diff --git a/src/actions.c b/src/actions.c
index 1c9866e9..23e8fb86 100644
--- a/src/actions.c
+++ b/src/actions.c
@@ -463,6 +463,7 @@ void remove_symbol(int j)
      my_free(672, &xctx->sym[j].poly[c][i].selected_point);
    }
    my_free(673, &xctx->sym[j].poly[c]);
+   xctx->sym[j].polygons[c] = 0;
 
    for(i=0;i<xctx->sym[j].lines[c];i++)
    {
@@ -472,6 +473,7 @@ void remove_symbol(int j)
     }
    }
    my_free(675, &xctx->sym[j].line[c]);
+   xctx->sym[j].lines[c] = 0;
 
    for(i=0;i<xctx->sym[j].arcs[c];i++)
    {
@@ -481,6 +483,7 @@ void remove_symbol(int j)
     }
    }
    my_free(677, &xctx->sym[j].arc[c]);
+   xctx->sym[j].arcs[c] = 0;
 
    for(i=0;i<xctx->sym[j].rects[c];i++)
    {
@@ -490,6 +493,7 @@ void remove_symbol(int j)
     }
    }
    my_free(679, &xctx->sym[j].rect[c]);
+   xctx->sym[j].rects[c] = 0;
   }
   for(i=0;i<xctx->sym[j].texts;i++)
   {
@@ -507,6 +511,7 @@ void remove_symbol(int j)
    }
   }
   my_free(683, &xctx->sym[j].text);
+  xctx->sym[j].texts = 0;
 
   save = xctx->sym[j];
   for(i = j + 1; i < xctx->symbols; i++) {
@@ -518,12 +523,15 @@ void remove_symbol(int j)
 
 void remove_symbols(void)
 {
- int j;
+  int j;
 
- for(j=xctx->symbols-1;j>=0;j--) {
-   dbg(2, "remove_symbols(): removing symbol %d\n",j);
-   remove_symbol(j);
- }
+  for(j=xctx->symbols-1;j>=0;j--) {
+    dbg(2, "remove_symbols(): removing symbol %d\n",j);
+    remove_symbol(j);
+  }
+  for(j = 0; j < xctx->instances; j++) {
+    xctx->inst[j].ptr = -1; /* clear symbol reference on instanecs */
+  }
   dbg(1, "remove_symbols(): done\n");
 }
 
