diff --git a/src/conf/capabilities.c b/src/conf/capabilities.c
index 99b69aebb5..6a48af1fca 100644
--- a/src/conf/capabilities.c
+++ b/src/conf/capabilities.c
@@ -705,7 +705,7 @@ virCapabilitiesDomainDataLookupInternal(virCapsPtr caps,
 
     /* XXX check default_emulator, see how it uses this */
     if (!foundguest) {
-        virBuffer buf = VIR_BUFFER_INITIALIZER;
+        g_auto(virBuffer) buf = VIR_BUFFER_INITIALIZER;
         if (ostype)
             virBufferAsprintf(&buf, "ostype=%s ",
                               virDomainOSTypeToString(ostype));
@@ -725,7 +725,6 @@ virCapabilitiesDomainDataLookupInternal(virCapsPtr caps,
         virReportError(VIR_ERR_INVALID_ARG,
                        _("could not find capabilities for %s"),
                        virBufferCurrentContent(&buf));
-        virBufferFreeAndReset(&buf);
         return ret;
     }
 
@@ -901,7 +900,7 @@ virCapabilitiesFormatResctrlMonitor(virBufferPtr buf,
                                     virResctrlInfoMonPtr monitor)
 {
     size_t i = 0;
-    virBuffer childrenBuf = VIR_BUFFER_INIT_CHILD(buf);
+    g_auto(virBuffer) childrenBuf = VIR_BUFFER_INIT_CHILD(buf);
 
     /* monitor not supported, no capability */
     if (!monitor)
@@ -1335,7 +1334,7 @@ virCapabilitiesFormatStoragePoolXML(virCapsStoragePoolPtr *pools,
 char *
 virCapabilitiesFormatXML(virCapsPtr caps)
 {
-    virBuffer buf = VIR_BUFFER_INITIALIZER;
+    g_auto(virBuffer) buf = VIR_BUFFER_INITIALIZER;
 
     virBufferAddLit(&buf, "<capabilities>\n\n");
     virBufferAdjustIndent(&buf, 2);
@@ -1353,7 +1352,6 @@ virCapabilitiesFormatXML(virCapsPtr caps)
     return virBufferContentAndReset(&buf);
 
  error:
-    virBufferFreeAndReset(&buf);
     return NULL;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/conf/checkpoint_conf.c b/src/conf/checkpoint_conf.c
index 3405e8a3cc..89d117043b 100644
--- a/src/conf/checkpoint_conf.c
+++ b/src/conf/checkpoint_conf.c
@@ -502,7 +502,7 @@ virDomainCheckpointDefFormat(virDomainCheckpointDefPtr def,
                              virDomainXMLOptionPtr xmlopt,
                              unsigned int flags)
 {
-    virBuffer buf = VIR_BUFFER_INITIALIZER;
+    g_auto(virBuffer) buf = VIR_BUFFER_INITIALIZER;
 
     virCheckFlags(VIR_DOMAIN_CHECKPOINT_FORMAT_SECURE |
                   VIR_DOMAIN_CHECKPOINT_FORMAT_NO_DOMAIN |
diff --git a/src/conf/cpu_conf.c b/src/conf/cpu_conf.c
index a1514c2e14..12862a2986 100644
--- a/src/conf/cpu_conf.c
+++ b/src/conf/cpu_conf.c
@@ -668,7 +668,7 @@ char *
 virCPUDefFormat(virCPUDefPtr def,
                 virDomainNumaPtr numa)
 {
-    virBuffer buf = VIR_BUFFER_INITIALIZER;
+    g_auto(virBuffer) buf = VIR_BUFFER_INITIALIZER;
 
     if (virCPUDefFormatBufFull(&buf, def, numa) < 0)
         goto cleanup;
@@ -676,7 +676,6 @@ virCPUDefFormat(virCPUDefPtr def,
     return virBufferContentAndReset(&buf);
 
