diff --git a/src/alias.c b/src/alias.c
index f91b940c..db765080 100644
--- a/src/alias.c
+++ b/src/alias.c
@@ -173,7 +173,7 @@ struct list *get_alias_definitions(void)
 	iters = system_alias_files;
 	iteru = user_alias_files;
 	while (iters && iteru) {
-		int pivot = strcmp(basename(iteru->data), basename(iters->data));
+		int pivot = strcmp(sys_basename(iteru->data), sys_basename(iters->data));
 		if (pivot == 0) {
 			if (iters == system_alias_files) {
 				system_alias_files = iters->next;
diff --git a/src/autoupdate.c b/src/autoupdate.c
index 07eb202b..aebbc210 100644
--- a/src/autoupdate.c
+++ b/src/autoupdate.c
@@ -22,7 +22,6 @@
 #define _GNU_SOURCE
 #include <fcntl.h>
 #include <getopt.h>
-#include <libgen.h>
 #include <stdio.h>
 #include <string.h>
 #include <unistd.h>
diff --git a/src/bundle.c b/src/bundle.c
index e9eb2bd4..43e56496 100644
--- a/src/bundle.c
+++ b/src/bundle.c
@@ -23,7 +23,6 @@
 
 #define _GNU_SOURCE
 #include <fcntl.h>
-#include <libgen.h>
 #include <stdbool.h>
 #include <stdio.h>
 #include <string.h>
diff --git a/src/bundle_add.c b/src/bundle_add.c
index 7dc796b5..cd7e739d 100644
--- a/src/bundle_add.c
+++ b/src/bundle_add.c
@@ -26,7 +26,6 @@
 #include <errno.h>
 #include <fcntl.h>
 #include <getopt.h>
-#include <libgen.h>
 #include <stdio.h>
 #include <string.h>
 #include <sys/stat.h>
diff --git a/src/bundle_list.c b/src/bundle_list.c
index e0e3bc4e..2e75c999 100644
--- a/src/bundle_list.c
+++ b/src/bundle_list.c
@@ -23,7 +23,6 @@
 #define _GNU_SOURCE
 #include <errno.h>
 #include <getopt.h>
-#include <libgen.h>
 #include <string.h>
 
 #include "config.h"
@@ -156,20 +155,19 @@ skip_mom:
 
 	while (item) {
 		if (MoM) {
-			bundle_manifest = mom_search_bundle(MoM, basename((char *)item->data));
+			bundle_manifest = mom_search_bundle(MoM, sys_basename((char *)item->data));
 		}
 		if (bundle_manifest) {
 			name = get_printable_bundle_name(bundle_manifest->filename, bundle_manifest->is_experimental);
+			print("%s\n", name);
+			free(name);
 		} else {
-			string_or_die(&name, basename((char *)item->data));
+			print("%s\n", sys_basename((char *)item->data));
 		}
-		print("%s\n", name);
-		free_string(&name);
-		free(item->data);
 		item = item->next;
 	}
 
-	list_free_list(bundles);
+	list_free_list_and_data(bundles, free);
 
 	free_string(&path);
 	manifest_free(MoM);
diff --git a/src/bundle_remove.c b/src/bundle_remove.c
index 37d947de..576feb4e 100644
--- a/src/bundle_remove.c
+++ b/src/bundle_remove.c
@@ -25,7 +25,6 @@
 #define _GNU_SOURCE
 #include <fcntl.h>
 #include <getopt.h>
-#include <libgen.h>
 #include <stdio.h>
 #include <string.h>
 #include <sys/stat.h>
diff --git a/src/delta.c b/src/delta.c
index a51a1582..903b5652 100644
--- a/src/delta.c
+++ b/src/delta.c
@@ -25,7 +25,6 @@
 #include <bsdiff.h>
 #include <errno.h>
 #include <fcntl.h>
-#include <libgen.h>
 #include <linux/fs.h>
 #include <stdio.h>
 #include <stdlib.h>
diff --git a/src/hashdump.c b/src/hashdump.c
index 90133639..a28ad4ef 100644
--- a/src/hashdump.c
+++ b/src/hashdump.c
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ static struct option opts[] = {
 static void usage(const char *name)
 {
 	print("Usage:\n");
-	print("   swupd %s [OPTION...] filename\n\n", basename((char *)name));
+	print("   swupd %s [OPTION...] filename\n\n", sys_basename(name));
 	print("Help Options:\n");
 	print("   -h, --help              Show help options\n\n");
 	print("Application Options:\n");
diff --git a/src/lib/sys.c b/src/lib/sys.c
index b664a0e6..839f3178 100644
--- a/src/lib/sys.c
+++ b/src/lib/sys.c
@@ -17,22 +17,25 @@
  *
  */
 
