diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index a1a417ecd7..5162fe7748 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -30,6 +30,8 @@ cscope.*out
 valgrind-*.log
 *-glue.h
 
+/libgsystem/
+
 /ABOUT-NLS
 /COPYING
 /INSTALL
diff --git a/.gitmodules b/.gitmodules
deleted file mode 100644
index e93bbea6db..0000000000
--- a/.gitmodules
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,3 +0,0 @@
-[submodule "libgsystem"]
-	path = libgsystem
-	url = git://git.gnome.org/libgsystem
diff --git a/Makefile.am b/Makefile.am
index 86102abbae..97f094d791 100644
--- a/Makefile.am
+++ b/Makefile.am
@@ -66,10 +66,4 @@ CLEANFILES = cscope.in.out cscope.out cscope.po.out
 cscope:
 	cscope -b -q -R -Iinclude -ssrc -slibnm-glib -slibnm-util -scli/src;
 
-libgsystem_srcpath := libgsystem
-libgsystem_cflags := $(filter-out -DGLIB_VERSION%,$(GLIB_CFLAGS)) -I$(srcdir)/libgsystem
-libgsystem_libs = $(GLIB_LIBS)
-include libgsystem/Makefile-libgsystem.am
-noinst_LTLIBRARIES = libgsystem.la
-
 .PHONY: cscope
diff --git a/autogen.sh b/autogen.sh
index 1b56207af9..141bcf120e 100755
--- a/autogen.sh
+++ b/autogen.sh
@@ -22,13 +22,6 @@ PKG_NAME=NetworkManager
 