  cleanup:
-    virBufferFreeAndReset(&buf);
     return NULL;
 }
 
@@ -687,8 +686,8 @@ virCPUDefFormatBufFull(virBufferPtr buf,
                        virDomainNumaPtr numa)
 {
     int ret = -1;
-    virBuffer attributeBuf = VIR_BUFFER_INITIALIZER;
-    virBuffer childrenBuf = VIR_BUFFER_INIT_CHILD(buf);
+    g_auto(virBuffer) attributeBuf = VIR_BUFFER_INITIALIZER;
+    g_auto(virBuffer) childrenBuf = VIR_BUFFER_INIT_CHILD(buf);
 
     if (!def)
         return 0;
@@ -755,8 +754,6 @@ virCPUDefFormatBufFull(virBufferPtr buf,
 
     ret = 0;
  cleanup:
-    virBufferFreeAndReset(&attributeBuf);
-    virBufferFreeAndReset(&childrenBuf);
     return ret;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/conf/domain_addr.c b/src/conf/domain_addr.c
index 2f9ff899d7..1068cbf1d2 100644
--- a/src/conf/domain_addr.c
+++ b/src/conf/domain_addr.c
@@ -1941,7 +1941,7 @@ virDomainUSBAddressPortFormatBuf(virBufferPtr buf,
 static char * ATTRIBUTE_NONNULL(1)
 virDomainUSBAddressPortFormat(unsigned int *port)
 {
-    virBuffer buf = VIR_BUFFER_INITIALIZER;
+    g_auto(virBuffer) buf = VIR_BUFFER_INITIALIZER;
     virDomainUSBAddressPortFormatBuf(&buf, port);
     return virBufferContentAndReset(&buf);
 }
diff --git a/src/conf/domain_capabilities.c b/src/conf/domain_capabilities.c
index 0fa8aee78e..837b004334 100644
--- a/src/conf/domain_capabilities.c
+++ b/src/conf/domain_capabilities.c
@@ -596,7 +596,7 @@ virDomainCapsFormatFeatures(const virDomainCaps *caps,
 char *
 virDomainCapsFormat(const virDomainCaps *caps)
 {
-    virBuffer buf = VIR_BUFFER_INITIALIZER;
+    g_auto(virBuffer) buf = VIR_BUFFER_INITIALIZER;
     const char *virttype_str = virDomainVirtTypeToString(caps->virttype);
     const char *arch_str = virArchToString(caps->arch);
 
diff --git a/src/conf/domain_conf.c b/src/conf/domain_conf.c
index abea23542a..37d4ccf955 100644
--- a/src/conf/domain_conf.c
+++ b/src/conf/domain_conf.c
@@ -25264,7 +25264,7 @@ static int
 virDomainDiskDefFormatIotune(virBufferPtr buf,
                              virDomainDiskDefPtr disk)
 {
-    virBuffer childBuf = VIR_BUFFER_INIT_CHILD(buf);
+    g_auto(virBuffer) childBuf = VIR_BUFFER_INIT_CHILD(buf);
 
     FORMAT_IOTUNE(total_bytes_sec);
     FORMAT_IOTUNE(read_bytes_sec);
@@ -25309,7 +25309,7 @@ static int
 virDomainDiskDefFormatDriver(virBufferPtr buf,
                              virDomainDiskDefPtr disk)
 {
-    virBuffer driverBuf = VIR_BUFFER_INITIALIZER;
+    g_auto(virBuffer) driverBuf = VIR_BUFFER_INITIALIZER;
 
     virBufferEscapeString(&driverBuf, " name='%s'", virDomainDiskGetDriver(disk));
 