+// Make sure we are getting the gnu version of basename
 #define _GNU_SOURCE
-#include "sys.h"
+#include <libgen.h>
+#undef basename
+#include <string.h>
+
 #include "list.h"
 #include "log.h"
 #include "macros.h"
 #include "memory.h"
 #include "strings.h"
+#include "sys.h"
 
 #include <dirent.h>
 #include <errno.h>
 #include <fcntl.h>
-#include <libgen.h>
 #include <stdarg.h>
 #include <stdio.h>
 #include <stdlib.h>
-#include <string.h>
 #include <sys/stat.h>
 #include <sys/statvfs.h>
 #include <sys/wait.h>
@@ -354,6 +357,15 @@ char *sys_dirname(const char *path)
 	return dir;
 }
 
+char *sys_basename(const char *path)
+{
+	if (!path) {
+		return NULL;
+	}
+
+	return basename(path);
+}
+
 char *sys_path_join(const char *prefix, const char *path)
 {
 	size_t len = 0;
diff --git a/src/lib/sys.h b/src/lib/sys.h
index 5899e49f..ced3f310 100644
--- a/src/lib/sys.h
+++ b/src/lib/sys.h
@@ -163,6 +163,18 @@ bool systemd_in_container(void);
  */
 char *sys_dirname(const char *path);
 
+/**
+ * @brief Safe GNU implementation of basename
+ *
+ * Make sure the GNU implementation of basename will be used and not the
+ * posix one. The GNU implementation is read-only and won't change the value
+ * of path. For more information consult GNU basename manual.
+ *
+ * A pointer for a portion of the path string will be returned and shoudn't be
+ * freed. If you need to keep it you need to strdup it.
+ */
+char *sys_basename(const char *path);
+
 /**
  * @brief Join 2 paths using the default path separator.
  *
diff --git a/src/main.c b/src/main.c
index 767b3a7e..e15bdc59 100644
--- a/src/main.c
+++ b/src/main.c
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@
  *
  */
 
-#define _GNU_SOURCE // for basename()
+#define _GNU_SOURCE
 #include <getopt.h>
 #include <locale.h>
 #include <stdio.h>
@@ -81,8 +81,8 @@ static const struct option prog_opts[] = {
 static void print_help(const char *name)
 {
 	print("Usage:\n");
-	print("    %s [OPTION...]\n", basename((char *)name));
-	print(" or %s [OPTION...] SUBCOMMAND [OPTION...]\n\n", basename((char *)name));
+	print("    %s [OPTION...]\n", sys_basename(name));
+	print(" or %s [OPTION...] SUBCOMMAND [OPTION...]\n\n", sys_basename(name));
 	print("Help Options:\n");
 	print("   -h, --help              Show help options\n");
 	print("   -v, --version           Output version information and exit\n\n");
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ static void print_help(const char *name)
 		entry++;
 	}
 	print("\n");
-	print("To view subcommand options, run `%s SUBCOMMAND --help'\n", basename((char *)name));
+	print("To view subcommand options, run `%s SUBCOMMAND --help'\n", sys_basename(name));
 }
 
 /* this function prints the copyright message for the --version command */
diff --git a/src/telemetry.c b/src/telemetry.c
index 86f8c1f2..c0fc584d 100644
--- a/src/telemetry.c
+++ b/src/telemetry.c
@@ -23,7 +23,6 @@
 
 #define _GNU_SOURCE
 #include <fcntl.h>
-#include <libgen.h>
 #include <stdarg.h>
 #include <stdlib.h>
 #include <unistd.h>
@@ -59,8 +58,8 @@ void telemetry(telem_prio_t level, const char *class, const char *fmt, ...)
 
 	close(fd);
 
-	filename_n = basename(filename);
-	if (!filename_n) {
+	filename_n = sys_basename(filename);
+	if (!filename_n || !filename_n[0]) {
 		free_string(&filename);
 		goto error;
 	}
diff --git a/src/update.c b/src/update.c
index 3adbe697..5276d481 100644
--- a/src/update.c
+++ b/src/update.c
@@ -25,7 +25,6 @@
 #include <errno.h>
 #include <fcntl.h>
 #include <getopt.h>
-#include <libgen.h>
 #include <stdbool.h>
 #include <stdio.h>
 #include <stdlib.h>