, NULL, test_node);
         }
-        else if (g_strcmp0 (test_string1, test_string2) == 0)
+        else if (g_strcmp0 (test_string1, test_string2->c_str()) == 0)
         {
             success_args ("dom_tree_to_text", __FILE__, __LINE__, "with string %s",
                           test_string1);
@@ -119,7 +118,6 @@ test_dom_tree_to_text (void)
 
         xmlFreeNode (test_node);
         g_free (test_string1);
-        if (test_string2) g_free (test_string2);
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/libgnucash/backend/xml/test/test-file-stuff.cpp b/libgnucash/backend/xml/test/test-file-stuff.cpp
index 21ffb93f10..5d50a8f7b9 100644
--- a/libgnucash/backend/xml/test/test-file-stuff.cpp
+++ b/libgnucash/backend/xml/test/test-file-stuff.cpp
@@ -142,26 +142,22 @@ check_dom_tree_version (xmlNodePtr node,  const char* verstr)
 gboolean
 equals_node_val_vs_string (xmlNodePtr node, const gchar* str)
 {
-    gchar* cmp1;
-
     g_return_val_if_fail (node, FALSE);
     g_return_val_if_fail (str, FALSE);
 
-    cmp1 = dom_tree_to_text (node);
+    auto cmp1 = dom_tree_to_text (node);
 
     if (!cmp1)
     {
         return FALSE;
     }
-    else if (g_strcmp0 (cmp1, str) == 0)
+    else if (g_strcmp0 (cmp1->c_str(), str) == 0)
     {
-        g_free (cmp1);
         return TRUE;
     }
     else
     {
-        printf ("Differing types: node:`%s' vs string:`%s'\n", cmp1, str);
-        g_free (cmp1);
+        printf ("Differing types: node:`%s' vs string:`%s'\n", cmp1->c_str(), str);
         return FALSE;
     }
 }
@@ -169,21 +165,17 @@ equals_node_val_vs_string (xmlNodePtr node, const gchar* str)
 gboolean
 equals_node_val_vs_int (xmlNodePtr node, gint64 val)
 {
-    gchar* text;
     gint64 test_val;
 
     g_return_val_if_fail (node, FALSE);
 
-    text = dom_tree_to_text (node);
+    auto text = dom_tree_to_text (node);
 
-    if (!string_to_gint64 (text, &test_val))
+    if (!text || !string_to_gint64 (*text, &test_val))
     {
-        g_free (text);
         return FALSE;
     }
 
-    g_free (text);
-
     return val == test_val;
 }
 
diff --git a/libgnucash/backend/xml/test/test-string-converters.cpp b/libgnucash/backend/xml/test/test-string-converters.cpp
index 4dcd104d8d..3f045ae4d2 100644
--- a/libgnucash/backend/xml/test/test-string-converters.cpp
+++ b/libgnucash/backend/xml/test/test-string-converters.cpp
@@ -54,13 +54,12 @@ test_string_converters (void)
     {
         const char* mark = test_strings[i];
         xmlNodePtr test_node = text_to_dom_tree ("test-string", mark);
-        char* backout = dom_tree_to_text (test_node);
+        auto backout = dom_tree_to_text (test_node);
 
         do_test_args (
-            g_strcmp0 (backout, mark) == 0,
+            g_strcmp0 (backout->c_str(), mark) == 0,
             "string converting", __FILE__, __LINE__, "with string %s", mark);
 
-        g_free (backout);
         xmlFreeNode (test_node);
     }
 }
@@ -72,12 +71,11 @@ test_bad_string (void)
     const char* sanitized = "foo?bar";
     xmlNodePtr test_node = text_to_dom_tree ("test-string", badstr);
 
-    char* backout = dom_tree_to_text (test_node);
-    do_test_args (g_strcmp0 (backout, sanitized) == 0,
+    auto backout = dom_tree_to_text (test_node);
+    do_test_args (g_strcmp0 (backout->c_str(), sanitized) == 0,
                   "string sanitizing", __FILE__, __LINE__,
                   "with string %s", badstr);
 