@@ -26293,7 +26293,7 @@ static int
 virDomainVirtioNetGuestOptsFormat(char **outstr,
                                   virDomainNetDefPtr def)
 {
-    virBuffer buf = VIR_BUFFER_INITIALIZER;
+    g_auto(virBuffer) buf = VIR_BUFFER_INITIALIZER;
     if (def->driver.virtio.guest.csum) {
         virBufferAsprintf(&buf, "csum='%s' ",
                           virTristateSwitchTypeToString(def->driver.virtio.guest.csum));
@@ -26325,7 +26325,7 @@ static int
 virDomainVirtioNetHostOptsFormat(char **outstr,
                                  virDomainNetDefPtr def)
 {
-    virBuffer buf = VIR_BUFFER_INITIALIZER;
+    g_auto(virBuffer) buf = VIR_BUFFER_INITIALIZER;
     if (def->driver.virtio.host.csum) {
         virBufferAsprintf(&buf, "csum='%s' ",
                           virTristateSwitchTypeToString(def->driver.virtio.host.csum));
@@ -26365,7 +26365,7 @@ static int
 virDomainVirtioNetDriverFormat(char **outstr,
                                virDomainNetDefPtr def)
 {
-    virBuffer buf = VIR_BUFFER_INITIALIZER;
+    g_auto(virBuffer) buf = VIR_BUFFER_INITIALIZER;
     if (def->driver.virtio.name) {
         virBufferAsprintf(&buf, " name='%s'",
                           virDomainNetBackendTypeToString(def->driver.virtio.name));
@@ -29997,7 +29997,7 @@ virDomainDefFormat(virDomainDefPtr def,
                    virDomainXMLOptionPtr xmlopt,
                    unsigned int flags)
 {
-    virBuffer buf = VIR_BUFFER_INITIALIZER;
+    g_auto(virBuffer) buf = VIR_BUFFER_INITIALIZER;
 
     virCheckFlags(VIR_DOMAIN_DEF_FORMAT_COMMON_FLAGS, NULL);
     if (virDomainDefFormatInternal(def, xmlopt, &buf, flags) < 0)
diff --git a/src/conf/interface_conf.c b/src/conf/interface_conf.c
index be5e1133a2..76f7054721 100644
--- a/src/conf/interface_conf.c
+++ b/src/conf/interface_conf.c
@@ -1122,11 +1122,10 @@ virInterfaceDefDevFormat(virBufferPtr buf,
 char *
 virInterfaceDefFormat(const virInterfaceDef *def)
 {
-    virBuffer buf = VIR_BUFFER_INITIALIZER;
+    g_auto(virBuffer) buf = VIR_BUFFER_INITIALIZER;
 
-    if (virInterfaceDefDevFormat(&buf, def, VIR_INTERFACE_TYPE_LAST) < 0) {
-        virBufferFreeAndReset(&buf);
+    if (virInterfaceDefDevFormat(&buf, def, VIR_INTERFACE_TYPE_LAST) < 0)
         return NULL;
-    }
+
     return virBufferContentAndReset(&buf);
 }
diff --git a/src/conf/network_conf.c b/src/conf/network_conf.c
index 4ebad1483c..99f11fdf05 100644
--- a/src/conf/network_conf.c
+++ b/src/conf/network_conf.c
@@ -2718,7 +2718,7 @@ virNetworkDefFormat(const virNetworkDef *def,
                     virNetworkXMLOptionPtr xmlopt,
                     unsigned int flags)
 {
-    virBuffer buf = VIR_BUFFER_INITIALIZER;
+    g_auto(virBuffer) buf = VIR_BUFFER_INITIALIZER;
 
     if (virNetworkDefFormatBuf(&buf, def, xmlopt, flags) < 0)
         goto error;
@@ -2726,7 +2726,6 @@ virNetworkDefFormat(const virNetworkDef *def,
     return virBufferContentAndReset(&buf);
 
  error:
-    virBufferFreeAndReset(&buf);
     return NULL;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/conf/node_device_conf.c b/src/conf/node_device_conf.c
index 78a537d0ea..c54015336a 100644
--- a/src/conf/node_device_conf.c
+++ b/src/conf/node_device_conf.c
@@ -520,7 +520,7 @@ virNodeDeviceCapMdevDefFormat(virBufferPtr buf,
 char *
 virNodeDeviceDefFormat(const virNodeDeviceDef *def)
 {
-    virBuffer buf = VIR_BUFFER_INITIALIZER;
+    g_auto(virBuffer) buf = VIR_BUFFER_INITIALIZER;
     virNodeDevCapsDefPtr caps;
     size_t i = 0;
 
