diff --git a/Makefile.in b/Makefile.in
index 51cef09..a50a40f 100644
--- a/Makefile.in
+++ b/Makefile.in
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ SRCS=		main.c summary.c tools.c pkgindb.c depends.c actions.c \
 		pkg_check.c pkg_infos.c preferred.c
 # included from libinstall
 SRCS+=		automatic.c dewey.c fexec.c global.c opattern.c pkgdb.c var.c
+SRCS+=		xwrapper.c
 # included from openssh
 SRCS+=		progressmeter.c
 
diff --git a/external/lib.h b/external/lib.h
index 07d39fd..c6d3889 100644
--- a/external/lib.h
+++ b/external/lib.h
@@ -447,6 +447,18 @@ struct pkg_vulnerabilities *parse_pkg_vulnerabilities(const char *, size_t, int)
 struct pkg_vulnerabilities *read_pkg_vulnerabilities(const char *, int, int);
 void free_pkg_vulnerabilities(struct pkg_vulnerabilities *);
 
+/* Helper functions for memory allocation */
+char *xstrdup(const char *);
+void *xrealloc(void *, size_t);
+void *xcalloc(size_t, size_t);
+void *xmalloc(size_t);
+#if defined(__GNUC__) && __GNUC__ >= 2
+char	*xasprintf(const char *, ...)
+			   __attribute__((__format__(__printf__, 1, 2)));
+#else
+char	*xasprintf(const char *, ...);
+#endif
+
 /* Externs */
 extern Boolean Verbose;
 extern Boolean Fake;
diff --git a/external/xwrapper.c b/external/xwrapper.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0b3bb23
--- /dev/null
+++ b/external/xwrapper.c
@@ -0,0 +1,100 @@
+/* NetBSD: xwrapper.c,v 1.2 2009/02/02 12:35:01 joerg Exp */
+
+/*-
+ * Copyright (c) 2008 Joerg Sonnenberger <joerg@NetBSD.org>.
+ * All rights reserved.
+ *
+ * Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without
+ * modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions
+ * are met:
+ *
+ * 1. Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright
+ *    notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer.
+ * 2. Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above copyright
+ *    notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer in
+ *    the documentation and/or other materials provided with the
+ *    distribution.
+ *
+ * THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND CONTRIBUTORS
+ * ``AS IS'' AND ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT
+ * LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS
+ * FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE DISCLAIMED.  IN NO EVENT SHALL THE
+ * COPYRIGHT HOLDERS OR CONTRIBUTORS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT,
+ * INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING,
+ * BUT NOT LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES;
+ * LOSS OF USE, DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED
+ * AND ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY,
+ * OR TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT
+ * OF THE USE OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF
+ * SUCH DAMAGE.
+ */
+
+#if HAVE_CONFIG_H
+#include "config.h"
+#endif
+#if HAVE_NBCOMPAT_H
+#include <nbcompat.h>
+#endif
+
+#if HAVE_ERR_H
+#include <err.h>
+#endif
+#include <stdarg.h>
+#include <stdio.h>
+#include <stdlib.h>
+#include <string.h>
+
+#include "lib.h"
+
+char *
+xasprintf(const char *fmt, ...)
+{
+	va_list ap;
+	char *buf;
+
+	va_start(ap, fmt);
+	if (vasprintf(&buf, fmt, ap) == -1)
+		err(1, "asprintf failed");
+	va_end(ap);
+	return buf;
+}
+
+void *
+xmalloc(size_t len)
+{
+	void *ptr;
+
+	if ((ptr = malloc(len)) == NULL)
+		err(1, "malloc failed");
+	return ptr;
+}
+
+void *
+xcalloc(size_t len, size_t n)
+{
+	void *ptr;
+
+	if ((ptr = calloc(len, n)) == NULL)
+		err(1, "calloc failed");
+	return ptr;
+}
+
+void *
+xrealloc(void *buf, size_t len)
+{
+	void *ptr;
+
+	if ((ptr = realloc(buf, len)) == NULL)
+		err(1, "realloc failed");
+	return ptr;
+}
+
+char *
+xstrdup(const char *str)
+{
+	char *buf;
+
+	if ((buf = strdup(str)) == NULL)
+		err(1, "strdup failed");
+	return buf;
+}