diff --git a/build-tools/parse_h.pl b/build-tools/parse_h.pl
index c493c96..900957a 100644
--- a/build-tools/parse_h.pl
+++ b/build-tools/parse_h.pl
@@ -382,8 +382,8 @@ sub parse_type {
             $arg = 'opaque';
         } else {
             my $ok = $char_p_p_ok{$name} || $char_p_p_ok{$name.'.'.$var};
-            say STDERR "WARNING: char ** in $name ($mode, $var) defaulting to string_pointer" unless $ok;
-            $arg = 'string_pointer';
+            say STDERR "$name returns a string*" unless $ok;
+            $arg = 'string*';
         }
     } elsif ($arg =~ /char\s*\*/) {
         if ($mode eq 'ret' && $use_ret_opaque{$name}) {
diff --git a/lib/Geo/GDAL/FFI.pm b/lib/Geo/GDAL/FFI.pm
index 614d7c5..b156321 100644
--- a/lib/Geo/GDAL/FFI.pm
+++ b/lib/Geo/GDAL/FFI.pm
@@ -85,12 +85,14 @@ sub SetErrorHandling {
                 push @errors, $msg;
             }
         });
+    $instance->{CPLErrorHandler}->sticky;
     CPLPushErrorHandler($instance->{CPLErrorHandler});
 }
 
 sub UnsetErrorHandling {
     return unless $instance;
     return unless exists $instance->{CPLErrorHandler};
+    $instance->{CPLErrorHandler}->unstick;
     CPLPopErrorHandler($instance->{CPLErrorHandler});
     delete $instance->{CPLErrorHandler};
 }
@@ -436,7 +438,6 @@ sub new {
     return $instance if $instance;
 
     my $ffi = FFI::Platypus->new;
-    $ffi->load_custom_type('::StringPointer' => 'string_pointer');
     my @libs = $gdal->dynamic_libs;
     $ffi->lib(@libs);
 
@@ -460,13 +461,14 @@ sub new {
     $ffi->attach(VSIFCloseL => ['opaque'] => 'int');
     $ffi->attach(VSIFWriteL => [qw/opaque uint uint opaque/] => 'uint');
     $ffi->attach(VSIFReadL => [qw/opaque uint uint opaque/] => 'uint');
-    $ffi->attach(VSIIngestFile => [qw/opaque string string_pointer uint64* sint64/] => 'int');
+    $ffi->attach(VSIIngestFile => [qw/opaque string string* uint64* sint64/] => 'int');
     $ffi->attach(VSIMkdir => [qw/string sint64/] => 'int');
     $ffi->attach(VSIRmdir => [qw/string/] => 'int');
     $ffi->attach(VSIReadDirEx => [qw/string int/] => 'opaque');
     $ffi->attach(VSIUnlink => [qw/string/] => 'int');
     $ffi->attach(VSIRename => [qw/string string/] => 'int');
     $ffi->attach(VSIStdoutSetRedirection => ['VSIWriteFunction', 'opaque'] => 'void');
+    $ffi->attach(CPLSetErrorHandler => ['CPLErrorHandler'] => 'opaque');
     $ffi->attach(CPLPushErrorHandler => ['CPLErrorHandler'] => 'void');
     $ffi->attach(CPLPopErrorHandler => ['CPLErrorHandler'] => 'void');
     $ffi->attach(CSLDestroy => ['opaque'] => 'void');
@@ -560,7 +562,7 @@ $ffi->attach('GDALDatasetRasterIO' => ['opaque','unsigned int','int','int','int'
 $ffi->attach('GDALDatasetRasterIOEx' => ['opaque','unsigned int','int','int','int','int','opaque','int','int','unsigned int','int','int*','sint64','sint64','sint64','opaque'] => 'int');
 $ffi->attach('GDALDatasetAdviseRead' => ['opaque','int','int','int','int','int','int','unsigned int','int','int*','opaque'] => 'int');
 $ffi->attach('GDALDatasetGetCompressionFormats' => [qw/opaque int int int int int int*/] => 'opaque');