diff --git a/src/conf/nwfilter_conf.c b/src/conf/nwfilter_conf.c
index 732c05ac89..3827c65462 100644
--- a/src/conf/nwfilter_conf.c
+++ b/src/conf/nwfilter_conf.c
@@ -948,7 +948,7 @@ printTCPFlags(virBufferPtr buf,
 char *
 virNWFilterPrintTCPFlags(uint8_t flags)
 {
-    virBuffer buf = VIR_BUFFER_INITIALIZER;
+    g_auto(virBuffer) buf = VIR_BUFFER_INITIALIZER;
     printTCPFlags(&buf, flags);
     return virBufferContentAndReset(&buf);
 }
@@ -2561,7 +2561,7 @@ virNWFilterIsAllowedChain(const char *chainname)
     virNWFilterChainSuffixType i;
     const char *name;
     char *msg;
-    virBuffer buf = VIR_BUFFER_INITIALIZER;
+    g_auto(virBuffer) buf = VIR_BUFFER_INITIALIZER;
     bool printed = false;
 
     if (!virNWFilterIsValidChainName(chainname))
@@ -3044,7 +3044,7 @@ virNWFilterEntryFormat(virBufferPtr buf,
 char *
 virNWFilterDefFormat(const virNWFilterDef *def)
 {
-    virBuffer buf = VIR_BUFFER_INITIALIZER;
+    g_auto(virBuffer) buf = VIR_BUFFER_INITIALIZER;
     char uuid[VIR_UUID_STRING_BUFLEN];
     size_t i;
 
@@ -3071,7 +3071,6 @@ virNWFilterDefFormat(const virNWFilterDef *def)
     return virBufferContentAndReset(&buf);
 
  err_exit:
-    virBufferFreeAndReset(&buf);
     return NULL;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/conf/secret_conf.c b/src/conf/secret_conf.c
index 0ec9bce987..3960cf04ad 100644
--- a/src/conf/secret_conf.c
+++ b/src/conf/secret_conf.c
@@ -277,7 +277,7 @@ virSecretDefFormatUsage(virBufferPtr buf,
 char *
 virSecretDefFormat(const virSecretDef *def)
 {
-    virBuffer buf = VIR_BUFFER_INITIALIZER;
+    g_auto(virBuffer) buf = VIR_BUFFER_INITIALIZER;
     const unsigned char *uuid;
     char uuidstr[VIR_UUID_STRING_BUFLEN];
 
@@ -301,6 +301,5 @@ virSecretDefFormat(const virSecretDef *def)
     return virBufferContentAndReset(&buf);
 
  error:
-    virBufferFreeAndReset(&buf);
     return NULL;
 }
diff --git a/src/conf/snapshot_conf.c b/src/conf/snapshot_conf.c
index f73eeb06c7..9767592bfc 100644
--- a/src/conf/snapshot_conf.c
+++ b/src/conf/snapshot_conf.c
@@ -927,7 +927,7 @@ virDomainSnapshotDefFormat(const char *uuidstr,
                            virDomainXMLOptionPtr xmlopt,
                            unsigned int flags)
 {
-    virBuffer buf = VIR_BUFFER_INITIALIZER;
+    g_auto(virBuffer) buf = VIR_BUFFER_INITIALIZER;
 
     virCheckFlags(VIR_DOMAIN_SNAPSHOT_FORMAT_SECURE |
                   VIR_DOMAIN_SNAPSHOT_FORMAT_INTERNAL |
diff --git a/src/conf/storage_capabilities.c b/src/conf/storage_capabilities.c
index 1a3417f90b..cac238c4f2 100644
--- a/src/conf/storage_capabilities.c
+++ b/src/conf/storage_capabilities.c
@@ -117,16 +117,14 @@ virStoragePoolCapsFormatPool(virBufferPtr buf,
 char *
 virStoragePoolCapsFormat(const virStoragePoolCaps *caps)
 {
-    virBuffer buf = VIR_BUFFER_INITIALIZER;
+    g_auto(virBuffer) buf = VIR_BUFFER_INITIALIZER;
     size_t i;
 