 cd $srcdir
 
-# Fetch submodules if needed
-if test -d $srcdir/.git; then
-    echo "+ Setting up submodules"
-    git submodule init
-    git submodule update
-fi
-
 gtkdocize
 autopoint --force
 AUTOPOINT='intltoolize --automake --copy' autoreconf --force --install --verbose
diff --git a/include/Makefile.am b/include/Makefile.am
index efc070354d..b465d8b5aa 100644
--- a/include/Makefile.am
+++ b/include/Makefile.am
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 EXTRA_DIST = \
+     gsystem-local-alloc.h \
      nm-dbus-glib-types.h \
      nm-glib-compat.h \
      nm-gvaluearray-compat.h \
diff --git a/include/gsystem-local-alloc.h b/include/gsystem-local-alloc.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..68b1227425
--- /dev/null
+++ b/include/gsystem-local-alloc.h
@@ -0,0 +1,183 @@
+/* -*- mode: C; c-file-style: "gnu"; indent-tabs-mode: nil; -*-
+ *
+ * Copyright (C) 2012 Colin Walters <walters@verbum.org>.
+ *
+ * This library is free software; you can redistribute it and/or
+ * modify it under the terms of the GNU Lesser General Public
+ * License as published by the Free Software Foundation; either
+ * version 2 of the License, or (at your option) any later version.
+ *
+ * This library is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+ * but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+ * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU
+ * Lesser General Public License for more details.
+ *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU Lesser General Public
+ * License along with this library; if not, write to the
+ * Free Software Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place - Suite 330,
+ * Boston, MA 02111-1307, USA.
+ */
+
+#ifndef __GSYSTEM_LOCAL_ALLOC_H__
+#define __GSYSTEM_LOCAL_ALLOC_H__
+
+#include <gio/gio.h>
+
+G_BEGIN_DECLS
+
+#define GS_DEFINE_CLEANUP_FUNCTION(Type, name, func) \
+  static inline void name (void *v) \
+  { \
+    func (*(Type*)v); \
+  }
+
+#define GS_DEFINE_CLEANUP_FUNCTION0(Type, name, func) \
+  static inline void name (void *v) \
+  { \
+    if (*(Type*)v) \
+      func (*(Type*)v); \
+  }
+
+/* These functions shouldn't be invoked directly;
+ * they are stubs that:
+ * 1) Take a pointer to the location (typically itself a pointer).
+ * 2) Provide %NULL-safety where it doesn't exist already (e.g. g_object_unref)
+ */
+GS_DEFINE_CLEANUP_FUNCTION0(GArray*, gs_local_array_unref, g_array_unref)
+GS_DEFINE_CLEANUP_FUNCTION0(GBytes*, gs_local_bytes_unref, g_bytes_unref)
+GS_DEFINE_CLEANUP_FUNCTION0(GChecksum*, gs_local_checksum_free, g_checksum_free)
+GS_DEFINE_CLEANUP_FUNCTION0(GKeyFile*, gs_local_keyfile_unref, g_key_file_unref)
+GS_DEFINE_CLEANUP_FUNCTION0(GError*, gs_local_free_error, g_error_free)
+GS_DEFINE_CLEANUP_FUNCTION0(GHashTable*, gs_local_hashtable_unref, g_hash_table_unref)
+GS_DEFINE_CLEANUP_FUNCTION(GList*, gs_local_free_list, g_list_free)
+GS_DEFINE_CLEANUP_FUNCTION(GSList*, gs_local_free_slist, g_slist_free)
+GS_DEFINE_CLEANUP_FUNCTION0(GObject*, gs_local_obj_unref, g_object_unref)
+GS_DEFINE_CLEANUP_FUNCTION0(GPtrArray*, gs_local_ptrarray_unref, g_ptr_array_unref)
+GS_DEFINE_CLEANUP_FUNCTION0(GVariant*, gs_local_variant_unref, g_variant_unref)
+GS_DEFINE_CLEANUP_FUNCTION0(GVariantBuilder*, gs_local_variant_builder_unref, g_variant_builder_unref)
+GS_DEFINE_CLEANUP_FUNCTION0(GVariantIter*, gs_local_variant_iter_free, g_variant_iter_free)
+
+GS_DEFINE_CLEANUP_FUNCTION(char**, gs_local_strfreev, g_strfreev)
+GS_DEFINE_CLEANUP_FUNCTION(void*, gs_local_free, g_free)
+
+/**
+ * gs_free:
+ *
+ * Call g_free() on a variable location when it goes out of scope.
+ */
+#define gs_free __attribute__ ((cleanup(gs_local_free)))
+
+/**
+ * gs_unref_object:
+ *
+ * Call g_object_unref() on a variable location when it goes out of
+ * scope.  Note that unlike g_object_unref(), the variable may be
+ * %NULL.
+ */
+#define gs_unref_object __attribute__ ((cleanup(gs_local_obj_unref)))
+
+/**
+ * gs_unref_variant:
+ *
+ * Call g_variant_unref() on a variable location when it goes out of
+ * scope.  Note that unlike g_variant_unref(), the variable may be
+ * %NULL.
+ */
+#define gs_unref_variant __attribute__ ((cleanup(gs_local_variant_unref)))
+
+/**
+ * gs_free_variant_iter:
+ *
+ * Call g_variant_iter_free() on a variable location when it goes out of
+ * scope.
+ */
+#define gs_free_variant_iter __attribute__ ((cleanup(gs_local_variant_iter_free)))
+
+/**
+ * gs_free_variant_builder:
+ *
+ * Call g_variant_builder_unref() on a variable location when it goes out of
+ * scope.
+ */
+#define gs_unref_variant_builder __attribute__ ((cleanup(gs_local_variant_builder_unref)))
+
+/**
+ * gs_unref_array:
+ *
+ * Call g_array_unref() on a variable location when it goes out of
+ * scope.  Note that unlike g_array_unref(), the variable may be
+ * %NULL.
+
+ */
+#define gs_unref_array __attribute__ ((cleanup(gs_local_array_unref)))
+
+/**
+ * gs_unref_ptrarray:
+ *
+ * Call g_ptr_array_unref() on a variable location when it goes out of
+ * scope.  Note that unlike g_ptr_array_unref(), the variable may be
+ * %NULL.
+
+ */
+#define gs_unref_ptrarray __attribute__ ((cleanup(gs_local_ptrarray_unref)))
+
+/**
+ * gs_unref_hashtable:
+ *
+ * Call g_hash_table_unref() on a variable location when it goes out
+ * of scope.  Note that unlike g_hash_table_unref(), the variable may
+ * be %NULL.
+ */
+#define gs_unref_hashtable __attribute__ ((cleanup(gs_local_hashtable_unref)))
+
+/**
+ * gs_free_list:
+ *
+ * Call g_list_free() on a variable location when it goes out
+ * of scope.
+ */
+#define gs_free_list __attribute__ ((cleanup(gs_local_free_list)))
+
+/**
+ * gs_free_slist:
+ *
+ * Call g_slist_free() on a variable location when it goes out
+ * of scope.
+ */
+#define gs_free_slist __attribute__ ((cleanup(gs_local_free_slist)))
+
+/**
+ * gs_free_checksum:
+ *
+ * Call g_checksum_free() on a variable location when it goes out
+ * of scope.  Note that unlike g_checksum_free(), the variable may
+ * be %NULL.
+ */
+#define gs_free_checksum __attribute__ ((cleanup(gs_local_checksum_free)))
+
+/**
+ * gs_unref_bytes:
+ *
+ * Call g_bytes_unref() on a variable location when it goes out
+ * of scope.  Note that unlike g_bytes_unref(), the variable may
+ * be %NULL.
+ */
+#define gs_unref_bytes __attribute__ ((cleanup(gs_local_bytes_unref)))
+
+/**
+ * gs_strfreev:
+ *
+ * Call g_strfreev() on a variable location when it goes out of scope.
+ */
+#define gs_strfreev __attribute__ ((cleanup(gs_local_strfreev)))
+
+/**
+ * gs_free_error:
+ *
+ * Call g_error_free() on a variable location when it goes out of scope.
+ */
+#define gs_free_error __attribute__ ((cleanup(gs_local_free_error)))
+
+G_END_DECLS
+
+#endif
diff --git a/libgsystem b/libgsystem
deleted file mode 160000
index 856b8f9431..0000000000
--- a/libgsystem
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Subproject commit 856b8f9431a63c7807fb3859ed6de2a0f3abfb3b
diff --git a/src/Makefile.am b/src/Makefile.am
index 0a0b52dc0b..ebbee17935 100644
--- a/src/Makefile.am
+++ b/src/Makefile.am
@@ -38,7 +38,6 @@ endif
 
