diff --git a/include/osmocom/core/msgb.h b/include/osmocom/core/msgb.h
index 0c51ce2..e05d37f 100644
--- a/include/osmocom/core/msgb.h
+++ b/include/osmocom/core/msgb.h
@@ -60,6 +60,7 @@
 	unsigned char _data[0]; /*!< optional immediate data array */
 };
 
+extern struct msgb *msgb_alloc_c(const void *ctx, uint16_t size, const char *name);
 extern struct msgb *msgb_alloc(uint16_t size, const char *name);
 extern void msgb_free(struct msgb *m);
 extern void msgb_enqueue(struct llist_head *queue, struct msgb *msg);
@@ -68,9 +69,11 @@
 uint16_t msgb_length(const struct msgb *msg);
 extern const char *msgb_hexdump(const struct msgb *msg);
 char *msgb_hexdump_buf(char *buf, size_t buf_len, const struct msgb *msg);
+char *msgb_hexdump_c(const void *ctx, const struct msgb *msg);
 extern int msgb_resize_area(struct msgb *msg, uint8_t *area,
 	int old_size, int new_size);
 extern struct msgb *msgb_copy(const struct msgb *msg, const char *name);
+extern struct msgb *msgb_copy_c(const void *ctx, const struct msgb *msg, const char *name);
 static int msgb_test_invariant(const struct msgb *msg) __attribute__((pure));
 
 /*! Free all msgbs from a queue built with msgb_enqueue().
@@ -501,6 +504,29 @@
 	return msgb_trim(msg, (msg->l3h - msg->data) + l3len);
 }
 
+/*! Allocate message buffer with specified headroom from specified talloc context.
+ *  \param[in] ctx talloc context from which to allocate
+ *  \param[in] size size in bytes, including headroom
+ *  \param[in] headroom headroom in bytes
+ *  \param[in] name human-readable name
+ *  \returns allocated message buffer with specified headroom
+ *
+ * This function is a convenience wrapper around \ref msgb_alloc
+ * followed by \ref msgb_reserve in order to create a new \ref msgb with
+ * user-specified amount of headroom.
+ */
+static inline struct msgb *msgb_alloc_headroom_c(const void *ctx, int size, int headroom,
+						 const char *name)
+{
+	osmo_static_assert(size > headroom, headroom_bigger);
+
+	struct msgb *msg = msgb_alloc_c(ctx, size, name);
+	if (msg)
+		msgb_reserve(msg, headroom);
+	return msg;
+}
+
+
 /*! Allocate message buffer with specified headroom
  *  \param[in] size size in bytes, including headroom
  *  \param[in] headroom headroom in bytes
diff --git a/include/osmocom/core/socket.h b/include/osmocom/core/socket.h
index 4f6ed72..37b1eae 100644
--- a/include/osmocom/core/socket.h
+++ b/include/osmocom/core/socket.h
@@ -68,6 +68,7 @@
 
 char *osmo_sock_get_name(const void *ctx, int fd);
 const char *osmo_sock_get_name2(int fd);
+char *osmo_sock_get_name2_c(const void *ctx, int fd);
 int osmo_sock_get_name_buf(char *str, size_t str_len, int fd);
 int osmo_sock_get_ip_and_port(int fd, char *ip, size_t ip_len, char *port, size_t port_len, bool local);
 int osmo_sock_get_local_ip(int fd, char *host, size_t len);
diff --git a/include/osmocom/core/utils.h b/include/osmocom/core/utils.h
index 6a2b7d5..51e43ee 100644
--- a/include/osmocom/core/utils.h
+++ b/include/osmocom/core/utils.h
@@ -56,7 +56,9 @@
 char *osmo_ubit_dump_buf(char *buf, size_t buf_len, const uint8_t *bits, unsigned int len);
 char *osmo_ubit_dump(const uint8_t *bits, unsigned int len);
 char *osmo_hexdump(const unsigned char *buf, int len);
+char *osmo_hexdump_c(const void *ctx, const unsigned char *buf, int len);
 char *osmo_hexdump_nospc(const unsigned char *buf, int len);
+char *osmo_hexdump_nospc_c(const void *ctx, const unsigned char *buf, int len);
 const char *osmo_hexdump_buf(char *out_buf, size_t out_buf_size, const unsigned char *buf, int len, const char *delim,
 			     bool delim_after_last);
 
@@ -73,9 +75,11 @@
 
 size_t osmo_str_tolower_buf(char *dest, size_t dest_len, const char *src);
 const char *osmo_str_tolower(const char *src);
+char *osmo_str_tolower_c(const void *ctx, const char *src);
 
 size_t osmo_str_toupper_buf(char *dest, size_t dest_len, const char *src);
 const char *osmo_str_toupper(const char *src);
+char *osmo_str_toupper_c(const void *ctx, const char *src);
 
