diff --git a/include/osmocom/core/msgb.h b/include/osmocom/core/msgb.h
index 5029225..0c51ce2 100644
--- a/include/osmocom/core/msgb.h
+++ b/include/osmocom/core/msgb.h
@@ -67,6 +67,7 @@
 extern void msgb_reset(struct msgb *m);
 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);
 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);
diff --git a/include/osmocom/core/utils.h b/include/osmocom/core/utils.h
index e3728cd..6a2b7d5 100644
--- a/include/osmocom/core/utils.h
+++ b/include/osmocom/core/utils.h
@@ -53,6 +53,7 @@
 
 int osmo_hexparse(const char *str, uint8_t *b, int max_len);
 
+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_nospc(const unsigned char *buf, int len);
@@ -139,7 +140,7 @@
 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);
 const char *osmo_quote_str(const char *str, int in_len);
-const char *osmo_quote_str_buf(const char *str, int in_len, char *buf, size_t bufsize);
+char *osmo_quote_str_buf(const char *str, int in_len, char *buf, size_t bufsize);
 
 uint32_t osmo_isqrt32(uint32_t x);
 
diff --git a/include/osmocom/gprs/gprs_ns.h b/include/osmocom/gprs/gprs_ns.h
index c62ef98..ed155ff 100644
--- a/include/osmocom/gprs/gprs_ns.h
+++ b/include/osmocom/gprs/gprs_ns.h
@@ -211,6 +211,8 @@
 
 /* Resturn peer info as string (NOTE: the buffer is allocated statically) */
 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);
 
 /* 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 823b5a4..788727c 100644
--- a/include/osmocom/gsm/abis_nm.h
+++ b/include/osmocom/gsm/abis_nm.h
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@
 extern const struct tlv_definition abis_nm_att_tlvdef_ipa;
 
 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);
 
 /*! 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 288b229..7899bb2 100644
--- a/include/osmocom/gsm/apn.h
+++ b/include/osmocom/gsm/apn.h
@@ -11,11 +11,14 @@
 #define APN_MAXLEN	100
 
 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);
 
 /* Compose a string of the form '<ni>.mnc001.mcc002.gprs\0', returned in a
  * static buffer. */
 char *osmo_apn_qualify_from_imsi(const char *imsi,
 				 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);
 
 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 dedb029..e246967 100644
--- a/include/osmocom/gsm/gsm0808_utils.h
+++ b/include/osmocom/gsm/gsm0808_utils.h
@@ -69,7 +69,9 @@
 };
 
 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_gcr_dump(const struct osmo_lcls *lcls);
+char *osmo_gcr_dump_buf(char *buf, size_t buf_len, const struct osmo_lcls *lcls);
 
 extern const struct value_string gsm0808_cell_id_discr_names[];
 static inline const char *gsm0808_cell_id_discr_name(enum CELL_IDENT id_discr)
@@ -251,5 +253,6 @@
 }
 
 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);
 
 /*! @} */
diff --git a/include/osmocom/gsm/gsm23003.h b/include/osmocom/gsm/gsm23003.h
index cf622ce..88c4f3c 100644
--- a/include/osmocom/gsm/gsm23003.h
+++ b/include/osmocom/gsm/gsm23003.h
@@ -105,13 +105,19 @@
 bool osmo_imei_str_valid(const char *imei, bool with_15th_digit);
 
 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_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);
 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);
 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);
 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);
 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);
 
 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 7e0e5c4..81b2bf0 100644
--- a/include/osmocom/gsm/gsm48.h
+++ b/include/osmocom/gsm/gsm48.h
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@
 const char *gsm48_rr_msg_name(uint8_t msgtype);
 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);
 
 int gsm48_decode_lai(struct gsm48_loc_area_id *lai, uint16_t *mcc,
 		     uint16_t *mnc, uint16_t *lac)
@@ -55,6 +56,7 @@
 			const uint8_t *mi, const int mi_len);
 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);
 
 /* 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 f8f72a7..f48cc68 100644
--- a/include/osmocom/gsm/gsm_utils.h
+++ b/include/osmocom/gsm/gsm_utils.h
@@ -180,6 +180,7 @@
 
 /* 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);
 
 /* 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 c052e4c..c97df16 100644
--- a/include/osmocom/gsm/protocol/gsm_04_08.h
+++ b/include/osmocom/gsm/protocol/gsm_04_08.h
@@ -70,6 +70,7 @@
 bool osmo_gsm48_classmark2_is_r99(const struct gsm48_classmark2 *cm2, uint8_t cm2_len);
 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);
 void osmo_gsm48_classmark_update(struct osmo_gsm48_classmark *dst, const struct osmo_gsm48_classmark *src);
 
 /* Chapter 10.5.2.1b.3 */
@@ -1643,6 +1644,7 @@
 extern const struct value_string gsm48_mm_msgtype_names[];
 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);
 
 /* FIXME: Table 10.4 / 10.4a (GPRS) */
 
diff --git a/include/osmocom/gsm/rsl.h b/include/osmocom/gsm/rsl.h
index be0fa79..4a1da3a 100644
--- a/include/osmocom/gsm/rsl.h
+++ b/include/osmocom/gsm/rsl.h
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@
 /* decode channel number as per Section 9.3.1 */
 int rsl_dec_chan_nr(uint8_t chan_nr, uint8_t *type, uint8_t *subch, uint8_t *timeslot);
 /* 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);
 
 
diff --git a/include/osmocom/sim/sim.h b/include/osmocom/sim/sim.h
index 680cad1..0490dcd 100644
--- a/include/osmocom/sim/sim.h
+++ b/include/osmocom/sim/sim.h
@@ -296,6 +296,7 @@
 					uint16_t sw_in);
 
 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);
 
 extern const struct tlv_definition ts102221_fcp_tlv_def;