diff --git a/gcc/fortran/trans-const.c b/gcc/fortran/trans-const.c
index e3c58507ca0..c0572da043a 100644
--- a/gcc/fortran/trans-const.c
+++ b/gcc/fortran/trans-const.c
@@ -89,6 +89,14 @@ gfc_build_string_const (int length, const char *s)
   return str;
 }
 
+/* Build a Fortran character constant from a zero-terminated string.  */
+
+tree
+gfc_build_cstring_const (const char *s)
+{
+  return gfc_build_string_const (strlen (s) + 1, s);
+}
+
 /* Return a string constant with the given length.  Used for static
    initializers.  The constant will be padded or truncated to match 
    length.  */
@@ -147,17 +155,16 @@ gfc_init_constants (void)
   for (n = 0; n <= GFC_MAX_DIMENSIONS; n++)
     gfc_rank_cst[n] = build_int_cst (gfc_array_index_type, n);
 
-  gfc_strconst_bounds = gfc_build_string_const (21, "Array bound mismatch");
+  gfc_strconst_bounds = gfc_build_cstring_const ("Array bound mismatch");
 
   gfc_strconst_fault =
-    gfc_build_string_const (30, "Array reference out of bounds");
+    gfc_build_cstring_const ("Array reference out of bounds");
 
   gfc_strconst_wrong_return =
-    gfc_build_string_const (32, "Incorrect function return value");
+    gfc_build_cstring_const ("Incorrect function return value");
 
   gfc_strconst_current_filename =
-    gfc_build_string_const (strlen (gfc_option.source) + 1,
-			    gfc_option.source);
+    gfc_build_cstring_const (gfc_option.source);
 }
 
 /* Converts a GMP integer into a backend tree node.  */
diff --git a/gcc/fortran/trans-const.h b/gcc/fortran/trans-const.h
index 0fe2d3ac2fd..d38a90fe740 100644
--- a/gcc/fortran/trans-const.h
+++ b/gcc/fortran/trans-const.h
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ tree gfc_conv_constant_to_tree (gfc_expr *);
 void gfc_conv_constant (gfc_se *, gfc_expr *);
 
 tree gfc_build_string_const (int, const char *);
+tree gfc_build_cstring_const (const char *);
 
 /* Translate a string constant for a static initializer.  */
 tree gfc_conv_string_init (tree, gfc_expr *);
diff --git a/gcc/fortran/trans-io.c b/gcc/fortran/trans-io.c
index c67422876de..ada82976043 100644
--- a/gcc/fortran/trans-io.c
+++ b/gcc/fortran/trans-io.c
@@ -409,7 +409,7 @@ set_string (stmtblock_t * block, stmtblock_t * postblock, tree var,
   if (e->ts.type == BT_INTEGER && e->symtree->n.sym->attr.assign == 1)
     {
       msg =
-        gfc_build_string_const (37, "Assigned label is not a format label");
+        gfc_build_cstring_const ("Assigned label is not a format label");
       tmp = GFC_DECL_STRING_LEN (se.expr);
       tmp = build2 (LE_EXPR, boolean_type_node,
 		    tmp, convert (TREE_TYPE (tmp), integer_minus_one_node));
@@ -518,7 +518,7 @@ set_error_locus (stmtblock_t * block, locus * where)
   int line;
 
   f = where->lb->file;
-  tmp = gfc_build_string_const (strlen (f->filename) + 1, f->filename);
+  tmp = gfc_build_cstring_const (f->filename);
 
   tmp = gfc_build_addr_expr (pchar_type_node, tmp);
   gfc_add_modify_expr (block, locus_file, tmp);
diff --git a/gcc/fortran/trans-stmt.c b/gcc/fortran/trans-stmt.c
index 53e9a85a216..8fd8ff801c2 100644
--- a/gcc/fortran/trans-stmt.c
+++ b/gcc/fortran/trans-stmt.c
@@ -144,7 +144,7 @@ gfc_trans_goto (gfc_code * code)
   gfc_start_block (&se.pre);
   gfc_conv_expr (&se, code->expr);
   assign_error =
-    gfc_build_string_const (37, "Assigned label is not a target label");
+    gfc_build_cstring_const ("Assigned label is not a target label");
   tmp = GFC_DECL_STRING_LEN (se.expr);
   tmp = build2 (NE_EXPR, boolean_type_node, tmp, integer_minus_one_node);
   gfc_trans_runtime_check (tmp, assign_error, &se.pre);
@@ -160,8 +160,7 @@ gfc_trans_goto (gfc_code * code)
     }
 
   /* Check the label list.  */
-  range_error =
-    gfc_build_string_const (34, "Assigned label is not in the list");
+  range_error = gfc_build_cstring_const ("Assigned label is not in the list");
 
   do
     {