static int save_state(unsigned char *stash)
 {
        int len;
-       struct child_process cp;
+       struct child_process cp = CHILD_PROCESS_INIT;
        struct strbuf buffer = STRBUF_INIT;
        const char *argv[] = {"stash", "create", NULL};
 
-       memset(&cp, 0, sizeof(cp));
        cp.argv = argv;
        cp.out = -1;
        cp.git_cmd = 1;
        if (argc < 0)
                die(_("Bad branch.%s.mergeoptions string: %s"), branch,
                    split_cmdline_strerror(argc));
-       argv = xrealloc(argv, sizeof(*argv) * (argc + 2));
+       REALLOC_ARRAY(argv, argc + 2);
        memmove(argv + 1, argv, sizeof(*argv) * (argc + 1));
        argc++;
        argv[0] = "branch.*.mergeoptions";
 static int merge_trivial(struct commit *head, struct commit_list *remoteheads)
 {
        unsigned char result_tree[20], result_commit[20];
-       struct commit_list *parent = xmalloc(sizeof(*parent));
+       struct commit_list *parents, **pptr = &parents;
 
        write_tree_trivial(result_tree);
        printf(_("Wonderful.\n"));
-       parent->item = head;
-       parent->next = xmalloc(sizeof(*parent->next));
-       parent->next->item = remoteheads->item;
-       parent->next->next = NULL;
+       pptr = commit_list_append(head, pptr);
+       pptr = commit_list_append(remoteheads->item, pptr);
        prepare_to_commit(remoteheads);
-       if (commit_tree(merge_msg.buf, merge_msg.len, result_tree, parent,
+       if (commit_tree(merge_msg.buf, merge_msg.len, result_tree, parents,
                        result_commit, NULL, sign_commit))
                die(_("failed to write commit object"));
        finish(head, remoteheads, result_commit, "In-index merge");
                 */
                if (advice_resolve_conflict)
                        die(_("You have not concluded your merge (MERGE_HEAD exists).\n"
-                                 "Please, commit your changes before you can merge."));
+                                 "Please, commit your changes before you merge."));
                else
                        die(_("You have not concluded your merge (MERGE_HEAD exists)."));
        }
        if (file_exists(git_path("CHERRY_PICK_HEAD"))) {
                if (advice_resolve_conflict)
                        die(_("You have not concluded your cherry-pick (CHERRY_PICK_HEAD exists).\n"
-                           "Please, commit your changes before you can merge."));
+                           "Please, commit your changes before you merge."));
                else
                        die(_("You have not concluded your cherry-pick (CHERRY_PICK_HEAD exists)."));
        }