@@ -859,7 +867,7 @@ int place_symbol(int pos, const char *symbol_name, double x, double y, short rot
   xctx->inst[n].instname=NULL;
   xctx->inst[n].lab=NULL;
   dbg(1, "place_symbol(): entering my_strdup: name=%s\n",name);  /*  03-02-2000 */
-  my_strdup(12, &xctx->inst[n].name ,name);
+  my_strdup2(12, &xctx->inst[n].name ,name);
   dbg(1, "place_symbol(): done my_strdup: name=%s\n",name);  /*  03-02-2000 */
   /*  xctx->inst[n].x0=symbol_name ? x : xctx->mousex_snap; */
   /*  xctx->inst[n].y0=symbol_name ? y : xctx->mousey_snap; */
diff --git a/src/editprop.c b/src/editprop.c
index eda4cb43..2281c8e2 100644
--- a/src/editprop.c
+++ b/src/editprop.c
@@ -990,7 +990,7 @@ void update_symbol(const char *result, int x)
       delete_inst_node(*ii); /* 20180208 fix crashing bug: delete node info if changing symbol */
                         /* if number of pins is different we must delete these data *before* */
                         /* changing ysmbol, otherwise *ii might end up deleting non allocated data. */
-      my_strdup(82, &xctx->inst[*ii].name, rel_sym_path(symbol));
+      my_strdup2(82, &xctx->inst[*ii].name, rel_sym_path(symbol));
       xctx->inst[*ii].ptr=sym_number; /* update instance to point to new symbol */
     }
     bbox(ADD, xctx->inst[*ii].x1, xctx->inst[*ii].y1,
diff --git a/src/in_memory_undo.c b/src/in_memory_undo.c
index 6a4eab94..bed8182e 100644
--- a/src/in_memory_undo.c
+++ b/src/in_memory_undo.c
@@ -259,7 +259,7 @@ void push_undo(void)
     my_strdup(330, &xctx->uslot[slot].iptr[i].lab, xctx->inst[i].lab);
     my_strdup2(191, &xctx->uslot[slot].iptr[i].instname, xctx->inst[i].instname);
     my_strdup(192, &xctx->uslot[slot].iptr[i].prop_ptr, xctx->inst[i].prop_ptr);
-    my_strdup(193, &xctx->uslot[slot].iptr[i].name, xctx->inst[i].name);
+    my_strdup2(193, &xctx->uslot[slot].iptr[i].name, xctx->inst[i].name);
   }
   /* texts */
   for(i=0;i<xctx->texts;i++) {
@@ -373,7 +373,7 @@ void pop_undo(int redo, int set_modify_status)
     xctx->inst[i].instname=NULL;
     xctx->inst[i].lab=NULL;
     my_strdup(214, &xctx->inst[i].prop_ptr, xctx->uslot[slot].iptr[i].prop_ptr);
-    my_strdup(215, &xctx->inst[i].name, xctx->uslot[slot].iptr[i].name);
+    my_strdup2(215, &xctx->inst[i].name, xctx->uslot[slot].iptr[i].name);
     my_strdup2(216, &xctx->inst[i].instname, xctx->uslot[slot].iptr[i].instname);
     my_strdup(766, &xctx->inst[i].lab, xctx->uslot[slot].iptr[i].lab);
   }
diff --git a/src/move.c b/src/move.c
index 6329e22e..637d07cd 100644
--- a/src/move.c
+++ b/src/move.c
@@ -917,7 +917,7 @@ void copy_objects(int what)
         xctx->inst[xctx->instances].lab=NULL;
         xctx->inst[xctx->instances].node=NULL;
         xctx->inst[xctx->instances].name=NULL;
-        my_strdup(232, &xctx->inst[xctx->instances].name, xctx->inst[n].name);
+        my_strdup2(232, &xctx->inst[xctx->instances].name, xctx->inst[n].name);
         my_strdup(233, &xctx->inst[xctx->instances].prop_ptr, xctx->inst[n].prop_ptr);
         my_strdup2(234, &xctx->inst[xctx->instances].instname, get_tok_value(xctx->inst[n].prop_ptr, "name",0));
         my_strdup(312, &xctx->inst[xctx->instances].lab, xctx->inst[n].lab);
diff --git a/src/psprint.c b/src/psprint.c
index c4ba0799..530b658e 100644
--- a/src/psprint.c
+++ b/src/psprint.c
@@ -634,9 +634,10 @@ static void fill_ps_colors()
 {
  char s[200]; /* overflow safe 20161122 */
  unsigned int i,c;
- if(debug_var>=1) {
-   tcleval( "puts $ps_colors");
- }
+ /* if(debug_var>=1) {
+  *   tcleval( "puts $ps_colors");
+  * }
+  */
  for(i=0;i<cadlayers;i++) {
    my_snprintf(s, S(s), "lindex $ps_colors %d", i);
    tcleval( s);
diff --git a/src/save.c b/src/save.c
index d76031cc..86734b59 100644
--- a/src/save.c
+++ b/src/save.c
@@ -291,7 +291,7 @@ void save_inst(FILE *fd, int select_only)
    if (select_only && ptr[i].sel != SELECTED) continue;
   fputs("C ", fd);
   if(oldversion) {
-    my_strdup(57, &tmp, add_ext(ptr[i].name, ".sym"));
+    my_strdup2(57, &tmp, add_ext(ptr[i].name, ".sym"));
     save_ascii_string(tmp, fd, 0);
     my_free(882, &tmp);
   } else {
@@ -829,7 +829,7 @@ void read_xschem_file(FILE *fd)
          }
          /* if loading file coming back from embedded symbol delete temporary file */
          if(!strcmp(name_embedded, xctx->sym[i].name)) {
-           my_strdup(325, &xctx->sym[i].name, xctx->inst[xctx->instances-1].name);
+           my_strdup2(325, &xctx->sym[i].name, xctx->inst[xctx->instances-1].name);
            xunlink(name_embedded);
            found=1;break;
          }
@@ -1693,7 +1693,7 @@ int load_sym_def(const char *name, FILE *embed_fd)
   symbol[symbols].type = NULL;
   symbol[symbols].templ = NULL;
   symbol[symbols].name=NULL;
-  my_strdup(352, &symbol[symbols].name,name);
+  my_strdup2(352, &symbol[symbols].name,name);
   while(1)
   {
    if(endfile && embed_fd && level == 0) break; /* ']' line encountered --> exit */
diff --git a/src/scheduler.c b/src/scheduler.c
index d98db8f5..0f474fa5 100644
--- a/src/scheduler.c
+++ b/src/scheduler.c
@@ -1919,7 +1919,7 @@ int xschem(ClientData clientdata, Tcl_Interp *interp, int argc, const char * arg
         delete_inst_node(inst); /* 20180208 fix crashing bug: delete node info if changing symbol */
                              /* if number of pins is different we must delete these data *before* */
                              /* changing ysmbol, otherwise i might end up deleting non allocated data. */
-        my_strdup(369, &xctx->inst[inst].name, rel_sym_path(symbol));
+        my_strdup2(369, &xctx->inst[inst].name, rel_sym_path(symbol));
         xctx->inst[inst].ptr=sym_number;
         bbox(ADD, xctx->inst[inst].x1, xctx->inst[inst].y1, xctx->inst[inst].x2, xctx->inst[inst].y2);
    