     virBufferAddLit(&buf, "<storagepoolCapabilities>\n");
     virBufferAdjustIndent(&buf, 2);
     for (i = 0; i < VIR_STORAGE_POOL_LAST; i++) {
-        if (virStoragePoolCapsFormatPool(&buf, i, caps) < 0) {
-            virBufferFreeAndReset(&buf);
+        if (virStoragePoolCapsFormatPool(&buf, i, caps) < 0)
             return NULL;
-        }
     }
     virBufferAdjustIndent(&buf, -2);
     virBufferAddLit(&buf, "</storagepoolCapabilities>\n");
diff --git a/src/conf/storage_conf.c b/src/conf/storage_conf.c
index 5669b92f8d..7bc743887c 100644
--- a/src/conf/storage_conf.c
+++ b/src/conf/storage_conf.c
@@ -1223,7 +1223,7 @@ virStoragePoolDefFormatBuf(virBufferPtr buf,
 char *
 virStoragePoolDefFormat(virStoragePoolDefPtr def)
 {
-    virBuffer buf = VIR_BUFFER_INITIALIZER;
+    g_auto(virBuffer) buf = VIR_BUFFER_INITIALIZER;
 
     if (virStoragePoolDefFormatBuf(&buf, def) < 0)
         goto error;
@@ -1231,7 +1231,6 @@ virStoragePoolDefFormat(virStoragePoolDefPtr def)
     return virBufferContentAndReset(&buf);
 
  error:
-    virBufferFreeAndReset(&buf);
     return NULL;
 }
 
@@ -1594,7 +1593,7 @@ virStorageVolDefFormat(virStoragePoolDefPtr pool,
                        virStorageVolDefPtr def)
 {
     virStorageVolOptionsPtr options;
-    virBuffer buf = VIR_BUFFER_INITIALIZER;
+    g_auto(virBuffer) buf = VIR_BUFFER_INITIALIZER;
 
     options = virStorageVolOptionsForPoolType(pool->type);
     if (options == NULL)
@@ -1663,7 +1662,6 @@ virStorageVolDefFormat(virStoragePoolDefPtr pool,
     return virBufferContentAndReset(&buf);
 
  cleanup:
-    virBufferFreeAndReset(&buf);
     return NULL;
 }
 
@@ -1686,7 +1684,7 @@ int
 virStoragePoolSaveState(const char *stateFile,
                         virStoragePoolDefPtr def)
 {
-    virBuffer buf = VIR_BUFFER_INITIALIZER;
+    g_auto(virBuffer) buf = VIR_BUFFER_INITIALIZER;
     g_autofree char *xml = NULL;
 
     virBufferAddLit(&buf, "<poolstate>\n");
@@ -1743,7 +1741,7 @@ char *
 virStoragePoolSourceListFormat(virStoragePoolSourceListPtr def)
 {
     virStoragePoolOptionsPtr options;
-    virBuffer buf = VIR_BUFFER_INITIALIZER;
+    g_auto(virBuffer) buf = VIR_BUFFER_INITIALIZER;
     const char *type;
     size_t i;
 
@@ -1770,6 +1768,5 @@ virStoragePoolSourceListFormat(virStoragePoolSourceListPtr def)
     return virBufferContentAndReset(&buf);
 
  cleanup:
-    virBufferFreeAndReset(&buf);
     return NULL;
 }
diff --git a/src/conf/virnetworkobj.c b/src/conf/virnetworkobj.c
index b2affaacd3..5d90dec2bc 100644
--- a/src/conf/virnetworkobj.c
+++ b/src/conf/virnetworkobj.c
@@ -815,7 +815,7 @@ virNetworkObjFormat(virNetworkObjPtr obj,
                     virNetworkXMLOptionPtr xmlopt,
                     unsigned int flags)
 {
-    virBuffer buf = VIR_BUFFER_INITIALIZER;
+    g_auto(virBuffer) buf = VIR_BUFFER_INITIALIZER;
     char *classIdStr = virBitmapFormat(obj->classIdMap);
     size_t i;
 