 #define OSMO_SNPRINTF_RET(ret, rem, offset, len)		\
 do {								\
@@ -139,8 +143,10 @@
 
 const char *osmo_escape_str(const char *str, int len);
 char *osmo_escape_str_buf(const char *str, int in_len, char *buf, size_t bufsize);
+char *osmo_escape_str_c(const void *ctx, const char *str, int in_len);
 const char *osmo_quote_str(const char *str, int in_len);
 char *osmo_quote_str_buf(const char *str, int in_len, char *buf, size_t bufsize);
+char *osmo_quote_str_c(const void *ctx, const char *str, int in_len);
 
 uint32_t osmo_isqrt32(uint32_t x);
 
diff --git a/include/osmocom/gprs/gprs_ns.h b/include/osmocom/gprs/gprs_ns.h
index ed155ff..02faa50 100644
--- a/include/osmocom/gprs/gprs_ns.h
+++ b/include/osmocom/gprs/gprs_ns.h
@@ -213,6 +213,7 @@
 const char *gprs_ns_ll_str(const struct gprs_nsvc *nsvc);
 /* Return peer info in user-supplied buffer */
 char *gprs_ns_ll_str_buf(char *buf, size_t buf_len, const struct gprs_nsvc *nsvc);
+char *gprs_ns_ll_str_c(const void *ctx, const struct gprs_nsvc *nsvc);
 
 /* Copy the link layer info from other into nsvc */
 void gprs_ns_ll_copy(struct gprs_nsvc *nsvc, struct gprs_nsvc *other);
diff --git a/include/osmocom/gsm/abis_nm.h b/include/osmocom/gsm/abis_nm.h
index 788727c..ab5a5d5 100644
--- a/include/osmocom/gsm/abis_nm.h
+++ b/include/osmocom/gsm/abis_nm.h
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@
 
 const char *abis_nm_dump_foh(const struct abis_om_fom_hdr *foh);
 char *abis_nm_dump_foh_buf(char *buf, size_t buf_len, const struct abis_om_fom_hdr *foh);
+char *abis_nm_dump_foh_c(void *ctx, const struct abis_om_fom_hdr *foh);
 
 /*! write a human-readable OML header to the debug log
  *  \param[in] ss Logging sub-system
diff --git a/include/osmocom/gsm/apn.h b/include/osmocom/gsm/apn.h
index 7899bb2..ab5f493 100644
--- a/include/osmocom/gsm/apn.h
+++ b/include/osmocom/gsm/apn.h
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
 
 char *osmo_apn_qualify(unsigned int mcc, unsigned int mnc, const char *ni);
 char *osmo_apn_qualify_buf(char *buf, size_t buf_len, unsigned int mcc, unsigned int mnc, const char *ni);
+char *osmo_apn_qualify_c(const void *ctx, unsigned int mcc, unsigned int mnc, const char *ni);
 
 /* Compose a string of the form '<ni>.mnc001.mcc002.gprs\0', returned in a
  * static buffer. */
@@ -19,6 +20,7 @@
 				 const char *ni, int have_3dig_mnc);
 char *osmo_apn_qualify_from_imsi_buf(char *buf, size_t buf_len, const char *imsi,
 				     const char *ni, int have_3dig_mnc);
+char *osmo_apn_qualify_from_imsi_c(const void *ctx, const char *imsi, const char *ni, int have_3dig_mnc);
 
 int osmo_apn_from_str(uint8_t *apn_enc, size_t max_apn_enc_len, const char *str);
 char *osmo_apn_to_str(char *out_str, const uint8_t *apn_enc, size_t apn_enc_len);
diff --git a/include/osmocom/gsm/gsm0808_utils.h b/include/osmocom/gsm/gsm0808_utils.h
index e246967..47c4e95 100644
--- a/include/osmocom/gsm/gsm0808_utils.h
+++ b/include/osmocom/gsm/gsm0808_utils.h
@@ -70,6 +70,7 @@
 
 char *osmo_lcls_dump(const struct osmo_lcls *lcls);
 char *osmo_lcls_dump_buf(char *buf, size_t buf_len, const struct osmo_lcls *lcls);
+char *osmo_lcls_dump_c(void *ctx, const struct osmo_lcls *lcls);
 char *osmo_gcr_dump(const struct osmo_lcls *lcls);
 char *osmo_gcr_dump_buf(char *buf, size_t buf_len, const struct osmo_lcls *lcls);
 