diff --git a/src/spice_netlist.c b/src/spice_netlist.c
index 9c2c269f..ac9edc46 100644
--- a/src/spice_netlist.c
+++ b/src/spice_netlist.c
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ void hier_psprint(void)  /* netlister driver */
   ps_draw(2); /* page */
   dbg(1,"--> %s\n", skip_dir( xctx->sch[xctx->currsch]) );
   unselect_all();
-  remove_symbols(); /* 20161205 ensure all unused symbols purged before descending hierarchy */
+  remove_symbols(); /* ensure all unused symbols purged before descending hierarchy */
   link_symbols_to_instances(-1);
   /* load_schematic(1, xctx->sch[xctx->currsch], 0); */
   my_strdup(1224, &xctx->sch_path[xctx->currsch+1], xctx->sch_path[xctx->currsch]);
@@ -52,9 +52,9 @@ void hier_psprint(void)  /* netlister driver */
   subckt_name=NULL;
   for(i=0;i<xctx->symbols;i++)
   {
-    if( strcmp(get_tok_value(xctx->sym[i].prop_ptr,"spice_ignore",0),"true")==0 ) continue;
-    if(!xctx->sym[i].type) continue;
-    my_strdup(1230, &abs_path, abs_sym_path(xctx->sym[i].name, ""));
+    /* for printing we process also symbols that have *_ignore attribute */
+    if(!xctx->sym[i].type || !xctx->sym[i].name || !xctx->sym[i].name[0]) continue; /* can not descend into */
+    my_strdup2(1230, &abs_path, abs_sym_path(xctx->sym[i].name, ""));
     if(strcmp(xctx->sym[i].type,"subcircuit")==0 && check_lib(2, abs_path))
     {
       /* xctx->sym can be SCH or SYM, use hash to avoid writing duplicate subckt */
@@ -90,9 +90,6 @@ void hier_psprint(void)  /* netlister driver */
   draw();
 }
 
-
-
-
 void global_spice_netlist(int global)  /* netlister driver */
 {
  int first;
diff --git a/src/svgdraw.c b/src/svgdraw.c
index 811a956c..197bbbab 100644
--- a/src/svgdraw.c
+++ b/src/svgdraw.c
@@ -523,9 +523,10 @@ static void fill_svg_colors()
 {
  char s[200]; /* overflow safe 20161122 */
  unsigned int i,c;
- if(debug_var>=1) {
-   tcleval( "puts $svg_colors");
- }
+ /* if(debug_var>=1) {
+  *   tcleval( "puts $svg_colors");
+  * }
+  */
  for(i=0;i<cadlayers;i++) {
    if(color_ps) {
      my_snprintf(s, S(s), "lindex $svg_colors %d", i);