@@ -843,7 +843,6 @@ virNetworkObjFormat(virNetworkObjPtr obj,
     return virBufferContentAndReset(&buf);
 
  error:
-    virBufferFreeAndReset(&buf);
     return NULL;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/conf/virnetworkportdef.c b/src/conf/virnetworkportdef.c
index 2013e11dff..1db3dc69e2 100644
--- a/src/conf/virnetworkportdef.c
+++ b/src/conf/virnetworkportdef.c
@@ -324,12 +324,10 @@ virNetworkPortDefParseFile(const char *filename)
 char *
 virNetworkPortDefFormat(const virNetworkPortDef *def)
 {
-    virBuffer buf = VIR_BUFFER_INITIALIZER;
+    g_auto(virBuffer) buf = VIR_BUFFER_INITIALIZER;
 
-    if (virNetworkPortDefFormatBuf(&buf, def) < 0) {
-        virBufferFreeAndReset(&buf);
+    if (virNetworkPortDefFormatBuf(&buf, def) < 0)
         return NULL;
-    }
 
     return virBufferContentAndReset(&buf);
 }
diff --git a/src/conf/virnwfilterbindingdef.c b/src/conf/virnwfilterbindingdef.c
index 7d813353ef..f286bdd840 100644
--- a/src/conf/virnwfilterbindingdef.c
+++ b/src/conf/virnwfilterbindingdef.c
@@ -223,12 +223,10 @@ virNWFilterBindingDefParseFile(const char *filename)
 char *
 virNWFilterBindingDefFormat(const virNWFilterBindingDef *def)
 {
-    virBuffer buf = VIR_BUFFER_INITIALIZER;
+    g_auto(virBuffer) buf = VIR_BUFFER_INITIALIZER;
 
-    if (virNWFilterBindingDefFormatBuf(&buf, def) < 0) {
-        virBufferFreeAndReset(&buf);
+    if (virNWFilterBindingDefFormatBuf(&buf, def) < 0)
         return NULL;
-    }
 
     return virBufferContentAndReset(&buf);
 }
diff --git a/src/conf/virnwfilterbindingobj.c b/src/conf/virnwfilterbindingobj.c
index 7cfc2e9efa..584721f8b6 100644
--- a/src/conf/virnwfilterbindingobj.c
+++ b/src/conf/virnwfilterbindingobj.c
@@ -284,16 +284,14 @@ virNWFilterBindingObjParseFile(const char *filename)
 char *
 virNWFilterBindingObjFormat(const virNWFilterBindingObj *obj)
 {
-    virBuffer buf = VIR_BUFFER_INITIALIZER;
+    g_auto(virBuffer) buf = VIR_BUFFER_INITIALIZER;
 
     virBufferAddLit(&buf, "<filterbindingstatus>\n");
 
     virBufferAdjustIndent(&buf, 2);
 
-    if (virNWFilterBindingDefFormatBuf(&buf, obj->def) < 0) {
-        virBufferFreeAndReset(&buf);
+    if (virNWFilterBindingDefFormatBuf(&buf, obj->def) < 0)
         return NULL;
-    }
 
     virBufferAdjustIndent(&buf, -2);
     virBufferAddLit(&buf, "</filterbindingstatus>\n");
diff --git a/src/conf/virsavecookie.c b/src/conf/virsavecookie.c
index 7fc951afe2..429daf69be 100644
--- a/src/conf/virsavecookie.c
+++ b/src/conf/virsavecookie.c
@@ -127,7 +127,7 @@ char *
 virSaveCookieFormat(virObjectPtr obj,
                     virSaveCookieCallbacksPtr saveCookie)
 {
-    virBuffer buf = VIR_BUFFER_INITIALIZER;
+    g_auto(virBuffer) buf = VIR_BUFFER_INITIALIZER;
 
     if (virSaveCookieFormatBuf(&buf, obj, saveCookie) < 0)
         goto error;
@@ -135,6 +135,5 @@ virSaveCookieFormat(virObjectPtr obj,
     return virBufferContentAndReset(&buf);
 
  error:
-    virBufferFreeAndReset(&buf);
     return NULL;
 }