diff --git a/mx_flock.c b/mx_flock.c
index 269ea1d..eb522ad 100644
--- a/mx_flock.c
+++ b/mx_flock.c
@@ -17,8 +17,8 @@
 
 #define FLOCK_MODE 0600
 
-#ifndef free_null
-#define free_null(a) do { free((a)); (a) = NULL; } while(0)
+#if !defined mx_free_null
+#   define mx_free_null(a) do { free((a)); (a) = NULL; } while(0)
 #endif
 
 static inline int _flock_open(struct mx_flock *lock, mode_t mode)
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ static inline void _flock_free(struct mx_flock *lock)
         return;
 
     if (lock->fname)
-        free_null(lock->fname);
+        mx_free_null(lock->fname);
 
     if (lock->fd >= 0)
         _flock_close(lock);
diff --git a/mxq_group.c b/mxq_group.c
index 39047aa..70a2b3d 100644
--- a/mxq_group.c
+++ b/mxq_group.c
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
 
 #include "mxq_group.h"
 #include "mxq_job.h"
-#include "mxq_util.h"
+#include "mx_util.h"
 #include "mx_mysql.h"
 
 #define GROUP_FIELDS_CNT 26
@@ -88,16 +88,16 @@ static int bind_result_group_fields(struct mx_mysql_bind *result, struct mxq_gro
 
 void mxq_group_free_content(struct mxq_group *g)
 {
-        free_null(g->group_name);
+        mx_free_null(g->group_name);
         g->_group_name_length = 0;
 
-        free_null(g->user_name);
+        mx_free_null(g->user_name);
         g->_user_name_length = 0;
 
-        free_null(g->user_group);
+        mx_free_null(g->user_group);
         g->_user_group_length = 0;
 
-        free_null(g->job_command);
+        mx_free_null(g->job_command);
         g->_job_command_length = 0;
 }
 
diff --git a/mxq_job.c b/mxq_job.c
index fcc550e..78c4343 100644
--- a/mxq_job.c
+++ b/mxq_job.c
@@ -15,7 +15,6 @@
 
 #include "mxq_group.h"
 #include "mxq_job.h"
-#include "mxq_util.h"
 
 #define JOB_FIELDS_CNT 34
 #define JOB_FIELDS \
@@ -148,35 +147,35 @@ char *mxq_job_status_to_name(uint64_t status)
 
 void mxq_job_free_content(struct mxq_job *j)
 {
-        free_null(j->job_workdir);
+        mx_free_null(j->job_workdir);
         j->_job_workdir_length = 0;
 
-        free_null(j->job_argv_str);
+        mx_free_null(j->job_argv_str);
         j->_job_argv_str_length = 0;
 
-        free_null(j->job_stdout);
+        mx_free_null(j->job_stdout);
         j->_job_stdout_length = 0;
 
-        free_null(j->job_stderr);
+        mx_free_null(j->job_stderr);
         j->_job_stderr_length = 0;
 
         if (j->tmp_stderr == j->tmp_stdout) {
             j->tmp_stdout = NULL;
         } else {
-            free_null(j->tmp_stdout);
+            mx_free_null(j->tmp_stdout);
         }
-        free_null(j->tmp_stderr);
+        mx_free_null(j->tmp_stderr);
 
-        free_null(j->host_submit);
+        mx_free_null(j->host_submit);
         j->_host_submit_length = 0;
 
-        free_null(j->server_id);
+        mx_free_null(j->server_id);
         j->_server_id_length = 0;
 
-        free_null(j->host_hostname);
+        mx_free_null(j->host_hostname);
         j->_host_hostname_length = 0;
 
-        free_null(j->job_argv);
+        mx_free_null(j->job_argv);
         j->job_argv = NULL;
 }
 
@@ -513,7 +512,7 @@ int mxq_set_job_status_exited(struct mx_mysql *mysql, struct mxq_job *job)
 
 int mxq_job_set_tmpfilenames(struct mxq_group *g, struct mxq_job *j)
 {
-    if (!streq(j->job_stdout, "/dev/null")) {
+    if (!mx_streq(j->job_stdout, "/dev/null")) {
         _mx_cleanup_free_ char *dir = NULL;
 
         dir = mx_dirname_forever(j->job_stdout);
@@ -523,10 +522,10 @@ int mxq_job_set_tmpfilenames(struct mxq_group *g, struct mxq_job *j)
             j->server_id, j->host_pid);
     }
 
-    if (!streq(j->job_stderr, "/dev/null")) {
+    if (!mx_streq(j->job_stderr, "/dev/null")) {
         _mx_cleanup_free_ char *dir = NULL;
 
-        if (streq(j->job_stderr, j->job_stdout)) {
+        if (mx_streq(j->job_stderr, j->job_stdout)) {
             j->tmp_stderr = j->tmp_stdout;
             return 1;
         }
diff --git a/mxq_util.c b/mxq_util.c
index a44335a..2279bdd 100644
--- a/mxq_util.c
+++ b/mxq_util.c
@@ -27,28 +27,6 @@ mode_t getumask(void)
     return mask;
 }
 