-$ffi->attach('GDALDatasetReadCompressedData' => [qw/opaque string int int int int int int* opaque size_t string_pointer/] => 'int');
+$ffi->attach('GDALDatasetReadCompressedData' => [qw/opaque string int int int int int int* opaque size_t string*/] => 'int');
 $ffi->attach('GDALGetProjectionRef' => [qw/opaque/] => 'string');
 $ffi->attach('GDALGetSpatialRef' => [qw/opaque/] => 'opaque');
 $ffi->attach('GDALSetProjection' => [qw/opaque string/] => 'int');
@@ -609,14 +611,14 @@ $ffi->attach('GDALDatasetRollbackTransaction' => [qw/opaque/] => 'int');
 $ffi->attach('GDALDatasetClearStatistics' => [qw/opaque/] => 'void');
 $ffi->attach('GDALDatasetGetFieldDomainNames' => [qw/opaque opaque/] => 'opaque');
 $ffi->attach('GDALDatasetGetFieldDomain' => [qw/opaque string/] => 'opaque');
-$ffi->attach('GDALDatasetAddFieldDomain' => [qw/opaque opaque string_pointer/] => 'bool');
-$ffi->attach('GDALDatasetDeleteFieldDomain' => [qw/opaque string string_pointer/] => 'bool');
-$ffi->attach('GDALDatasetUpdateFieldDomain' => [qw/opaque opaque string_pointer/] => 'bool');
+$ffi->attach('GDALDatasetAddFieldDomain' => [qw/opaque opaque string*/] => 'bool');
+$ffi->attach('GDALDatasetDeleteFieldDomain' => [qw/opaque string string*/] => 'bool');
+$ffi->attach('GDALDatasetUpdateFieldDomain' => [qw/opaque opaque string*/] => 'bool');
 $ffi->attach('GDALDatasetGetRelationshipNames' => [qw/opaque opaque/] => 'opaque');
 $ffi->attach('GDALDatasetGetRelationship' => [qw/opaque string/] => 'opaque');
-$ffi->attach('GDALDatasetAddRelationship' => [qw/opaque opaque string_pointer/] => 'bool');
-$ffi->attach('GDALDatasetDeleteRelationship' => [qw/opaque string string_pointer/] => 'bool');
-$ffi->attach('GDALDatasetUpdateRelationship' => [qw/opaque opaque string_pointer/] => 'bool');
+$ffi->attach('GDALDatasetAddRelationship' => [qw/opaque opaque string*/] => 'bool');
+$ffi->attach('GDALDatasetDeleteRelationship' => [qw/opaque string string*/] => 'bool');
+$ffi->attach('GDALDatasetUpdateRelationship' => [qw/opaque opaque string*/] => 'bool');
 $ffi->attach('GDALDatasetSetQueryLoggerFunc' => [qw/opaque GDALQueryLoggerFunc opaque/] => 'bool');
 $ffi->attach('GDALGetRasterDataType' => [qw/opaque/] => 'unsigned int');
 $ffi->attach('GDALGetBlockSize' => [qw/opaque int* int*/] => 'void');
@@ -685,7 +687,7 @@ $ffi->attach('GDALGetDataCoverageStatus' => [qw/opaque int int int int int doubl
 $ffi->attach('GDALARGetNextUpdatedRegion' => [qw/opaque double int* int* int* int*/] => 'unsigned int');
 $ffi->attach('GDALARLockBuffer' => [qw/opaque double/] => 'int');
 $ffi->attach('GDALARUnlockBuffer' => [qw/opaque/] => 'void');
-$ffi->attach('GDALGeneralCmdLineProcessor' => [qw/int string_pointer int/] => 'int');
+$ffi->attach('GDALGeneralCmdLineProcessor' => [qw/int string* int/] => 'int');
 $ffi->attach('GDALSwapWords' => [qw/opaque int int int/] => 'void');
 $ffi->attach('GDALSwapWordsEx' => [qw/opaque int size_t int/] => 'void');
 $ffi->attach('GDALCopyWords' => ['opaque','unsigned int','int','opaque','unsigned int','int','int'] => 'void');
