diff --git a/Rules.mak b/Rules.mak
index 95a6714bd..c3ae258c6 100644
--- a/Rules.mak
+++ b/Rules.mak
@@ -125,6 +125,7 @@ check_ld=$(shell \
 # Pin CHECKED_CFLAGS with := so it's only evaluated once.
 CHECKED_CFLAGS:=$(call check_gcc,-funsigned-char,)
 CHECKED_CFLAGS+=$(call check_gcc,-mmax-stack-frame=256,)
+CHECKED_CFLAGS+=$(call check_gcc,-fno-builtin-strlen)
 
 # Preemptively pin this too.
 PROG_CFLAGS:=
diff --git a/archival/dpkg.c b/archival/dpkg.c
index 74d3a83d9..3621db41d 100644
--- a/archival/dpkg.c
+++ b/archival/dpkg.c
@@ -1573,7 +1573,7 @@ static void unpack_package(deb_file_t *deb_file)
 	init_archive_deb_control(archive_handle);
 
 	while(all_control_files[i]) {
-		char *c = (char *) xmalloc(3 + bb_strlen(all_control_files[i]));
+		char *c = (char *) xmalloc(3 + strlen(all_control_files[i]));
 		sprintf(c, "./%s", all_control_files[i]);
 		accept_list= llist_add_to(accept_list, c);
 		i++;
diff --git a/debianutils/which.c b/debianutils/which.c
index 4d206ab29..f2991c561 100644
--- a/debianutils/which.c
+++ b/debianutils/which.c
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ int which_main(int argc, char **argv)
 
 	path_list = getenv("PATH");
 	if (path_list != NULL) {
-		size_t path_len = bb_strlen(path_list);
+		size_t path_len = strlen(path_list);
 		char *new_list = NULL;
 		count = 1;
 
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ int which_main(int argc, char **argv)
 					break;
 				}
 				free(buf);
-				path_n += (bb_strlen(path_n) + 1);
+				path_n += (strlen(path_n) + 1);
 			}
 		}
 		if (found) {
diff --git a/editors/awk.c b/editors/awk.c
index e11c8350f..9c8bef53a 100644
--- a/editors/awk.c
+++ b/editors/awk.c
@@ -534,7 +534,7 @@ static void *hash_find(xhash *hash, const char *name)
 		if (++hash->nel / hash->csize > 10)
 			hash_rebuild(hash);
 
-		l = bb_strlen(name) + 1;
+		l = strlen(name) + 1;
 		hi = xcalloc(sizeof(hash_item) + l, 1);
 		memcpy(hi->name, name, l);
 
@@ -559,7 +559,7 @@ static void hash_remove(xhash *hash, const char *name)
 	while (*phi) {
 		hi = *phi;
 		if (strcmp(hi->name, name) == 0) {
-			hash->glen -= (bb_strlen(name) + 1);
+			hash->glen -= (strlen(name) + 1);
 			hash->nel--;
 			*phi = hi->next;
 			free(hi);
@@ -1364,7 +1364,7 @@ static node *mk_splitter(char *s, tsplitter *spl)
 		regfree(re);
 		regfree(ire);
 	}
-	if (bb_strlen(s) > 1) {
+	if (strlen(s) > 1) {
 		mk_re_node(s, n, re);
 	} else {
 		n->info = (uint32_t) *s;
@@ -1432,7 +1432,7 @@ static int awk_split(char *s, node *spl, char **slist)
 	regmatch_t pmatch[2];
 
 	/* in worst case, each char would be a separate field */
-	*slist = s1 = bb_xstrndup(s, bb_strlen(s) * 2 + 3);
+	*slist = s1 = bb_xstrndup(s, strlen(s) * 2 + 3);
 
 	c[0] = c[1] = (char)spl->info;
 	c[2] = c[3] = '\0';
@@ -1527,12 +1527,12 @@ static void handle_special(var *v)
 
 		/* recalculate $0 */
 		sep = getvar_s(V[OFS]);
-		sl = bb_strlen(sep);
+		sl = strlen(sep);
 		b = NULL;
 		len = 0;
 		for (i=0; i<n; i++) {
 			s = getvar_s(&Fields[i]);
-			l = bb_strlen(s);
+			l = strlen(s);
 			if (b) {
 				memcpy(b+len, sep, sl);
 				len += sl;
@@ -1769,7 +1769,7 @@ static char *awk_printf(node *n)
 
 		} else if (c == 's') {
 		    s1 = getvar_s(arg);
-			qrealloc(&b, incr+i+bb_strlen(s1), &bsize);
+			qrealloc(&b, incr+i+strlen(s1), &bsize);
 			i += sprintf(b+i, s, s1);
 