@@ -79,8 +80,11 @@
 
 const char *gsm0808_cell_id_name(const struct gsm0808_cell_id *cid);
 const char *gsm0808_cell_id_name2(const struct gsm0808_cell_id *cid);
+char *gsm0808_cell_id_name_buf(char *buf, size_t buflen, const struct gsm0808_cell_id *cid);
+char *gsm0808_cell_id_name_c(const void *ctx, const struct gsm0808_cell_id *cid);
 const char *gsm0808_cell_id_list_name(const struct gsm0808_cell_id_list2 *cil);
 int gsm0808_cell_id_list_name_buf(char *buf, size_t buflen, const struct gsm0808_cell_id_list2 *cil);
+char *gsm0808_cell_id_list_name_c(const void *ctx, const struct gsm0808_cell_id_list2 *cil);
 int gsm0808_cell_id_u_name(char *buf, size_t buflen,
 			   enum CELL_IDENT id_discr, const union gsm0808_cell_id_u *u);
 bool gsm0808_cell_ids_match(const struct gsm0808_cell_id *id1, const struct gsm0808_cell_id *id2, bool exact_match);
@@ -254,5 +258,6 @@
 
 const char *gsm0808_channel_type_name(const struct gsm0808_channel_type *ct);
 char *gsm0808_channel_type_name_buf(char *buf, size_t buf_len, const struct gsm0808_channel_type *ct);
+char *gsm0808_channel_type_name_c(const void *ctx, const struct gsm0808_channel_type *ct);
 
 /*! @} */
diff --git a/include/osmocom/gsm/gsm23003.h b/include/osmocom/gsm/gsm23003.h
index 88c4f3c..69f00f6 100644
--- a/include/osmocom/gsm/gsm23003.h
+++ b/include/osmocom/gsm/gsm23003.h
@@ -106,18 +106,24 @@
 
 const char *osmo_mcc_name(uint16_t mcc);
 char *osmo_mcc_name_buf(char *buf, size_t buf_len, uint16_t mcc);
+const char *osmo_mcc_name_c(const void *ctx, uint16_t mcc);
 const char *osmo_mnc_name(uint16_t mnc, bool mnc_3_digits);
 char *osmo_mnc_name_buf(char *buf, size_t buf_len, uint16_t mnc, bool mnc_3_digits);
+char *osmo_mnc_name_c(const void *ctx, uint16_t mnc, bool mnc_3_digits);
 const char *osmo_plmn_name(const struct osmo_plmn_id *plmn);
 const char *osmo_plmn_name2(const struct osmo_plmn_id *plmn);
 char *osmo_plmn_name_buf(char *buf, size_t buf_len, const struct osmo_plmn_id *plmn);
+char *osmo_plmn_name_c(const void *ctx, const struct osmo_plmn_id *plmn);
 const char *osmo_lai_name(const struct osmo_location_area_id *lai);
 char *osmo_lai_name_buf(char *buf, size_t buf_len, const struct osmo_location_area_id *lai);
+char *osmo_lai_name_c(const void *ctx, const struct osmo_location_area_id *lai);
 const char *osmo_cgi_name(const struct osmo_cell_global_id *cgi);
 const char *osmo_cgi_name2(const struct osmo_cell_global_id *cgi);
 char *osmo_cgi_name_buf(char *buf, size_t buf_len, const struct osmo_cell_global_id *cgi);
+char *osmo_cgi_name_c(const void *ctx, const struct osmo_cell_global_id *cgi);
 const char *osmo_gummei_name(const struct osmo_gummei *gummei);
 char *osmo_gummei_name_buf(char *buf, size_t buf_len, const struct osmo_gummei *gummei);
+char *osmo_gummei_name_c(const void *ctx, const struct osmo_gummei *gummei);
 
 void osmo_plmn_to_bcd(uint8_t *bcd_dst, const struct osmo_plmn_id *plmn);
 void osmo_plmn_from_bcd(const uint8_t *bcd_src, struct osmo_plmn_id *plmn);
diff --git a/include/osmocom/gsm/gsm48.h b/include/osmocom/gsm/gsm48.h
index 81b2bf0..786fbc9 100644
--- a/include/osmocom/gsm/gsm48.h
+++ b/include/osmocom/gsm/gsm48.h
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@
 const char *rr_cause_name(uint8_t cause);
 const char *osmo_rai_name(const struct gprs_ra_id *rai);
 char *osmo_rai_name_buf(char *buf, size_t buf_len, const struct gprs_ra_id *rai);
+char *osmo_rai_name_c(const void *ctx, const struct gprs_ra_id *rai);
 
 int gsm48_decode_lai(struct gsm48_loc_area_id *lai, uint16_t *mcc,
 		     uint16_t *mnc, uint16_t *lac)
@@ -57,6 +58,7 @@
 const char *gsm48_mi_type_name(uint8_t mi);
 const char *osmo_mi_name(const uint8_t *mi, uint8_t mi_len);
 char *osmo_mi_name_buf(char *buf, size_t buf_len, const uint8_t *mi, uint8_t mi_len);
+char *osmo_mi_name_c(const void *ctx, const uint8_t *mi, uint8_t mi_len);
 