@@ -695,10 +697,10 @@ $ffi->attach('GDALDeinterleave' => ['opaque','unsigned int','int','opaque','unsi
 $ffi->attach('GDALLoadWorldFile' => [qw/string double*/] => 'int');
 $ffi->attach('GDALReadWorldFile' => [qw/string string double*/] => 'int');
 $ffi->attach('GDALWriteWorldFile' => [qw/string string double*/] => 'int');
-$ffi->attach('GDALLoadTabFile' => [qw/string double* string_pointer int* opaque/] => 'int');
-$ffi->attach('GDALReadTabFile' => [qw/string double* string_pointer int* opaque/] => 'int');
-$ffi->attach('GDALLoadOziMapFile' => [qw/string double* string_pointer int* opaque/] => 'int');
-$ffi->attach('GDALReadOziMapFile' => [qw/string double* string_pointer int* opaque/] => 'int');
+$ffi->attach('GDALLoadTabFile' => [qw/string double* string* int* opaque/] => 'int');
+$ffi->attach('GDALReadTabFile' => [qw/string double* string* int* opaque/] => 'int');
+$ffi->attach('GDALLoadOziMapFile' => [qw/string double* string* int* opaque/] => 'int');
+$ffi->attach('GDALReadOziMapFile' => [qw/string double* string* int* opaque/] => 'int');
 $ffi->attach('GDALDecToDMS' => [qw/double string int/] => 'string');
 $ffi->attach('GDALPackedDMSToDec' => [qw/double/] => 'double');
 $ffi->attach('GDALDecToPackedDMS' => [qw/double/] => 'double');
@@ -911,7 +913,7 @@ $ffi->attach('GDALDimensionSetIndexingVariable' => [qw/opaque opaque/] => 'int')
 $ffi->attach('OGRGetGEOSVersion' => [qw/int* int* int*/] => 'bool');
 $ffi->attach('OGR_G_CreateFromWkb' => [qw/string opaque uint64* int/] => 'int');
 $ffi->attach('OGR_G_CreateFromWkbEx' => [qw/opaque opaque uint64* size_t/] => 'int');
-$ffi->attach('OGR_G_CreateFromWkt' => [qw/string_pointer opaque uint64*/] => 'int');
+$ffi->attach('OGR_G_CreateFromWkt' => [qw/string* opaque uint64*/] => 'int');
 $ffi->attach('OGR_G_CreateFromFgf' => [qw/string opaque uint64* int int*/] => 'int');
 $ffi->attach('OGR_G_DestroyGeometry' => [qw/opaque/] => 'void');
 $ffi->attach('OGR_G_CreateGeometry' => ['unsigned int'] => 'opaque');
@@ -939,9 +941,9 @@ $ffi->attach('OGR_G_ExportToWkb' => ['opaque','unsigned int','string'] => 'int')
 $ffi->attach('OGR_G_ExportToIsoWkb' => ['opaque','unsigned int','string'] => 'int');
 $ffi->attach('OGR_G_WkbSize' => [qw/opaque/] => 'int');
 $ffi->attach('OGR_G_WkbSizeEx' => [qw/opaque/] => 'size_t');
-$ffi->attach('OGR_G_ImportFromWkt' => [qw/opaque string_pointer/] => 'int');
-$ffi->attach('OGR_G_ExportToWkt' => [qw/opaque string_pointer/] => 'int');
-$ffi->attach('OGR_G_ExportToIsoWkt' => [qw/opaque string_pointer/] => 'int');
+$ffi->attach('OGR_G_ImportFromWkt' => [qw/opaque string*/] => 'int');
+$ffi->attach('OGR_G_ExportToWkt' => [qw/opaque string*/] => 'int');
+$ffi->attach('OGR_G_ExportToIsoWkt' => [qw/opaque string*/] => 'int');
 $ffi->attach('OGR_G_GetGeometryType' => [qw/opaque/] => 'unsigned int');
 $ffi->attach('OGR_G_GetGeometryName' => [qw/opaque/] => 'string');
 $ffi->attach('OGR_G_DumpReadable' => [qw/opaque opaque string/] => 'void');
@@ -1348,7 +1350,7 @@ $ffi->attach('OSRRelease' => [qw/opaque/] => 'void');
 $ffi->attach('OSRValidate' => [qw/opaque/] => 'int');
 $ffi->attach('OSRImportFromEPSG' => [qw/opaque int/] => 'int');
