diff --git a/cobc/codegen.c b/cobc/codegen.c
index 68bb88c94..056018cb7 100644
--- a/cobc/codegen.c
+++ b/cobc/codegen.c
@@ -12872,15 +12872,15 @@ output_internal_function (struct cb_program *prog, cb_tree parameter_list)
 
 	if (prog->flag_inspect_used) {
 		output_line ("if (inspect_st != NULL)");
-		output_line ("\tcob_free (inspect_st);");
+		output_line ("\tcob_inspect_free (inspect_st);");
 	}
 	if (prog->flag_string_used) {
 		output_line ("if (string_st != NULL)");
-		output_line ("\tcob_free (string_st);");
+		output_line ("\tcob_string_free (string_st);");
 	}
 	if (prog->flag_unstring_used) {
 		output_line ("if (unstring_st != NULL)");
-		output_line ("\tcob_free (unstring_st);");
+		output_line ("\tcob_unstring_free (unstring_st);");
 	}
 
 	if (prog->flag_main) {
diff --git a/libcob/common.h b/libcob/common.h
index d8c757abc..86e097b8c 100644
--- a/libcob/common.h
+++ b/libcob/common.h
@@ -1954,12 +1954,14 @@ COB_EXPIMP void cob_inspect_trailing_r	(cob_inspect_state *, cob_field *, cob_fi
 COB_EXPIMP void cob_inspect_converting_r	(cob_inspect_state *, const cob_field *, const cob_field *);
 COB_EXPIMP void cob_inspect_translating_r (cob_inspect_state *, const unsigned char *);
 COB_EXPIMP void cob_inspect_finish_r	(cob_inspect_state *);
+COB_EXPIMP void cob_inspect_free	(cob_inspect_state *);
 
 /* Thread-safe string */
 COB_EXPIMP void cob_string_init_r (cob_string_state **, cob_field *, cob_field *);
 COB_EXPIMP void cob_string_delimited_r	(cob_string_state *, cob_field *);
 COB_EXPIMP void cob_string_append_r	(cob_string_state *, cob_field *);
 COB_EXPIMP void cob_string_finish_r	(cob_string_state *);
+COB_EXPIMP void cob_string_free	(cob_string_state *);
 
 /* Thread-safe unstring */
 COB_EXPIMP void cob_unstring_init_r	(cob_unstring_state **, cob_field *, cob_field *, const size_t);
@@ -1967,6 +1969,7 @@ COB_EXPIMP void cob_unstring_delimited_r	(cob_unstring_state *, cob_field *, con
 COB_EXPIMP void cob_unstring_into_r	(cob_unstring_state *, cob_field *, cob_field *, cob_field *);
 COB_EXPIMP void cob_unstring_tallying_r	(cob_unstring_state *, cob_field *);
 COB_EXPIMP void cob_unstring_finish_r	(cob_unstring_state *);
+COB_EXPIMP void cob_unstring_free	(cob_unstring_state *);
 
 /* Compat-only functions for old programs */
 COB_EXPIMP void cob_inspect_init	(cob_field *, const cob_u32_t);
diff --git a/libcob/strings.c b/libcob/strings.c
index 66e5f1ddc..6f3bfdb54 100644
--- a/libcob/strings.c
+++ b/libcob/strings.c
@@ -1301,31 +1301,50 @@ cob_unstring_finish (void)
 /* Initialization/Termination */
 
 void
-cob_exit_strings ()
+cob_inspect_free (struct cob_inspect_state *st)
 {
-	struct cob_inspect_state *sti = share_inspect_state;
-	struct cob_unstring_state *stu = share_unstring_state;
-
-	if (sti != NULL) {
-		if (sti->mark) {
-			cob_free (sti->mark);
-			sti->mark = NULL;
+	if (st != NULL) {
+		if (st->mark) {
+			cob_free (st->mark);
+			st->mark = NULL;
 		}
-		sti->mark_size = sti->mark_min = sti->mark_max = 0;
-		if (sti->repdata) {
-			cob_free (sti->repdata);
-			sti->repdata = NULL;
+		st->mark_size = st->mark_min = st->mark_max = 0;
+		if (st->repdata) {
+			cob_free (st->repdata);
+			st->repdata = NULL;
 		}
-		sti->repdata_size = 0;
+		st->repdata_size = 0;
 	}
+}
+
+void
+cob_string_free (struct cob_string_state *st)
+{
+	cob_free (st->dst);
+	cob_free (st->ptr);
+	cob_free (st->dlm);
+}
 
-	if (stu != NULL) {
-		if (stu->dlm_list) {
-			cob_free (stu->dlm_list);
-			stu->dlm_list = NULL;
+void
+cob_unstring_free (struct cob_unstring_state *st)
+{
+	if (st != NULL) {
+		if (st->dlm_list) {
+			cob_free (st->dlm_list);
+			st->dlm_list = NULL;
+			st->dlm_list_size = 0;
 		}
-		stu->dlm_list_size = 0;
 	}
+}
+
+void
+cob_exit_strings ()
+{
+	struct cob_inspect_state *sti = share_inspect_state;
+	struct cob_unstring_state *stu = share_unstring_state;
+
+	cob_inspect_free (sti);
+	cob_unstring_free (stu);
 
 	if (figurative_ptr) {
 		cob_free (figurative_ptr);