-size_t timetag(char *buf, size_t max)
-{
-    time_t t;
-    struct tm *ltime;
-
-    *buf = 0;
-
-    t = time(NULL);
-    if (t == ((time_t) -1)) {
-        perror("timetag::time");
-        return 0;
-    }
-
-    ltime = localtime(&t);
-    if (ltime == NULL) {
-        perror("timetag::localtime");
-        return 0;
-    }
-
-    return strftime(buf, max, "%F %T %z", ltime);
-}
-
 char *mxq_hostname(void)
 {
     static char hostname[1024] = "";
@@ -67,33 +45,6 @@ char *mxq_hostname(void)
     return hostname;
 }
 
-void *realloc_or_free(void *ptr, size_t size)
-{
-    void *new_ptr;
-
-    new_ptr = realloc(ptr, size);
-    if (new_ptr)
-        return new_ptr;
-
-    free(ptr);
-    return NULL;
-}
-
-void *realloc_forever(void *ptr, size_t size)
-{
-    void *new_ptr;
-
-    assert(size > 0);
-
-    do {
-        new_ptr = realloc(ptr, size);
-        if (new_ptr)
-            return new_ptr;
-
-        sleep(1);
-    } while (1);
-}
-
 char **strvec_new(void)
 {
     char **strvec;
@@ -288,113 +239,3 @@ char **str_to_strvec(char *str)
 
     return strvec;
 }
-
-char *stringvectostring(int argc, char *argv[])
-{
-    int     i,j,k;
-    char   *buf;
-    char   *s;
-    size_t  len = 1;
-
-    for (i=0; i < argc; i++) {
-        len += strlen(argv[i]);
-        len += chrcnt(argv[i], '\\');
-        len += 2;
-    }
-
-    buf = malloc(len);
-    if (!buf)
-        return NULL;
-
-    for (i=0, k=0; i < argc; i++) {
-        s = argv[i];
-        for (j=0; j < strlen(s); j++) {
-             buf[k++] = s[j];
-             if (s[j] == '\\')
-                 buf[k++] = '\\';
-        }
-        buf[k++] = '\\';
-        buf[k++] = '0';
-    }
-
-    assert(k == len-1);
-    buf[k] = 0;
-
-    return buf;
-}
-
-char **stringtostringvec(int argc, char *s)
-{
-    int i;
-    char *p;
-    char **argv;
-
-    argv = calloc(argc+1, sizeof(*argv));
-    if (!argv)
-        return NULL;
-
-    for (i=0, p=s; i < argc; i++) {
-        argv[i] = p;
-        p = strstr(p, "\\0");  /* search "\0" */
-        if (!p) {
-            errno = EINVAL; /* "\0" need to be there or string is invalid */
-            return NULL;
-        }
-        *p = 0;     /* add end of string */
-        p += 2;     /* skip "\0" */
-    }
-
-    return argv;
-}
-
-int mxq_setenv(const char *name, const char *value)
-{
-    int res;
-
-    res = setenv(name, value, 1);
-    if (res == -1) {
-        mx_log_err("mxq_setenv(%s, %s) failed! (%s)", name, value, strerror(errno));
-        return 0;
-    }
-
-    return 1;
-}
-
-
-int mxq_setenvf(const char *name, char *fmt, ...)
-{
-    va_list ap;
-    _mx_cleanup_free_ char *value = NULL;
-    size_t len;
-    int res;
-
-    assert(name);
-    assert(*name);
-    assert(fmt);
-
-    va_start(ap, fmt);
-    len = vasprintf(&value, fmt, ap);
-    va_end(ap);
-
-    if (len == -1) {
-        mx_log_err("mxq_setenvf(%s, %s, ...) failed! (%s)", name, fmt, strerror(errno));
-        return 0;
-    }
-
-    return mxq_setenv(name, value);
-}
-
-int chrcnt(char *s, char c)
-{
-    int i = 0;
-    char *p;
-
-    p = s;
-
-    while ((p = strchr(p, c))) {
-        i++;
-        p++;
-    }
-
-    return i;
-}
diff --git a/mxq_util.h b/mxq_util.h
index a0cb2a3..e2c1512 100644
--- a/mxq_util.h
+++ b/mxq_util.h
@@ -8,13 +8,6 @@
 
 char *mxq_hostname(void);
 
-char **stringtostringvec(int argc, char *s);
-char *stringvectostring(int argc, char *argv[]);
-int chrcnt(char *s, char c);
-
-void *realloc_or_free(void *ptr, size_t size);
-void *realloc_forever(void *ptr, size_t size);
-
 char** strvec_new(void);
 size_t strvec_length(char **strvec);
 int    strvec_push_str(char ***strvecp, char *str);
@@ -23,11 +16,4 @@ char*  strvec_to_str(char **strvec);
 char** str_to_strvec(char *str);
 void   strvec_free(char **strvec);
 