-    g_free (backout);
     xmlFreeNode (test_node);
 }
 
diff --git a/libgnucash/backend/xml/test/test-xml-account.cpp b/libgnucash/backend/xml/test/test-xml-account.cpp
index bc5d541fe5..5c6917ec71 100644
--- a/libgnucash/backend/xml/test/test-xml-account.cpp
+++ b/libgnucash/backend/xml/test/test-xml-account.cpp
@@ -88,29 +88,22 @@ node_and_account_equal (xmlNodePtr node, Account* act)
         }
         else if (g_strcmp0 ((char*)mark->name, "act:type") == 0)
         {
-            gchar* txt;
             GNCAccountType type;
 
-            txt = dom_tree_to_text (mark);
+            auto txt = dom_tree_to_text (mark);
 
             if (!txt)
             {
                 return g_strdup ("couldn't get type string");
             }
-            else if (!xaccAccountStringToType (txt, &type))
+            else if (!xaccAccountStringToType (txt->c_str(), &type))
             {
-                g_free (txt);
                 return g_strdup ("couldn't convert type string to int");
             }
             else if (type != xaccAccountGetType (act))
             {
-                g_free (txt);
                 return g_strdup ("types differ");
             }
-            else
-            {
-                g_free (txt);
-            }
         }
         else if (g_strcmp0 ((char*)mark->name, "act:commodity") == 0)
         {
diff --git a/libgnucash/backend/xml/test/test-xml-commodity.cpp b/libgnucash/backend/xml/test/test-xml-commodity.cpp
index 58683a75ea..ccbe55ecdd 100644
--- a/libgnucash/backend/xml/test/test-xml-commodity.cpp
+++ b/libgnucash/backend/xml/test/test-xml-commodity.cpp
@@ -105,30 +105,23 @@ node_and_commodity_equal (xmlNodePtr node, const gnc_commodity* com)
         }
         else if (g_strcmp0 ((char*)mark->name, "cmdty:fraction") == 0)
         {
-            gchar* txt;
             gint64 type;
 
-            txt = dom_tree_to_text (mark);
+            auto txt = dom_tree_to_text (mark);
 
             if (!txt)
             {
                 return "couldn't get fraction string";
             }
 
-            else if (!string_to_gint64 (txt, &type))
+            else if (!string_to_gint64 (*txt, &type))
             {
-                g_free (txt);
                 return "couldn't convert fraction string to int";
             }
             else if (type != gnc_commodity_get_fraction (com))
             {
-                g_free (txt);
                 return "fractions differ";
             }
-            else
-            {
-                g_free (txt);
-            }
         }
         else if (g_strcmp0 ((char*)mark->name, "cmdty:slots") == 0)
         {
diff --git a/libgnucash/backend/xml/test/test-xml-transaction.cpp b/libgnucash/backend/xml/test/test-xml-transaction.cpp
index 74815f9835..c9d6a991c5 100644
--- a/libgnucash/backend/xml/test/test-xml-transaction.cpp
+++ b/libgnucash/backend/xml/test/test-xml-transaction.cpp
@@ -116,25 +116,21 @@ equals_node_val_vs_split_internal (xmlNodePtr node, Split* spl)
         }
         else if (g_strcmp0 ((char*)mark->name, "split:memo") == 0)
         {
-            char* memo = dom_tree_to_text (mark);
+            auto memo = dom_tree_to_text (mark);
 
-            if (g_strcmp0 (memo, xaccSplitGetMemo (spl)) != 0)
+            if (g_strcmp0 (memo->c_str(), xaccSplitGetMemo (spl)) != 0)
             {
-                g_free (memo);
                 return "memos differ";
             }
-            g_free (memo);
         }
         else if (g_strcmp0 ((char*)mark->name, "split:reconciled-state") == 0)
         {
-            char* rs = dom_tree_to_text (mark);
+            auto rs = dom_tree_to_text (mark);
 
-            if (rs[0] != xaccSplitGetReconcile (spl))
+            if (!rs || rs->front() != xaccSplitGetReconcile (spl))
             {
-                g_free (rs);
                 return "states differ";
             }
-            g_free (rs);
         }
         else if (g_strcmp0 ((char*)mark->name, "split:value") == 0)
         {