diff --git a/include/asm/symbol.hpp b/include/asm/symbol.hpp
index 158eb618..172bb62d 100644
--- a/include/asm/symbol.hpp
+++ b/include/asm/symbol.hpp
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 #define RGBDS_SYMBOL_H
 
 #include <stdint.h>
+#include <string>
 #include <string.h>
 #include <time.h>
 
@@ -128,7 +129,7 @@ struct Symbol *sym_AddMacro(char const *symName, int32_t defLineNo, char *body,
 struct Symbol *sym_Ref(char const *symName);
 struct Symbol *sym_AddString(char const *symName, char const *value);
 struct Symbol *sym_RedefString(char const *symName, char const *value);
-void sym_Purge(char const *symName);
+void sym_Purge(std::string const &symName);
 void sym_Init(time_t now);
 
 // Functions to save and restore the current symbol scope.
diff --git a/src/asm/parser.y b/src/asm/parser.y
index a76d3d11..5f9eeffe 100644
--- a/src/asm/parser.y
+++ b/src/asm/parser.y
@@ -361,20 +361,13 @@ static void initDsArgList(std::vector<struct Expression> *&args)
 		fatalerror("Failed to allocate memory for ds arg list: %s\n", strerror(errno));
 }
 
-static void initPurgeArgList(std::vector<char *> *&args)
+static void initPurgeArgList(std::vector<std::string> *&args)
 {
-	args = new(std::nothrow) std::vector<char *>();
+	args = new(std::nothrow) std::vector<std::string>();
 	if (!args)
 		fatalerror("Failed to allocate memory for purge arg list: %s\n", strerror(errno));
 }
 
-static void freePurgeArgList(std::vector<char *> *&args)
-{
-	for (char *arg : *args)
-		free(arg);
-	delete args;
-}
-
 static void failAssert(enum AssertionType type)
 {
 	switch (type) {
@@ -468,7 +461,7 @@ enum {
 	enum AssertionType assertType;
 	struct AlignmentSpec alignSpec;
 	std::vector<struct Expression> *dsArgs;
-	std::vector<char *> *purgeArgs;
+	std::vector<std::string> *purgeArgs;
 	struct ForArgs forArgs;
 	struct StrFmtArgList strfmtArgs;
 	bool captureTerminated;
@@ -1235,19 +1228,19 @@ redef_equs	: redef_id T_POP_EQUS string { sym_RedefString($1, $3); }
 purge		: T_POP_PURGE {
 			lexer_ToggleStringExpansion(false);
 		} purge_args trailing_comma {
-			for (char *arg : *$3)
+			for (std::string &arg : *$3)
 				sym_Purge(arg);
-			freePurgeArgList($3);
+			delete $3;
 			lexer_ToggleStringExpansion(true);
 		}
 ;
 
 purge_args	: scoped_id {
 			initPurgeArgList($$);
-			$$->push_back(strdup($1));
+			$$->push_back($1);
 		}
 		| purge_args T_COMMA scoped_id {
-			$1->push_back(strdup($3));
+			$1->push_back($3);
 			$$ = $1;
 		}
 ;
diff --git a/src/asm/symbol.cpp b/src/asm/symbol.cpp
index 952c8f9e..f8bd42d9 100644
--- a/src/asm/symbol.cpp
+++ b/src/asm/symbol.cpp
@@ -199,16 +199,16 @@ static bool isReferenced(struct Symbol const *sym)
 }
 
 // Purge a symbol
-void sym_Purge(char const *symName)
+void sym_Purge(std::string const &symName)
 {
-	struct Symbol *sym = sym_FindScopedValidSymbol(symName);
+	struct Symbol *sym = sym_FindScopedValidSymbol(symName.c_str());
 
 	if (!sym) {
-		error("'%s' not defined\n", symName);
+		error("'%s' not defined\n", symName.c_str());
 	} else if (sym->isBuiltin) {
-		error("Built-in symbol '%s' cannot be purged\n", symName);
+		error("Built-in symbol '%s' cannot be purged\n", symName.c_str());
 	} else if (isReferenced(sym)) {
-		error("Symbol \"%s\" is referenced and thus cannot be purged\n", symName);
+		error("Symbol \"%s\" is referenced and thus cannot be purged\n", symName.c_str());
 	} else {
 		// Do not keep a reference to the label's name after purging it
 		if (sym->name == labelScope)