-#define streq(a, b) (strcmp((a), (b)) == 0)
-
-#define free_null(a) do { free((a)); (a) = NULL; } while(0)
-
-int mxq_setenv(const char *name, const char *value);
-int mxq_setenvf(const char *name, char *fmt, ...);
-
 #endif
diff --git a/mxqd.c b/mxqd.c
index 76c81f8..17b4e07 100644
--- a/mxqd.c
+++ b/mxqd.c
@@ -743,7 +743,7 @@ static int init_child_process(struct mxq_group_list *group, struct mxq_job *j)
         return 0;
     }
 
-    if (!streq(passwd->pw_name, g->user_name)) {
+    if (!mx_streq(passwd->pw_name, g->user_name)) {
         mx_log_err("job=%s(%d):%lu:%lu user_uid=%d does not map to user_name=%s but to pw_name=%s: Invalid user mapping",
             g->user_name, g->user_uid, g->group_id, j->job_id,
             g->user_uid, g->user_name, passwd->pw_name);
@@ -874,7 +874,7 @@ int mxq_redirect_open(char *fname)
 
     if (!fname) {
         fname = "/dev/null";
-    } else if (!streq(fname, "/dev/null")) {
+    } else if (!mx_streq(fname, "/dev/null")) {
         res = unlink(fname);
         if (res == -1 && errno != ENOENT) {
             mx_log_err("unlink() failed: %m");
@@ -1240,7 +1240,7 @@ int remove_orphaned_groups(struct mxq_server *server)
             server->group_cnt--;
             cnt++;
             mxq_group_free_content(&group->group);
-            free_null(group);
+            mx_free_null(group);
         }
         if(user->groups) {
             uprev = user;
@@ -1254,7 +1254,7 @@ int remove_orphaned_groups(struct mxq_server *server)
             server->users = unext;
         }
         server->user_cnt--;
-        free_null(user);
+        mx_free_null(user);
 
         mx_log_info("Removed orphaned user. %lu users left.", server->user_cnt);
     }
@@ -1466,7 +1466,7 @@ int catchall(struct mxq_server *server) {
 
         mxq_job_set_tmpfilenames(g, j);
 
-        if (!streq(j->job_stdout, "/dev/null")) {
+        if (!mx_streq(j->job_stdout, "/dev/null")) {
             res = rename(j->tmp_stdout, j->job_stdout);
             if (res == -1) {
                 mx_log_err("   job=%s(%d):%lu:%lu host_pid=%d :: rename(stdout) failed: %m",
@@ -1474,7 +1474,7 @@ int catchall(struct mxq_server *server) {
             }
         }
 
-        if (!streq(j->job_stderr, "/dev/null") && !streq(j->job_stderr, j->job_stdout)) {
+        if (!mx_streq(j->job_stderr, "/dev/null") && !mx_streq(j->job_stderr, j->job_stdout)) {
             res = rename(j->tmp_stderr, j->job_stderr);
             if (res == -1) {
                 mx_log_err("   job=%s(%d):%lu:%lu host_pid=%d :: rename(stderr) failed: %m",
diff --git a/mxqsub.c b/mxqsub.c
index 92e37bc..8682140 100644
--- a/mxqsub.c
+++ b/mxqsub.c
@@ -509,12 +509,12 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
                 break;
 
             case 'r':
-                if (!optctl.optarg || streq(optctl.optarg, "always")) {
+                if (!optctl.optarg || mx_streq(optctl.optarg, "always")) {
                     arg_jobflags |= MXQ_JOB_FLAGS_RESTART_ON_HOSTFAIL;
                     arg_jobflags |= MXQ_JOB_FLAGS_REQUEUE_ON_HOSTFAIL;
-                } else if (streq(optctl.optarg, "samehost")) {
+                } else if (mx_streq(optctl.optarg, "samehost")) {
                     arg_jobflags |= MXQ_JOB_FLAGS_RESTART_ON_HOSTFAIL;
-                } else if (streq(optctl.optarg, "never")) {
+                } else if (mx_streq(optctl.optarg, "never")) {
                     arg_jobflags &= ~(MXQ_JOB_FLAGS_RESTART_ON_HOSTFAIL|MXQ_JOB_FLAGS_REQUEUE_ON_HOSTFAIL);
                 } else {
                     mx_log_crit("--restart '%s': restartmode unknown.", optctl.optarg);
@@ -666,7 +666,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
         arg_stdout = arg_stdout_absolute;
     }
 
-    if (streq(arg_stderr, "stdout")) {
+    if (mx_streq(arg_stderr, "stdout")) {
         arg_stderr = arg_stdout;
     }