 $ffi->attach('OSRImportFromEPSGA' => [qw/opaque int/] => 'int');
-$ffi->attach('OSRImportFromWkt' => [qw/opaque string_pointer/] => 'int');
+$ffi->attach('OSRImportFromWkt' => [qw/opaque string*/] => 'int');
 $ffi->attach('OSRImportFromProj4' => [qw/opaque string/] => 'int');
 $ffi->attach('OSRImportFromESRI' => [qw/opaque opaque/] => 'int');
 $ffi->attach('OSRImportFromPCI' => [qw/opaque string string double*/] => 'int');
@@ -1360,16 +1362,16 @@ $ffi->attach('OSRImportFromOzi' => [qw/opaque opaque/] => 'int');
 $ffi->attach('OSRImportFromMICoordSys' => [qw/opaque string/] => 'int');
 $ffi->attach('OSRImportFromERM' => [qw/opaque string string string/] => 'int');
 $ffi->attach('OSRImportFromUrl' => [qw/opaque string/] => 'int');
-$ffi->attach('OSRExportToWkt' => [qw/opaque string_pointer/] => 'int');
-$ffi->attach('OSRExportToWktEx' => [qw/opaque string_pointer opaque/] => 'int');
-$ffi->attach('OSRExportToPrettyWkt' => [qw/opaque string_pointer int/] => 'int');
-$ffi->attach('OSRExportToPROJJSON' => [qw/opaque string_pointer opaque/] => 'int');
-$ffi->attach('OSRExportToProj4' => [qw/opaque string_pointer/] => 'int');
-$ffi->attach('OSRExportToPCI' => [qw/opaque string_pointer string_pointer double*/] => 'int');
+$ffi->attach('OSRExportToWkt' => [qw/opaque string*/] => 'int');
+$ffi->attach('OSRExportToWktEx' => [qw/opaque string* opaque/] => 'int');
+$ffi->attach('OSRExportToPrettyWkt' => [qw/opaque string* int/] => 'int');
+$ffi->attach('OSRExportToPROJJSON' => [qw/opaque string* opaque/] => 'int');
+$ffi->attach('OSRExportToProj4' => [qw/opaque string*/] => 'int');
+$ffi->attach('OSRExportToPCI' => [qw/opaque string* string* double*/] => 'int');
 $ffi->attach('OSRExportToUSGS' => [qw/opaque long* long* double* long*/] => 'int');
-$ffi->attach('OSRExportToXML' => [qw/opaque string_pointer string/] => 'int');
+$ffi->attach('OSRExportToXML' => [qw/opaque string* string/] => 'int');
 $ffi->attach('OSRExportToPanorama' => [qw/opaque long* long* long* long* double*/] => 'int');
-$ffi->attach('OSRExportToMICoordSys' => [qw/opaque string_pointer/] => 'int');
+$ffi->attach('OSRExportToMICoordSys' => [qw/opaque string*/] => 'int');
 $ffi->attach('OSRExportToERM' => [qw/opaque string string string/] => 'int');
 $ffi->attach('OSRMorphToESRI' => [qw/opaque/] => 'int');
 $ffi->attach('OSRMorphFromESRI' => [qw/opaque/] => 'int');
@@ -1379,13 +1381,13 @@ $ffi->attach('OSRGetName' => [qw/opaque/] => 'string');
 $ffi->attach('OSRSetAttrValue' => [qw/opaque string string/] => 'int');
 $ffi->attach('OSRGetAttrValue' => [qw/opaque string int/] => 'string');
 $ffi->attach('OSRSetAngularUnits' => [qw/opaque string double/] => 'int');
-$ffi->attach('OSRGetAngularUnits' => [qw/opaque string_pointer/] => 'double');
+$ffi->attach('OSRGetAngularUnits' => [qw/opaque string*/] => 'double');
 $ffi->attach('OSRSetLinearUnits' => [qw/opaque string double/] => 'int');
 $ffi->attach('OSRSetTargetLinearUnits' => [qw/opaque string string double/] => 'int');
 $ffi->attach('OSRSetLinearUnitsAndUpdateParameters' => [qw/opaque string double/] => 'int');