 AM_CPPFLAGS =				\
 	-I$(top_srcdir)/include		\
-	-I${top_srcdir}/libgsystem	\
 	-I$(top_srcdir)/libnm-util	\
 	-I$(top_builddir)/libnm-util	\
 	-I$(top_srcdir)/callouts	\
@@ -58,7 +57,7 @@ sbin_PROGRAMS = NetworkManager
 NetworkManager_SOURCES = \
 	main.c
 
-NetworkManager_LDADD = libNetworkManager.la $(top_builddir)/libgsystem.la $(LIBNDP_LIBS)
+NetworkManager_LDADD = libNetworkManager.la $(LIBNDP_LIBS)
 
 noinst_LTLIBRARIES = libNetworkManager.la
 
@@ -356,7 +355,6 @@ libNetworkManager_la_SOURCES = \
 	$(glue_sources)
 
 libNetworkManager_la_LIBADD = \
-	$(top_builddir)/libgsystem.la \
 	$(top_builddir)/libnm-util/libnm-util.la \
 	$(DBUS_LIBS) \
 	$(GLIB_LIBS) \
diff --git a/src/devices/nm-device.c b/src/devices/nm-device.c
index bc21035b5c..6f659e53a1 100644
--- a/src/devices/nm-device.c
+++ b/src/devices/nm-device.c
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@
 #include <linux/if.h>
 #include <netlink/route/addr.h>
 
-#include "libgsystem.h"
+#include "gsystem-local-alloc.h"
 #include "nm-glib-compat.h"
 #include "nm-device.h"
 #include "nm-device-private.h"
diff --git a/src/main.c b/src/main.c
index 0ba65b0b8a..57e0b873f3 100644
--- a/src/main.c
+++ b/src/main.c
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@
 #include <string.h>
 #include <sys/resource.h>
 
-#include "libgsystem.h"
+#include "gsystem-local-alloc.h"
 #include "NetworkManager.h"
 #include "NetworkManagerUtils.h"
 #include "nm-manager.h"
diff --git a/src/nm-activation-request.c b/src/nm-activation-request.c
index 9f9ee0f940..97db7eb867 100644
--- a/src/nm-activation-request.c
+++ b/src/nm-activation-request.c
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@
 #include <unistd.h>
 #include <dbus/dbus-glib.h>
 
-#include "libgsystem.h"
+#include "gsystem-local-alloc.h"
 
 #include "nm-activation-request.h"
 #include "nm-logging.h"
diff --git a/src/nm-ip4-config.c b/src/nm-ip4-config.c
index aea5119940..e8925ae45b 100644
--- a/src/nm-ip4-config.c
+++ b/src/nm-ip4-config.c
@@ -23,7 +23,6 @@
 
 #include "nm-ip4-config.h"
 
-#include "libgsystem.h"
 #include "nm-platform.h"
 #include "nm-utils.h"
 #include "nm-dbus-manager.h"
diff --git a/src/nm-ip6-config.c b/src/nm-ip6-config.c
index 203ed8128b..365f48667a 100644
--- a/src/nm-ip6-config.c
+++ b/src/nm-ip6-config.c
@@ -24,7 +24,6 @@
 #include "nm-ip6-config.h"
 