 		} else {
@@ -1809,7 +1809,7 @@ static int awk_sub(node *rn, char *repl, int nm, var *src, var *dest, int ex)
 
 	i = di = 0;
 	sp = getvar_s(src);
-	rl = bb_strlen(repl);
+	rl = strlen(repl);
 	while (regexec(re, sp, 10, pmatch, sp==getvar_s(src) ? 0:REG_NOTBOL) == 0) {
 		so = pmatch[0].rm_so;
 		eo = pmatch[0].rm_eo;
@@ -1922,7 +1922,7 @@ static var *exec_builtin(node *op, var *res)
 		break;
 
 	  case B_ss:
-		l = bb_strlen(as[0]);
+		l = strlen(as[0]);
 		i = getvar_i(av[1]) - 1;
 		if (i>l) i=l; if (i<0) i=0;
 		n = (nargs > 2) ? getvar_i(av[2]) : l-i;
@@ -1950,8 +1950,8 @@ lo_cont:
 
 	  case B_ix:
 		n = 0;
-		ll = bb_strlen(as[1]);
-		l = bb_strlen(as[0]) - ll;
+		ll = strlen(as[1]);
+		l = strlen(as[0]) - ll;
 		if (ll > 0 && l >= 0) {
 			if (! icase) {
 				s = strstr(as[0], as[1]);
@@ -2353,7 +2353,7 @@ re_cont:
 			  case F_le:
 				if (! op1)
 					L.s = getvar_s(V[F0]);
-				R.d = bb_strlen(L.s);
+				R.d = strlen(L.s);
 				break;
 
 			  case F_sy:
@@ -2441,12 +2441,12 @@ re_cont:
 		  /* concatenation (" ") and index joining (",") */
 		  case XC( OC_CONCAT ):
 		  case XC( OC_COMMA ):
-			opn = bb_strlen(L.s) + bb_strlen(R.s) + 2;
+			opn = strlen(L.s) + strlen(R.s) + 2;
 			X.s = (char *)xmalloc(opn);
 			strcpy(X.s, L.s);
 			if ((opinfo & OPCLSMASK) == OC_COMMA) {
 				L.s = getvar_s(V[SUBSEP]);
-				X.s = (char *)xrealloc(X.s, opn + bb_strlen(L.s));
+				X.s = (char *)xrealloc(X.s, opn + strlen(L.s));
 				strcat(X.s, L.s);
 			}
 			strcat(X.s, R.s);
diff --git a/include/platform.h b/include/platform.h
index a8858a74c..257ddb260 100644
--- a/include/platform.h
+++ b/include/platform.h
@@ -67,11 +67,6 @@
 # endif
 #endif
 
-#ifdef __GNUC__
-#define strlen(x) bb_strlen(x)
-extern size_t bb_strlen(const char *string);
-#endif
-
 /* ---- Endian Detection ------------------------------------ */
 #ifndef __APPLE__
 # include <byteswap.h>
diff --git a/libbb/Makefile.in b/libbb/Makefile.in
index 102047d73..865b7e726 100644
--- a/libbb/Makefile.in
+++ b/libbb/Makefile.in
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ $(LIBBB_MOBJ0):$(LIBBB_MSRC0)
 LIBBB_MSRC1:=$(srcdir)/xfuncs.c
 LIBBB_MOBJ1:=xmalloc.o xrealloc.o xcalloc.o xstrdup.o xstrndup.o \
 	xfopen.o xopen.o xopen3.o xread.o xread_all.o xread_char.o \
-	xferror.o xferror_stdout.o xfflush_stdout.o strlen.o
+	xferror.o xferror_stdout.o xfflush_stdout.o
 LIBBB_MOBJ1:=$(patsubst %,$(LIBBB_DIR)/%, $(LIBBB_MOBJ1))
 $(LIBBB_MOBJ1):$(LIBBB_MSRC1)
 	$(compile.c) -DL_$(notdir $*)
@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@ $(LIBBB_MOBJ5):$(LIBBB_MSRC5)
 	$(compile.c) -DL_$(notdir $*)
 