 /* Parse Routeing Area Identifier */
 void gsm48_parse_ra(struct gprs_ra_id *raid, const uint8_t *buf);
diff --git a/include/osmocom/gsm/gsm_utils.h b/include/osmocom/gsm/gsm_utils.h
index f48cc68..37df665 100644
--- a/include/osmocom/gsm/gsm_utils.h
+++ b/include/osmocom/gsm/gsm_utils.h
@@ -181,6 +181,7 @@
 /* Returns static buffer with string representation of a GSM Time */
 char *osmo_dump_gsmtime(const struct gsm_time *tm);
 char *osmo_dump_gsmtime_buf(char *buf, size_t buf_len, const struct gsm_time *tm);
+char *osmo_dump_gsmtime_c(const void *ctx, const struct gsm_time *tm);
 
 /* GSM TS 03.03 Chapter 2.6 */
 enum gprs_tlli_type {
diff --git a/include/osmocom/gsm/protocol/gsm_04_08.h b/include/osmocom/gsm/protocol/gsm_04_08.h
index c97df16..16910c3 100644
--- a/include/osmocom/gsm/protocol/gsm_04_08.h
+++ b/include/osmocom/gsm/protocol/gsm_04_08.h
@@ -71,6 +71,7 @@
 int osmo_gsm48_classmark_supports_a5(const struct osmo_gsm48_classmark *cm, uint8_t a5);
 const char *osmo_gsm48_classmark_a5_name(const struct osmo_gsm48_classmark *cm);
 char *osmo_gsm48_classmark_a5_name_buf(char *buf, size_t buf_len, const struct osmo_gsm48_classmark *cm);
+char *osmo_gsm48_classmark_a5_name_c(const void *ctx, const struct osmo_gsm48_classmark *cm);
 void osmo_gsm48_classmark_update(struct osmo_gsm48_classmark *dst, const struct osmo_gsm48_classmark *src);
 
 /* Chapter 10.5.2.1b.3 */
@@ -1645,6 +1646,7 @@
 extern const struct value_string gsm48_cc_msgtype_names[];
 const char *gsm48_pdisc_msgtype_name(uint8_t pdisc, uint8_t msg_type);
 char *gsm48_pdisc_msgtype_name_buf(char *buf, size_t buf_len, uint8_t pdisc, uint8_t msg_type);
+char *gsm48_pdisc_msgtype_name_c(const void *ctx, uint8_t pdisc, uint8_t msg_type);
 
 /* FIXME: Table 10.4 / 10.4a (GPRS) */
 
diff --git a/include/osmocom/gsm/rsl.h b/include/osmocom/gsm/rsl.h
index 4a1da3a..285dbc2 100644
--- a/include/osmocom/gsm/rsl.h
+++ b/include/osmocom/gsm/rsl.h
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@
 /* Turns channel number into a string */
 char *rsl_chan_nr_str_buf(char *buf, size_t buf_len, uint8_t chan_nr);
 const char *rsl_chan_nr_str(uint8_t chan_nr);
+char *rsl_chan_nr_str_c(const void *ctx, uint8_t chan_nr);
 
 
 const char *rsl_err_name(uint8_t err);
diff --git a/include/osmocom/sim/sim.h b/include/osmocom/sim/sim.h
index 0490dcd..2bc4715 100644
--- a/include/osmocom/sim/sim.h
+++ b/include/osmocom/sim/sim.h
@@ -298,6 +298,7 @@
 struct osim_card_hdl;
 char *osim_print_sw_buf(char *buf, size_t buf_len, const struct osim_card_hdl *ch, uint16_t sw_in);
 char *osim_print_sw(const struct osim_card_hdl *ch, uint16_t sw_in);
+char *osim_print_sw_c(const void *ctx, const struct osim_card_hdl *ch, uint16_t sw_in);
 
 extern const struct tlv_definition ts102221_fcp_tlv_def;
 extern const struct value_string ts102221_fcp_vals[14];