 #include "nm-glib-compat.h"
-#include "libgsystem.h"
 #include "nm-platform.h"
 #include "nm-utils.h"
 #include "nm-dbus-manager.h"
diff --git a/src/nm-manager.c b/src/nm-manager.c
index 5d7149ab70..520654fb4f 100644
--- a/src/nm-manager.c
+++ b/src/nm-manager.c
@@ -1537,17 +1537,6 @@ done:
 	g_clear_error (&error);
 }
 
-/* This should really be moved to gsystem. */
-#define free_slist __attribute__ ((cleanup(local_slist_free)))
-static void
-local_slist_free (void *loc)
-{
-	GSList **location = loc;
-
-	if (location)
-		g_slist_free (*location);
-}
-
 static gboolean
 match_connection_filter (NMConnection *connection, gpointer user_data)
 {
@@ -1566,7 +1555,7 @@ static NMConnection *
 get_existing_connection (NMManager *manager, NMDevice *device)
 {
 	NMManagerPrivate *priv = NM_MANAGER_GET_PRIVATE (manager);
-	free_slist GSList *connections = nm_manager_get_activatable_connections (manager);
+	gs_free_slist GSList *connections = nm_manager_get_activatable_connections (manager);
 	NMConnection *connection = NULL, *matched;
 	NMSettingsConnection *added = NULL;
 	GError *error = NULL;
diff --git a/src/platform/nm-fake-platform.c b/src/platform/nm-fake-platform.c
index 46272217d0..4cbfd7854c 100644
--- a/src/platform/nm-fake-platform.c
+++ b/src/platform/nm-fake-platform.c
@@ -543,7 +543,7 @@ link_get_master (NMPlatform *platform, int slave)
 static gboolean
 master_set_option (NMPlatform *platform, int master, const char *option, const char *value)
 {
-	auto_g_free char *path = g_strdup_printf ("master:%d:%s", master, option);
+	gs_free char *path = g_strdup_printf ("master:%d:%s", master, option);
 
 	return sysctl_set (platform, path, value);
 }
@@ -551,7 +551,7 @@ master_set_option (NMPlatform *platform, int master, const char *option, const c
 static char *
 master_get_option (NMPlatform *platform, int master, const char *option)
 {
-	auto_g_free char *path = g_strdup_printf ("master:%d:%s", master, option);
+	gs_free char *path = g_strdup_printf ("master:%d:%s", master, option);
 
 	return sysctl_get (platform, path);
 }
@@ -559,7 +559,7 @@ master_get_option (NMPlatform *platform, int master, const char *option)
 static gboolean
 slave_set_option (NMPlatform *platform, int slave, const char *option, const char *value)
 {
-	auto_g_free char *path = g_strdup_printf ("slave:%d:%s", slave, option);
+	gs_free char *path = g_strdup_printf ("slave:%d:%s", slave, option);
 
 	return sysctl_set (platform, path, value);
 }
@@ -567,7 +567,7 @@ slave_set_option (NMPlatform *platform, int slave, const char *option, const cha
 static char *
 slave_get_option (NMPlatform *platform, int slave, const char *option)
 {
-	auto_g_free char *path = g_strdup_printf ("slave:%d:%s", slave, option);
+	gs_free char *path = g_strdup_printf ("slave:%d:%s", slave, option);
 
 	return sysctl_get (platform, path);
 }
diff --git a/src/platform/nm-linux-platform.c b/src/platform/nm-linux-platform.c
index 0b10afd2ae..ec0bd7521a 100644
--- a/src/platform/nm-linux-platform.c
+++ b/src/platform/nm-linux-platform.c
@@ -598,8 +598,8 @@ ethtool_get (const char *name, gpointer edata)
 static int
 ethtool_get_stringset_index (const char *ifname, int stringset_id, const char *string)
 {
-	auto_g_free struct ethtool_sset_info *info = NULL;
-	auto_g_free struct ethtool_gstrings *strings = NULL;
+	gs_free struct ethtool_sset_info *info = NULL;
+	gs_free struct ethtool_gstrings *strings = NULL;
 	guint32 len, i;
 
 	info = g_malloc0 (sizeof (*info) + sizeof (guint32));
@@ -2472,7 +2472,7 @@ link_supports_vlans (NMPlatform *platform, int ifindex)
 {
 	auto_nl_object struct rtnl_link *rtnllink = link_get (platform, ifindex);
 	const char *name = nm_platform_link_get_name (ifindex);
-	auto_g_free struct ethtool_gfeatures *features = NULL;
+	gs_free struct ethtool_gfeatures *features = NULL;
 	int idx, block, bit, size;
 