-$ffi->attach('OSRGetLinearUnits' => [qw/opaque string_pointer/] => 'double');
-$ffi->attach('OSRGetTargetLinearUnits' => [qw/opaque string string_pointer/] => 'double');
-$ffi->attach('OSRGetPrimeMeridian' => [qw/opaque string_pointer/] => 'double');
+$ffi->attach('OSRGetLinearUnits' => [qw/opaque string*/] => 'double');
+$ffi->attach('OSRGetTargetLinearUnits' => [qw/opaque string string*/] => 'double');
+$ffi->attach('OSRGetPrimeMeridian' => [qw/opaque string*/] => 'double');
 $ffi->attach('OSRIsGeographic' => [qw/opaque/] => 'int');
 $ffi->attach('OSRIsDerivedGeographic' => [qw/opaque/] => 'int');
 $ffi->attach('OSRIsLocal' => [qw/opaque/] => 'int');
@@ -1826,6 +1828,21 @@ BEGIN {
     local $FFI::Platypus::TypeParser::ffi_type;
 }
 
+#
+# The next two subs are required for thread-safety, because GDAL error handling must be set per thread.
+# So, it is disabled just before starting a new thread and renabled after in the thread.
+# See perlmod and issue #53 for more information.
+#
+
+sub CLONE {
+    SetErrorHandling();
+}
+
+sub CLONE_SKIP {
+    UnsetErrorHandling();
+    return 0;
+}
+
 1;
 
 =pod
@@ -2051,6 +2068,16 @@ confessed if a method fails. This is the default.
 Unset the Perl function to catch GDAL errors. If no other error
 handler is set, GDAL prints the errors into stderr.
 
+=head1 NOTES ABOUT THREAD-SAFETY
+
+This module is thread-safe provided the error handling is taken care of.
+To ensure thread-safety GDAL error handling is automatically disabled
+before creating a new thread and re-enabled after that in the just
+created thread. The main thread needs to renable it via C<SetErrorHandling>,
+after all thread creations and before eventually using any GDAL function. This
+must be done explicitly in the main thread because there is no way
+to do that automatically as for other threads.
+
 =head1 METHODS
 
 =head2 get_instance
diff --git a/t/threads.t b/t/threads.t
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..03bc43b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/t/threads.t
@@ -0,0 +1,63 @@
+use v5.18;
+use warnings;
+use strict;
+use Config;
+use Test::More;
+
+BEGIN {
+    use_ok('Geo::GDAL::FFI', qw/:all/);
+}
+
+SKIP: {
+
+skip "skip multi-thread test", 4 unless $Config{useithreads};
+
+use_ok('threads');
+use_ok('threads::shared');
+use_ok('Thread::Queue');
+
+my $q = Thread::Queue->new();
+my @in_thrds = ();
+my @out_thrds = ();
+my $nt = 10;
+
+for my $i (1..$nt) {
+    my $t = threads->create(
+        sub {
+            while (my $h = $q->dequeue()) {
+                say "thread out$i: popped $h->{value}";
+            }
+        }
+    );
+    push @out_thrds, $t;
+}
+
+for my $i (1..$nt) {
+    my $t = threads->create(
+        sub {
+            my $v = rand(100);
+            say "thread in$i: pushed $v";
+            $q->enqueue({ value => $v });
+        }
+    );
+    push @in_thrds, $t;
+}
+
+# try different timing too... :-/
+sleep(3);
+
+$q->end();
+
+for my $w (@in_thrds) {
+    $w->join();
+}
+
+for my $w (@out_thrds) {
+    $w->join();
+}
+
+ok(1, "threading seems ok");
+
+}
+
+done_testing();