 LIBBB_MSRC6:=$(srcdir)/llist.c
-LIBBB_MOBJ6:=llist_add_to.o llist_add_to_end.o llist_free_one.o llist_free.o
+LIBBB_MOBJ6:=llist_add_to.o llist_add_to_end.o llist_pop.o llist_free.o
 LIBBB_MOBJ6:=$(patsubst %,$(LIBBB_DIR)/%, $(LIBBB_MOBJ6))
 $(LIBBB_MOBJ6):$(LIBBB_MSRC6)
 	$(compile.c) -DL_$(notdir $*)
diff --git a/libbb/correct_password.c b/libbb/correct_password.c
index bb9e7d3cc..527b3100b 100644
--- a/libbb/correct_password.c
+++ b/libbb/correct_password.c
@@ -72,6 +72,6 @@ int correct_password ( const struct passwd *pw )
 		return 0;
 	}
 	encrypted = crypt ( unencrypted, correct );
-	memset ( unencrypted, 0, bb_strlen ( unencrypted ));
+	memset ( unencrypted, 0, strlen ( unencrypted ));
 	return ( strcmp ( encrypted, correct ) == 0 ) ? 1 : 0;
 }
diff --git a/libbb/xfuncs.c b/libbb/xfuncs.c
index f1f988f80..9b9081e26 100644
--- a/libbb/xfuncs.c
+++ b/libbb/xfuncs.c
@@ -174,15 +174,6 @@ void bb_xfflush_stdout(void)
 }
 #endif
 
-// GCC forces inlining of strlen everywhere, which is generally a byte
-// larger than calling a function, and it's called a lot so it adds up.
-#ifdef L_strlen
-size_t bb_strlen(const char *string)
-{
-	    return(__builtin_strlen(string));
-}
-#endif
-
 /* END CODE */
 /*
 Local Variables:
diff --git a/loginutils/login.c b/loginutils/login.c
index 277fc98ee..88123c0aa 100644
--- a/loginutils/login.c
+++ b/loginutils/login.c
@@ -338,7 +338,7 @@ static int check_tty ( const char *tty )
 
 	if (( fp = fopen ( bb_path_securetty_file, "r" ))) {
 		while ( fgets ( buf, sizeof( buf ) - 1, fp )) {
-			for ( i = bb_strlen( buf ) - 1; i >= 0; --i ) {
+			for ( i = strlen( buf ) - 1; i >= 0; --i ) {
 				if ( !isspace ( buf[i] ))
 					break;
 			}
diff --git a/modutils/modprobe.c b/modutils/modprobe.c
index 32a37ce17..2925dd28d 100644
--- a/modutils/modprobe.c
+++ b/modutils/modprobe.c
@@ -283,7 +283,7 @@ static void include_conf ( struct dep_t **first, struct dep_t **current, char *b
 		if ( p )
 			*p = 0;
 
-		l = bb_strlen ( buffer );
+		l = strlen ( buffer );
 
 		while ( l && isspace ( buffer [l-1] )) {
 			buffer [l-1] = 0;
@@ -399,7 +399,7 @@ static struct dep_t *build_dep ( void )
 	free(filename);
 
 	while ( reads ( fd, buffer, sizeof( buffer ))) {
-		int l = bb_strlen ( buffer );
+		int l = strlen ( buffer );
 		char *p = 0;
 
 		while ( l > 0 && isspace ( buffer [l-1] )) {
diff --git a/networking/arping.c b/networking/arping.c
index 721368273..303e49935 100644
--- a/networking/arping.c
+++ b/networking/arping.c
@@ -293,7 +293,7 @@ int arping_main(int argc, char **argv)
 		if (opt & 128) /* timeout */
 			timeout = atoi(_timeout);
 		if (opt & 256) { /* interface */
-			if (bb_strlen(_device) > IF_NAMESIZE) {
+			if (strlen(_device) > IF_NAMESIZE) {
 				bb_error_msg_and_die("Interface name `%s' must be less than %d",
 								_device, IF_NAMESIZE);
 			}
diff --git a/networking/ifupdown.c b/networking/ifupdown.c
index 3d7bd7e19..32b92fb62 100644
--- a/networking/ifupdown.c
+++ b/networking/ifupdown.c
@@ -256,7 +256,7 @@ static char *parse(char *command, struct interface_defn_t *ifd)
 					varvalue = get_var(command, nextpercent - command, ifd);
 
 					if (varvalue) {
-						addstr(&result, &len, &pos, varvalue, bb_strlen(varvalue));
+						addstr(&result, &len, &pos, varvalue, strlen(varvalue));
 					} else {
 #ifdef CONFIG_FEATURE_IFUPDOWN_IP
 						/* Sigh...  Add a special case for 'ip' to convert from
@@ -267,7 +267,7 @@ static char *parse(char *command, struct interface_defn_t *ifd)
 							if (varvalue && (res=count_netmask_bits(varvalue)) > 0) {
 								char argument[255];
 								sprintf(argument, "%d", res);
-								addstr(&result, &len, &pos, argument, bb_strlen(argument));
+								addstr(&result, &len, &pos, argument, strlen(argument));
 								command = nextpercent + 1;
 								break;
 							}
@@ -763,7 +763,7 @@ static struct interfaces_file_t *read_interfaces(const char *filename)
 					{
 						int i;
 