 	/* Only ARPHRD_ETHER links can possibly support VLANs. */
@@ -2684,7 +2684,7 @@ link_option_path (int master, const char *category, const char *option)
 static gboolean
 link_set_option (int master, const char *category, const char *option, const char *value)
 {
-	auto_g_free char *path = link_option_path (master, category, option);
+	gs_free char *path = link_option_path (master, category, option);
 
 	return path && nm_platform_sysctl_set (path, value);
 }
@@ -2692,7 +2692,7 @@ link_set_option (int master, const char *category, const char *option, const cha
 static char *
 link_get_option (int master, const char *category, const char *option)
 {
-	auto_g_free char *path = link_option_path (master, category, option);
+	gs_free char *path = link_option_path (master, category, option);
 
 	return path ? nm_platform_sysctl_get (path) : NULL;
 }
@@ -2771,7 +2771,7 @@ infiniband_partition_add (NMPlatform *platform, int parent, int p_key)
 	g_free (path);
 
 	if (success) {
-		auto_g_free char *ifname = g_strdup_printf ("%s.%04x", parent_name, p_key);
+		gs_free char *ifname = g_strdup_printf ("%s.%04x", parent_name, p_key);
 		auto_nl_object struct rtnl_link *rtnllink = _nm_rtnl_link_alloc (0, ifname);
 
 		success = refresh_object (platform, (struct nl_object *) rtnllink, FALSE, NM_PLATFORM_REASON_INTERNAL);
@@ -2784,7 +2784,7 @@ static gboolean
 veth_get_properties (NMPlatform *platform, int ifindex, NMPlatformVethProperties *props)
 {
 	const char *ifname;
-	auto_g_free struct ethtool_stats *stats = NULL;
+	gs_free struct ethtool_stats *stats = NULL;
 	int peer_ifindex_stat;
 
 	ifname = nm_platform_link_get_name (ifindex);
diff --git a/src/platform/nm-platform.h b/src/platform/nm-platform.h
index 96b6cfabbd..9bdc6a9cb1 100644
--- a/src/platform/nm-platform.h
+++ b/src/platform/nm-platform.h
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@
 #include <linux/if_addr.h>
 
 #include <NetworkManager.h>
+#include "gsystem-local-alloc.h"
 
 #define NM_TYPE_PLATFORM            (nm_platform_get_type ())
 #define NM_PLATFORM(obj)            (G_TYPE_CHECK_INSTANCE_CAST ((obj), NM_TYPE_PLATFORM, NMPlatform))
@@ -624,11 +625,4 @@ void nm_platform_addr_flags2str (int flags, char *buf, size_t size);
 
 int nm_platform_ip_address_cmp_expiry (const NMPlatformIPAddress *a, const NMPlatformIPAddress *b);
 
-#define auto_g_free __attribute__((cleanup(put_g_free)))
-static void __attribute__((unused))
-put_g_free (void *ptr)
-{
-	g_clear_pointer ((gpointer *) ptr, g_free);
-}
-
 #endif /* NM_PLATFORM_H */
diff --git a/src/platform/tests/platform.c b/src/platform/tests/platform.c
index ea8bd0e3b3..8a680c521b 100644
--- a/src/platform/tests/platform.c
+++ b/src/platform/tests/platform.c
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ do_sysctl_set (char **argv)
 static gboolean
 do_sysctl_get (char **argv)
 {
-	auto_g_free char *value = nm_platform_sysctl_get (argv[0]);
+	gs_free char *value = nm_platform_sysctl_get (argv[0]);
 
 	printf ("%s\n", value);
 
@@ -281,7 +281,7 @@ do_master_get_option (char **argv)
 {
 	int ifindex = parse_ifindex (*argv++);
 	const char *option = *argv++;
-	auto_g_free char *value = nm_platform_master_get_option (ifindex, option);
+	gs_free char *value = nm_platform_master_get_option (ifindex, option);
 
 	printf ("%s\n", value);
 
@@ -303,7 +303,7 @@ do_slave_get_option (char **argv)
 {
 	int ifindex = parse_ifindex (*argv++);
 	const char *option = *argv++;
-	auto_g_free char *value = nm_platform_slave_get_option (ifindex, option);
+	gs_free char *value = nm_platform_slave_get_option (ifindex, option);
 
 	printf ("%s\n", value);