-						if (bb_strlen(buf_ptr) == 0) {
+						if (strlen(buf_ptr) == 0) {
 							bb_error_msg("option with empty value \"%s\"", buf);
 							return NULL;
 						}
@@ -845,7 +845,7 @@ static char *setlocalenv(char *format, const char *name, const char *value)
 	char *here;
 	char *there;
 
-	result = xmalloc(bb_strlen(format) + bb_strlen(name) + bb_strlen(value) + 1);
+	result = xmalloc(strlen(format) + strlen(name) + strlen(value) + 1);
 
 	sprintf(result, format, name, value);
 
@@ -860,7 +860,7 @@ static char *setlocalenv(char *format, const char *name, const char *value)
 			here++;
 		}
 	}
-	memmove(here, there, bb_strlen(there) + 1);
+	memmove(here, there, strlen(there) + 1);
 
 	return result;
 }
@@ -1061,7 +1061,7 @@ static char *run_mapping(char *physical, struct mapping_defn_t * map)
 			/* If we are able to read a line of output from the script,
 			 * remove any trailing whitespace and use this value
 			 * as the name of the logical interface. */
-			char *pch = new_logical + bb_strlen(new_logical) - 1;
+			char *pch = new_logical + strlen(new_logical) - 1;
 
 			while (pch >= new_logical && isspace(*pch))
 				*(pch--) = '\0';
@@ -1083,7 +1083,7 @@ static char *run_mapping(char *physical, struct mapping_defn_t * map)
 
 static llist_t *find_iface_state(llist_t *state_list, const char *iface)
 {
-	unsigned short iface_len = bb_strlen(iface);
+	unsigned short iface_len = strlen(iface);
 	llist_t *search = state_list;
 
 	while (search) {
@@ -1308,7 +1308,7 @@ int ifupdown_main(int argc, char **argv)
 			llist_t *iface_state = find_iface_state(state_list, iface);
 
 			if (cmds == iface_up) {
-				char *newiface = xmalloc(bb_strlen(iface) + 1 + bb_strlen(liface) + 1);
+				char *newiface = xmalloc(strlen(iface) + 1 + strlen(liface) + 1);
 				sprintf(newiface, "%s=%s", iface, liface);
 				if (iface_state == NULL) {
 					state_list = llist_add_to_end(state_list, newiface);
diff --git a/procps/sysctl.c b/procps/sysctl.c
index 850cbae67..125f13207 100644
--- a/procps/sysctl.c
+++ b/procps/sysctl.c
@@ -146,7 +146,7 @@ int sysctl_preload_file(const char *filename, int output)
 		if (*ptr == '#' || *ptr == ';')
 			continue;
 
-		if (bb_strlen(ptr) < 2)
+		if (strlen(ptr) < 2)
 			continue;
 
 		name = strtok(ptr, "=");
@@ -323,7 +323,7 @@ int sysctl_display_all(const char *path, int output, int show_table)
 					sysctl_display_all(tmpdir, output, show_table);
 				} else
 					retval |=
-						sysctl_read_setting(tmpdir + bb_strlen(PROC_PATH),
+						sysctl_read_setting(tmpdir + strlen(PROC_PATH),
 											output);
 
 			}
diff --git a/util-linux/hwclock.c b/util-linux/hwclock.c
index 5992d8420..2fe57b2fc 100644
--- a/util-linux/hwclock.c
+++ b/util-linux/hwclock.c
@@ -109,7 +109,7 @@ static int show_clock(int utc)
 
 	safe_strncpy ( buffer, ctime ( &t ), 64);
 	if ( buffer [0] )
-		buffer [bb_strlen ( buffer ) - 1] = 0;
+		buffer [strlen ( buffer ) - 1] = 0;
 
 	//printf ( "%s  %.6f seconds %s\n", buffer, 0.0, utc ? "" : ( ptm-> tm_isdst ? tzname [1] : tzname [0] ));
 	printf ( "%s  %.6f seconds\n", buffer, 0.0 );
@@ -157,7 +157,7 @@ static int check_utc(void)
 		RESERVE_CONFIG_BUFFER(buffer, 128);
 
 		while ( fgets ( buffer, sizeof( buffer ), f )) {
-			int len = bb_strlen ( buffer );
+			int len = strlen ( buffer );
 
 			while ( len && isspace ( buffer [len - 1] ))
 				len--;